With Loris Baz and Lucas Mahias, Christophe Ponsson is the third French rider on the World Superbike grid this season. But he was also of this trio in the worst shape when he appeared in front of the gates of Donington Park. The Frenchman was indeed reunited with his Yamaha which had thrown him off course during the last meeting in Misano to better cause him a complex fracture of his freshly operated collarbone. Declared nevertheless fit, which rewarded his hard efforts during a convalescence placed under the sign of emergency, he unfortunately could not make it to the end of the meeting, suffering like a martyr. He explains what exactly happened to him...
Christophe Ponsson went to the end of himself in this round Donington which he began through gritted teeth. But that wasn't enough to go beyond Saturday. On Sunday, he actually threw in the towel, and he himself explains the reasons: “ I was declared unfit to ride on Sunday at Donington. Apart from the collarbone pain on Friday, I felt better and better, session after session ».
However… " Due to the lack of mobility in my shoulder, I compensated with my arm all weekend which triggered severe muscle pain tetanizing my hand. I couldn't accelerate or brake normally. I made the decision to end my racing weekend. Too bad because even in this situation I was driving faster than in 2021 ».
Christophe Ponsson: “ I was driving faster than in 2021«
We will note that if the clan Yamaha was delighted with the resounding hat-trick of Toprak Razgatlioglu At the end of the three races, the other drivers in R1 were less celebrating. Christophe Ponsson therefore had physical problems, but Andrea Locatelli as Garret Gerloff did not really emerge from the peloton during this round WSBK in England approached in great shape.
Finishing 10th, 8th and 8th, Donington was actually the factory driver's worst weekend of the year Locatelli. In the first round, the driver of 25 years finished more than 30 seconds behind his teammate. With 7th place, Garrett gerloff of the Yamaha Junior Team GRT achieved the best individual result of a Yamaha rider, apart from Razgatlioglu. On Sunday, however, the pilot of 26 years old only managed 10th and 11th places. However, during the third practice session on Saturday morning, the American achieved the best time. The worst happened with Kohta Nozane. Finishing 19th, 17th and 18th in all three races, the Japanese more than missed out on points.
