Harry Walker: European Championship Round 2 – Foxhill GB
Date: May 28, 2025
I hope you are well.
I wanted to take the opportunity to share an in-depth recap of my weekend competing in Round 2 of the European Quad Championship at Foxhill, United Kingdom, a special home GP for me. It was an action-packed and rewarding weekend with strong results, valuable experience, and fantastic support from everyone around me, including many of you.
Pre-Race Preparation
The lead-up to the weekend was extremely busy, as both bikes underwent full servicing and received fresh graphics in preparation for the home round. We knew the spotlight would be on, and I was determined to perform at my best.
Friday – Track Walk & Technical
After a short 40-minute journey to Foxhill, I arrived eager and focused. I walked the track to evaluate the conditions and spotted a few technical sections that would require caution, as well as some potential overtaking lines, though opportunities were limited on such a tight and unforgiving circuit.
Both bikes sailed through technical inspection without any issues, giving me confidence going into the weekend.
Saturday – Practice, Qualifying & Qualifying Race
Saturday began with some light overnight rain, which helped settle the dry track. The skies remained grey, but conditions were ideal. Surrounded by family, friends, and supporters, I went into free practice fully focused. I used the session to test out my line choices and ideas from the track walk, and I was thrilled to put in a fast lap of 2:18.597, topping the session and feeling incredibly happy with the bike setup and rhythm.
Later in the day, in qualifying, I struck early with a blistering 2:16.195 lap—one that held strong for the entire session and gave me 1st overall and first gate pick for the qualifying race.
In the qualifying race, I took the inside gate and launched well, coming through the first corner in 2nd. By the 3rd corner, I had made the pass into 1st and was looking strong. Unfortunately, while charging up one of the steeper hills, I hit an uneven patch, which caused the bike to kick sideways and nearly threw me off. Somehow, I managed to stay on, but the incident disrupted my rhythm and caused me to lose several places. A small tangle later in the lap dropped me further to 10th. Regrouping mentally and physically, I pushed back hard, posting competitive lap times and climbing my way back up to 7th by the chequered flag.
Sunday – Warm-Up, Race 1 & Race 2
We were greeted again with grey skies and a bit more overnight rain, but by warm-up, the sun was out and I was back to business. I put in the fastest lap of the session, resetting my focus from Saturday’s incident.
In Race 1, the atmosphere was electric with a huge home crowd. Starting 7th on the gate, I knew the start was crucial. Despite the mid-pack gate position, I launched well, went wide around the outside, and climbed into 2nd by turn two. I rode patiently behind the leader, matching their pace and waiting for the right opportunity. With the crowd behind me, I made a decisive move to take the lead and pulled a gap, bringing it home with a win by 2.549 seconds, a hugely emotional and satisfying result at my home GP.
In Race 2, I aimed to repeat the success. Unfortunately, I got pinched in the start, limiting my position into the first corner. Despite battling hard and making passes, the leaders had already broken away while I was stuck behind slower traffic. Once clear, I put in strong laps to close the gap, but with time running out, I settled for a solid 3rd place, keeping the championship in mind.
Weekend Recap
Overall, it was a fantastic weekend, finishing 2nd Overall and closing the championship gap to the leader to just 3 points. The pressure was definitely on with the home crowd, media attention, and many of my sponsors watching trackside, but I used that energy to deliver a strong, professional performance both on and off the bike.
The scare on Saturday only fuelled my drive to rebound stronger on Sunday. I’m proud of the way I handled the pressure and showcased what I’m capable of with the support of a great team and amazing sponsors behind me.
Looking Ahead
After eight consecutive weeks of racing, we now have a short but well-earned break before heading to Round 3 of the European Championship in Poland. I’ll be training hard and making sure everything is fully prepared to continue the momentum and keep pushing for the championship title.
I want to sincerely thank you once again for your continued support. Competing and performing at this level wouldn’t be possible without your belief and backing. It means the world to have you with me on this journey.
Best regards,
Harry Walker
