Jerez GP: Back to Europe and Back in the Fight 🥊🦘
It feels good to be back racing in Europe. We kicked off the first European round of the season at the iconic Circuito de Jerez, one of my favourite stops on the calendar. Jerez has always been a special place, but coming back here after missing pre-season testing due to injury definitely made it a little nerve-racking. I just stayed focused on the job and it ended up being a positive weekend.
Friday started off well. In Free Practice 1, I spent the session getting the feeling back on the bike and finished with a best time of 1'46.704, which put me 20th. I knew there was a lot more in the tank. By the afternoon’s Practice session under better conditions, I was feeling much stronger and more confident. Early on, I dropped a 1’45.686 which put me up into 7th, and with a few minutes left, I pushed again and improved to a 1’44.984. That time had me sitting 3rd for a bit before a couple of late improvements from other riders dropped me back to 5th. Either way, I was stoked to lock in a direct Q2 spot. Finishing Friday in the top 5 felt like a big step, especially coming back to the place where I had been injured a few months ago. There are still some areas we are working on, but overall, it felt like the old Jacob was back.
Sunday was race day and after qualifying 8th, I actually started 7th because of a penalty to another rider. I did not get the best jump off the line and struggled to find space through the first corners, dropping down to P11 after the opening lap. I also had a long lap penalty to serve from Saturday’s session, and after taking it, I found myself in 14th with a lot of work ahead. I focused on my pace and started to claw my way back. I was able to catch and pass a few riders and was feeling really strong late in the race. At one point I made it up to 9th but a mistake cost me positions and I dropped back to 12th with just a few laps to go. I kept fighting and managed to make a couple of passes on the final lap, moving back up to 9th by the time we crossed the line.
Although I was a bit disappointed with my opening laps and the mistakes early on, I am pleased with how we finished the race. Our pace was good, I felt strong, and we kept improving throughout the weekend. I can feel my confidence and riding ability getting better every time I am on track, and I am already excited to carry this momentum into Le Mans in a couple of weeks.
Big thanks to my Red Bull KTM Tech3 team and everyone supporting me. Step by step, we're making progress.
Jacob 🇦🇺
