Christian Iddon
Finally, 2021 is secure!
This time last year, I stood in front of the nation’s press with my chest fully puffed out as I was proudly presented alongside Josh Brookes in the PBM Visiontrack Ducati squad. We were on the very top floor of the Shard with champagne flowing freely (which I actually didn’t sample) and my beautiful new Ducati under the spotlights.
I gazed out across the seemingly never-ending vast expanse of lights and noise that was London below and it was one of those moments that I knew would stick with me for the rest of my life. Landing the best seat in the business doesn’t mean you’ve ‘made it’ but it was a moment to appreciate I was well on my way along that journey. As the 2020 season rolled on I knew I was staking a good claim to retaining my seat in the team but in this business you can never take anything for granted. Sure, I took the title fight to the very last race but my team-mate took the title and knowing Josh had no intentions of going elsewhere, meant that it was always going to be my head on the chopping block if it came to it.
You never can be too certain in this game and although I never doubt my own ability, that’s not to say that others will share the same faith. The team had started to assure me I was safe in my seat but it’s hard not to let the little voices creep in. There were plenty of top names looking for a seat from outside our shores, with the likes of Loris Baz and Leon Camier all without a job at one point.
Then there was the up-and-coming British talent. The team already had the safe bet in Josh so would they be contemplating a bit of a punt on a young gun? The Rory Skinner rumour mill had been circulating for quite some time as the last few rounds of 2020 were still to be run, but I just kept focusing on my job in hand as that was all I could do. Then there were the outside wildcards. Maybe BSB itself would be pushing for a big-name rider dropping out of MotoGP such as Rabat or maybe a returning WSBK top name such as Fores? Stranger things have happened, that is for sure, and with BSB having the immense profile it does now, there aren’t many riders that wouldn’t contemplate a season in our little Island.
Finally, in the early part of this year I got the call I had been praying to receive. As much as I knew it and I had been assured as much, that call cemented that I was going to get the chance to go at it again in 2021. This time there wouldn’t be the big fanfare or attention-drawing London launch we had 12 months previously. This time it was as simple as seeing my name formally submitted on the entry list but seeing that list was every bit as good as that feeling I had a year ago.
Since that came out I’ve managed to speak to all my personal sponsors and I am so chuffed to be able to say I have retained each and every sponsor from 2020. Most of my sponsors have been with me on my racing journey for many years anyway so it shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise. However, with the current shenanigans occurring in the world I was fully aware that even though some might want to be involved, they might not actually be able to so I’m even more happy with the outcome. I’m really relishing the chance to be back on the same bike and the same team. I rushed at the 2020 season a bit. I had the ‘it’s now or never’ syndrome which meant I tried too hard too early in testing and never got a true understanding of the bike. That in turn meant my feedback to the crew was utter tosh for the early part of testing and in any vicious circle, they then weren’t able to make the bike work for me.
I now have a year under my belt and as a team we have great base settings especially in certain parts of a circuit. It’s also important to know where your weaknesses lie and I’m really aware of those so when we finally get going it will be a case of trying to keep the strong and improve on the weak. Always easier said than done, but that’s the aim! Outside of racing I have finally started to put my sports degree to good use, as I am becoming a rubbish version of Joe Wicks, by conducting online PT sessions for a group of signed-up members. It’s funny what is and isn’t in your comfort zone and I can happily race in front of a crowd of 30,000 people but taking a fitness class for 50 folk over Facebook Live had the anxiety levels on max.
It’s all gone pretty well so far though, so I might roll the course out for another month and then it will be go time on race season. Bring it on !!!!