Max Cook has been gradually recovering from a crash earlier this year at the Thruxton round. His return to Donington Park—where he had previously achieved podium finishes in every race of round two—marked his first time back on the podium since the Brands Hatch event.
After the weekend’s final race, the AJN Steelstock Bimota rider expressed his joy at regaining a top-three finish:
“It feels amazing to be back on the podium. You don’t realize how much you miss it until you’re away from it for a while. Over the last few rounds at Cadwell and Assen, I was just rebuilding my foundation to get back to this level.”
Donington holds special significance for Cook, as it was the venue for some of his early career highlights—podium finishes in all three races during his first visit there, as he explained:
“I felt really confident this weekend knowing how well we performed here in round two. It just took us a bit of time to find our pace.”
He added, “The bike felt incredible today, right from the warm-up, which made me really happy. Unfortunately, race two was a bit chaotic with a few incidents getting in the way.”
Starting from the front row also boosted Cook’s performance, giving him a clear path to focus on his racing tactics:
“Starting second was huge for me. I could get stuck in immediately, take the holeshot, and push myself to the limit. Since I’m not in championship contention, I had nothing to lose and decided to give it everything. Scott eventually passed me, slowly gaining time with small increments I just couldn’t keep up with today.”
With the final round set for Brands Hatch—another track where Cook previously secured podium finishes in all three races—there is even more motivation to maintain his positive momentum:
“I’m happy to leave here with a trophy and a smile. The whole team is really pleased, and I feel like I gave it my all. It’s great momentum heading into Brands, and we’re going there feeling confident.”
Fan Take:
Max Cook’s return to form is an exciting boost for British Superbike fans, showcasing resilience and determination after setbacks. His renewed competitiveness could shake up the final rounds and add fresh excitement to the championship fight.
Source: www.crash.net
