Local superbike stars Harry and Max stayed strong at Oulton Park

Harry Cook in action at Oulton Park. Photo Matt Anthony.

Local superbike stars Harry Cook and Max Hardy showed up well in the latest round of racing at Oulton Park.

Cook (17), from Guyhirn, competed in the Quattro Group British Supersport Cup and managed an impressive third-place finish in a ‘last chance qualifying’ race, crossing the line just 2.854 seconds behind the winner.

This result showcased Cook's ability to quickly adapt to new equipment and extract the best performance possible as his new bike had only arrived on the Wednesday before the weekend races.

"To me, this was our test weekend on the new bike," Cook said. “We hadn't ridden it before the weekend so I was getting used to the chassis and geometry as I didn’t have any previous data.

Max Hardy in action at Oulton Park. Photo Matt Anthony.

“I am quicker than I was last year at Oulton, which isn't my strong track, and I am determined to come back even stronger later in the year. Every session we have been out, we have improved in time, so it won't be long before I'm in the mix."

It had been a tough start to the weekend for Cook as he suffered a technical issue during first practice. He eventually qualified 28th overall and 11th in class with a best lap time of 1:43.683.

Hardy (16), from Eye, competing in the Quattro Group British Supersport GP2 class, also had a solid start to his season.

In the combined ‘free practice sessions’, Hardy finished 42nd overall, but he was an impressive third in the GP2 class with a best lap time of 1:43.978, just over six seconds behind the overall leader.

During the combined qualifying sessions, Hardy improved his position, securing 36th place overall and third in the GP2 class with a best lap time of 1:42.003.

The first race saw Hardy engaged in a thrilling battle for a podium finish in his class. He was running in third position until an unfortunate incident forced him to take evasive action.

Despite having to go across the grass, Hardy showcased his resilience and managed to finish the race in a commendable fourth in the GP2 class, and 33rd overall.

In the second race, Hardy faced a technical issue that forced him to retire on lap five.

"It was an ok start,” Hardy said.

The next races are at Donington Park between May 17-19.