Burrow’s belief on the rise

JACK Burrows admits that his confidence is rising after several eye-catching performances during the first two rounds of the R&G British Talent Cup.

At the series opener at Donington Park, the Cookstown High School pupil claimed 10th and 14th placed finishes as he settled into his second campaign in the championship.

But at Silverstone, during the MotoGP weekend, the 15-year-old took a massive leap forward and had it not been for an over-zealous attempted overtake by a rival on the final lap of race two, he would have been standing on the podium.

Things didn’t get off to the best of starts last weekend, however, with tyre pressure issues initially leaving Jack struggling for grip. But once that problem was solved, he was quickly into the groove.

“We started off in qualifying in the wet and I didn’t have a great feeling with the bike because the tyre pressure in the rear had sky-rocketed so I had no grip at the rear, which is why I was so slow in qualifying,” he explained.

“And then, in the race, I was happy it was dry because I didn’t have a great feeling and I hung everything out on the line and I was able to stay [with the leaders] for almost three quarters of the race.

“But because I didn’t have slip-stream, they kept pulling away and I almost got caught by the group behind me but I held on for eighth.

“I was happy that I was able to hold onto the front group for the first time in my British motorbike career in the dry. We’re making improvements!

After earning a superb eighth placed finish in a dry race one at Silverstone, Burrows shone in the wet second time out and with third place seemingly his, he was taken out at the final chicane.

And while a little frustrated by the end of his weekend at round two, the Dungannon lad is pleased with the pace and by his performances thus far, which he believes he can build upon next month at Snetterton.

“It was unreal, so close [to the podium at Silverstone]!,” he exclaimed.

“But going to Snetterton it’s a case of onwards and upwards because I think we’re in a good place with the bike in the wet and the dry because in race two, in the wet, we made some changes to the tyre pressures, which made it much better because I actually had grip!

“And having got so close to the podium I have to go in believing I can do it.

“My confidence is much higher, having been battling with those boys who, last year, were at the front. I was thinking ‘how are they so quick?’ but I’m with them now, so my confidence is good and hopefully I can carry it into Snetterton.”