Max Symonds uses EBC Brakes Racing’s GPFAX pads and X-Series floating discs
Following a successful 2024 campaign, Wiltshire-based motorcycle racer, Max Symonds has been campaigning another season in the British Superbike’s National Superstock category.
The rider, who also won Castle Combe Circuit’s coveted NG Road Racing ‘King of Combe’ race in 2023, has switched from his Yamaha R1 to a Honda CBR 1000RR Fireblade for 2025, continuing to use EBC Brakes Racing’s GPFAX pads and X-Series floating discs to provide the stopping power.
What started as a successful international testing season turned into disaster at Guadix, where a big off saw Symonds out of action for the first five rounds due to a foot injury.
We caught up with Max after he’d returned to the saddle and successfully completed his first two BSB rounds of the season, as well as a guest round with NG Road Racing – thankfully far more positive affairs which you can read more about in his team’s own words below…
Brands Hatch – BSB
“Brands Hatch BSB National Superstock round 6 was the stage for Max’s comeback ride, having been by sidelined with Injury since pre-season testing in March.
“The Brands Hatch weekend was not only Max’s first race back from injury, but also the first race on the Honda Fireblade that had been built over winter. The team continues to use EBC Brakes Racing’s GPFAX track/race brake pads and X-Series floating discs – a formula that has helped them secure solid points in previous years.
“It was always going to be challenging making a return to racing after such a long time off on the sidelines, particularly mid-way through the season with everyone else having completed a number of races already. Nevertheless, after a small amount of UK testing, Max and the team were ready to jump in and get going.
“Practise and qualifying went well with Max getting back up to speed quickly and putting in a lap time just 0.6 seconds off his previous personal best. The races were always going to be the most challenging part of the weekend with the lack of bike time and Max’s injury. In the first race, Max got away well and put in consistent lap times to take a top-20 finish.”
“I knew having my first race back from injury on the Brands Hatch GP circuit was always going to be a challenge, it’s one of the most technically and physically demanding tracks in the country and really takes full commitment to get right and go fast. By about lap 5, I was already struggling so I just got my head down and put in consistent laps up until the final lap 14 to take the chequered flag which felt great with it being such a long time since my last race.” – Max Symonds.
“For Sunday, a few changes were made in warm-up and Max was ready to get stuck in again, now having a race under his belt.
“I got a bad start for race 2 and lost 4/5 places on the run up to turn one. But with the confidence I’d gained from riding the bike so far this weekend, I was able to put the horsepower of the Honda Fireblade and stopping power of EBC GPFAX pads to good use to make these positions back but the mid-point of lap 3.
“At this point, I was chasing the TT and road racing legend, John McGuiness. Just I was starting to line up an overtake, it began to rain – not hard enough for the race to be stopped but enough to reduce the grip. Not wanting to risk a crash on my first round back, I eased off a bit. This meant I lost touch with John and the group ahead. My focus was then just clocking the laps off as best as I could and after a hard battle with another rider I brought the bike home for another top 20.
“After such a long break from racing recovering from my foot injury, it felt great to get a couple of races under my belt. I’m now looking forward to Thruxton in two weeks’ time where I can build on the experience of this weekend.”
Thruxton – BSB
“The second round of Max’s comeback from injury at BSB took him to his local round of Thruxton, the notoriously challenging and fast-paced circuit known as the ‘Cathedral of Speed’.
“Riding fast is always hard work at Thruxton; getting used to cornering at speeds of over 160mph with the bike sliding sideways and fighting to stay on track is always a bit of a shock. This year even more so with a new bike to get dialled-in and set up.
“When it comes to the races, the abrasive nature of the tarmac means making the tyre last is critical whereas in qualifying you’re on the limit with hard acceleration for nearly the entire lap. So, Friday was all about getting a good setup on the Honda to make use of a new tyre in qualifying but to also make the tyre last in the race.
“Saturday went well with Max qualifying and finishing race one in P19.”
“I felt great on the bike in qualifying, we were able to get a really good base setting on Friday and I got a great run out on the new tyre during the session. Unfortunately, over the race I struggled a lot with rear wheel spin and that stopped me from being able to overtake any of the riders ahead of me.” – Max Symonds.
“Race 2 on Sunday saw Max and team improve to a better result of P17.”
“We made some changes on the bike in the morning practise session and right from the early laps of the race it felt much better. I was able to get the power down really well on the high speed outfield sections of the circuit and carry this up to the last chicane to put the GPFAX pads and X-Series discs to good use and make some overtakes. In the second half of the race, I had much better pace and was able to stay with the group ahead finishing about a second off the points.
“With this being only my second round back after my injury this felt like great progress and I’m looking forward to getting back out at BSB in a couple of weeks’ time for the next round at Cadwell Park.” – Max Symonds.
Donington Park – NG Road Racing
“After missing the first BSB round at Donington Park due to Max’s injury, the team returned to familiar territory by joining his former club, NG Road Racing, for some crucial testing on the new Honda Fireblade. Max made the most of it, taking two impressive wins after some great battles.
“Having missed both pre-season testing and the opening BSB round and Donington Park through his injury, Max faced an uphill challenge heading into the upcoming races there in September due to the very limited practise time during a BSB event. To get a good base setup on the bike, he joined NG Road Racing’s Donington Park meeting – the club where he’s previously spent many years racing at and enjoyed great success, claiming nine championships during his career.”
“It was great to get a load of laps in across practice and qualifying and try lots of different settings on the bike.
“The first race was a proper battle! I was up against Jim Hind – a regular at the TT, road races, and NG. We swapped positions pretty much every lap. I got stuck behind a back marker and dropped to second as we started the final lap. Most of my overtakes had been into Turn 1, but that wasn’t an option this time, so I stayed as close to Jim as possible for the rest of the lap and made a move into the last corner. I just managed to get the bike stopped in time and beat him to the line by just 0.038 seconds.
“The second race was a different story. Jim wasn’t in this one, so I focused on running a clean race and ended up taking the win by 12 seconds.
“Overall, it was a great chance to build a solid base setup for the Honda ahead of the next BSB round… and just great fun to be fighting for wins again.” – Max Symonds
GPFAX Pads
EBC’s GPFAX Sintered Race Brake Pads are for RACE ONLY use. This is a blend of brake pad that has higher friction and far better grip than any other brake product on the market.
X-Series Floating Discs
Since their introduction, EBC’s ultra-lightweight floating motorcycle rotors have become one of the worlds best selling lightest and best performing discs available for all modern sport bikes.
