‘I believe in myself!’
How’s the recovery going?
I couldn’t do anything for the first two to three months. It was horrible. I was on morphine to help take some of the pain away. I was put in contact with Loughborough University, who put me through an initial test to see how much pressure I could put down through each foot, obviously there was a big difference. They came up with my training plan; strength and conditioning in the gym, but also rehab whilst I’m training as well. It’s never going to be 100%, but I’ve made some big improvements.
What surprised you most about BSB?
The hardest things to get used to are the power, the circuits and the rear brake. Most of my career, I’ve used the rear brake on corner entry and mid-corner, whereas now I’m using it on corner exit, which I’ve never really had to do because I’ve never had a bike fast enough. It’s about finding the balance. There’s also the speed, and the speed at these tracks. They’re narrow compared to what I’m used to, and I’m on the fastest bike that I’ve ever ridden so it’s all coming at me very quickly.
What’s a good year for Danny Kent?
I want to win, and I can honestly see that happening. It’s good for us to start at Silverstone. I know it well and the bike works well there, so if we can start the year off strongly, it’ll be good for my confidence. In my first year I managed to get a podium before starting to get inside the top 10. The aim is always to get into the Showdown and try to win as many races as possible. Obviously, it’s not going to be easy. But I believe the team and bike is capable of doing it, and I believe in myself. I’ve just got to work hard on my rehab and my fitness.