EIGHT time TT winner Ian Hutchinson spent last Friday at Donington Park preparing his 2012 Yamaha R1 TT superbike.
Hutchy completed 50 laps on the Swan Yamaha in preparation for his return to racing at the Macau Grand Prix next month.
After recuperating from breaking his leg in a crash at Silverstone last year, Hutchinson has been using an right-hand gearshift and a thumb-operated rear brake, which he will continue to use after becoming comfortable with the set-up.
After the test he said: “It was really good. Unfortunately, we only got half a day as the track was wet in the morning but when it dried out, the bike was mega, we got four sessions in over the afternoon and did some good work in readiness for Macau next month.”
“Laptimes were good and we didn’t change a lot in terms of setup from the Mallory shakedown. The bike felt a little bit different and we changed fork springs but that was it and that’s how it will go in the crate ready to get shipped.
“The right-hand gear-change will stay as I am used to it now and the data shows I’m shifting as well with it as with the left now. I put a bit of effort in by riding a road-registered quadbike which has a shift on the right, so I’m getting on well with it now. It’s feels really natural.”
