Druck help provide Hawk Racing with competitive edge ahead of Donington Superbikes showdown
A collaboration between two successful East Midlands firms, based in Groby (Druck) and Mallory Park (Hawk Racing), aims to deliver a best-ever season on the British Superbikes circuit for the local, family-run team.
In the same week that the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship will descend on Donington Park for its first of two local rounds, Druck, a Baker Hughes business, hosted the Hawk Racing team in a first-of-its-kind huddle to pinpoint how using its world-leading pressure sensor technology will translate to gains on the circuit.
Mallory Park-based riders Josh Owens and Charlie Nesbitt joined senior engineers from Druck for the unique session on 16 May 2023. The insights shared will guide the Hawk team as they prepare for Round 3 of the series at Donington Park, which is the local race for the squad.
“This is our 25th year in racing,” said Steve Hicken, owner of Hawk Racing, “making us the longest established team in British Superbikes – and we want this season to be one to remember. Adopting world-leading sensor technology from Druck, alongside our new Honda machinery and two talented riders, we believe we can make a big impact, and the collaboration is particularly special due to sharing the same regional base.”
Druck is among Leicestershire’s foremost manufacturers, employing almost 700 people at its global headquarters in Groby, and a further 200 globally.
“With a 50-year legacy in pressure measurement, we’re proud that our unrivalled pressure measurement technology is providing Hawk with a competitive advantage and helping them improve performance”, said Jonny MacGregor, Global Engineering Leader at Druck, who is also a GT (Gran Tourer) racing driver in the Britcar British Endurance Championship. “We’re one of the few companies worldwide manufacturing piezo-resistive high quality motorsport sensors from silicon wafers, into a finished product that can withstand the punishing environment of top tier motorsport. Our lightweight sensors provide accuracy and reliability and deliver race teams marginal gains, which on the circuit are critical.
“We hope this collaboration of two regional firms at the forefront of this industry will deliver a best-ever season for Hawk Racing on the British Superbike circuit.”
During the visit, the Hawk Racing team and other guests went behind-the-scenes at Druck’s UK production facility, where around 100 individual processes are completed as part of the assembly of a high-performance pressure sensor.
The Druck sensors can perform at temperatures from -20 to 175 Degrees Celsius, and withstand the extreme vibration and shock associated with professional motorsport.
Since 1990, Druck products have been successfully applied across the motorsport sector, with its products chosen by teams from all leading motorsport series.
Druck is a global leader for pressure measurement supporting customers in more than 70 countries. Its technology is trusted by customers in critical applications across many industries including aerospace, automotive, semiconductor, oil and gas, power generation, meteorology and hydrology.
