Cook leads Donington Park R&G test as AJN Steelstock Bimota shines

The opening official R&G test at Donington Park produced an eye-catching debut for the AJN Steelstock Bimota KB988 Rimini as Max Cook posted the fastest combined time on the final day. Over two days of running the field tightened up, and Cook’s benchmark lap came midway through the last session, allowing him to hold off a late charge from Danny Kent by just 0.285s. Teams used the running to evaluate chassis, electronics and race pace as the countdown continues toward the season opener.

Beyond the headline act, the test delivered a tight top ten that mixed established names and fresh combinations. The event underlined how early-season tests are about more than outright lap times: riders and crews chased setup stability, tyre behaviour and consistency across long runs. Several riders rode machines that varied from full race specification, which meant team notes often separated simulator expectations from on-track reality. A few technical caveats also applied to the official timing and track monitoring systems used during the test.

How the running developed at Donington Park

During the sessions, Cook steadily improved his pace on the AJN Steelstock Bimota KB988 Rimini, showing promising race-pace balance in addition to a quick single-lap turn. Danny Kent produced a late-session surge for Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha, slotting into second overall with Rory Skinner close behind. McAMS Yamaha’s Bradley Ray and Honda Racing UK’s Ryan Vickers rounded out the early top five, illustrating how development work across different teams left little margin between rivals.

Notable individual runs

Defending champion Kyle Ryde lapped competitively on a Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati, though the machine ran in a non-BSB specification setup for much of the test. New pairings also showed their potential: Andrew Irwin made a solid debut for MET fonaCAB Racing, and Christian Iddon impressed aboard the Sencat Racing Yamaha. Meanwhile, previous title contenders such as Josh Brookes and Leon Haslam logged meaningful mileage as their teams worked through race-setup permutations.

Official combined times and what they reveal

The official combined sheet from the R&G Official Test at Donington Park reflected a narrow margin from first to tenth, highlighting a competitive field. The top ten (overall combined times) read as follows, with Cook’s session-leading lap at the top:

1. Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Bimota) 1m:27.184s
2. Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +0.285s
3. Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +0.315s
4. Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +0.409s
5. Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +0.454s
6. Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducati) +0.463s (non-BSB specification)
7. Andrew Irwin (MET fonaCAB Racing) +0.472s
8. Christian Iddon (Sencat Racing Yamaha) +0.512s
9. Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +0.759s
10. Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +0.819s

Interpretation of the numbers

While the gaps appear modest, they mask the different test programmes in place: some riders focused on qualifying runs while others prioritised long-distance consistency and fuel/tyre strategies. The presence of machines in non-BSB specification further complicates direct comparisons; nevertheless, the list gives a reliable indicator of who arrived at Donington Park with a well-sorted baseline. Teams will refine those baselines before the next official hit-out.

Technical notes and next steps for teams

Organisers noted that race-event level track limits detection at Turn 9/10 was not active during testing, a technical detail teams must remember when reviewing lap data. With that caveat and the mix of specification levels, engineers will cross-check video, telemetry and tyre usage data to finalise race setups. The paddock now turns its attention to the final R&G Official Test at Oulton park on April 21/22, which will be the last scheduled chance to simulate race conditions ahead of the season opener.

In short, Cook’s performance gave AJN Steelstock Bimota a headline-making start, but the tight order means many teams left Donington Park with both encouraging signs and clear areas to work on. As the grid heads to Oulton Park, expect nuanced changes to electronics maps, suspension settings and tyre choices as everyone hunts those tenths that separate podium prospects from the rest of the field.