This week’s Oulton Park BSB check marked a return to the circuit for the primary time in 15 years for John McPhee.
The Scottish rider, who debuts in BSB this season after a yr in WorldSSP, was final at Oulton Park on a 125cc bike, however heading there this week had additionally to proceed his adaptation to the Honda CBR1000RR-R Superbike he’ll race this yr for the MasterMac Honda squad run by Hawk Racing.
“It’s all utterly completely different,” McPhee mentioned, chatting with Crash.internet, of Oulton Park on a Superbike in comparison with the 125cc he final rode on the Cheshire circuit.
“Clearly, the primary time leaping on a 1,000cc, on a Superbike, for me this yr; I knew it was going to be a giant transition, however immediately I felt good with the bike, good with the group.
“We went out to Spain and had two actually good days in Alcarras, turned up on the official check in Navarra and completed actually strongly – on the final day we have been third in each periods and fourth on the mixed [times].
“So, I used to be like ‘Perhaps it’s not as massive a transition as I assumed,’ and that’s – to a sure [extent] – right; however the distinction is coming again to locations like Oulton Park the place the observe is so quirky, it’s received so many technical bits and that’s what I have to study now – I simply want extra laps to actually perceive the observe.
“I’m feeling good with the bike – we’re nonetheless testing and growing, however the largest factor for me is simply understanding precisely the place I’m going and lap-by-lap that’s coming higher.”
Whereas it has been an preliminary wrestle for McPhee as a BSB rookie to re-learn Oulton Park whereas additionally adapting to the Fireblade, the ex-Grand Prix rider is bound that there can even be tracks on the calendar the place he will be aggressive.
“There’s loads of tracks that I do know I’m going to be sturdy at and I’ll be completely superb at,” he mentioned.
“The likes of Oulton and Cadwell are two of the extremes, so I believe if we are able to get by way of this primary spherical and get some actually good factors on the board it ought to set us in good stead for the remainder of the season.”
McPhee added that there’s extra for him to search out in himself than within the bike at this still-early part of his adaptation to BSB, to the Honda CBR1000RR-R, and to a Superbike typically.
“I’d say extra to search out in me – positively,” he mentioned.
“Then, the bike setup is working, it’s in a extremely good working window. The group has received a lot expertise to know precisely what they’re doing, I believe the distinction is simply in bringing the bike to swimsuit my fashion as properly.
“Instantly in Spain all of it labored and all of it clicked right away. You then come to someplace like Oulton Park the place it’s a bit extra quirky and it takes a little bit of time. We’re working away at it and I’m positive come spherical one we’ll be good to go.”
