Aragon in Spain hosted the opening race of the European Superstock 600 Championship. Image: WorldSBK.com.

Mike Jones has turned his attention to the second round of the UEM European Superstock Championship after struggling to find a desired level of feel or confidence in his bike at the season-opener in Spain.

The Queenslander faced an uphill battle from the start, with suspension components due to be tested pre-season not arriving until just prior to the Aragon weekend.

It was largely a development exercise for the team who had to make setup changes on the go, resulting in a race bike that lacked feel and confidence in the front and a lack of rear tyre feel.

Jones qualified his CBR600R in 18th and was able to make some progress in the race, finishing 15th and taking a single championship point.

He was disappointed with the outcome in what was his first race on the Agro On Racedays Honda, but is hoping further development work in the next week will have him heading in the right direction for Assen.

“It was a very difficult weekend in Aragon where I qualified 18th and finished the race in 15th position,” explained Jones. “These are not my ideal results and below my expectations leading into the round.

“I made some progress on Friday, but I didn’t feel comfortable on the bike. I’m working with the team to make the necessary changes for the next race at Assen.

“I know that it will be difficult at the next round, but I feel that we should start making some progress from now on. I really wish to thank my family, friends, fans and sponsors for the positive support and comments.”

While the event marked the teenager’s debut with his new team, it is not his first foray into the category.

He competed at Portimao and the Nurburgring in 2012, finishing in sixth place in Germany.