MCE British Superbike Championship
Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, England
October 4, 2015
Race Two Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Josh Brookes, Australia (Yamaha), 14 laps, total race time 29:35.464, best lap time 2:05.440
2. Michael Laverty, UK (BMW), -3.568 seconds, 2:05.612
3. Dan Linfoot, UK (Honda), -3.748, 2:05.586
4. Christian Iddon, UK (Suzuki), -5.050, 2:05.719
5. Shane Byrne, UK (Kawasaki), -5.463, 2:05.443
6. Richard Cooper, UK (BMW), -8.158, 2:06.409
7. Tommy Bridewell, UK (BMW), -8.507, 2:06.299
8. Peter Hickman, UK (BMW), -9.690, 2:06.498
9. Lee Jackson, UK (BMW), -9.884, 2:06.602
10. Luke Mossey, UK (Kawasaki), -13.965, 2:06.470
11. Howie Mainwaring Smart, UK (Kawasaki), -15.810, 2:06.619
12. Luke Stapleford, UK (Kawasaki), -15.979, 2:06.818
13. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic (Yamaha), -16.160, 2:06.545
14. Danny Buchan, UK (Kawasaki), -17.902, 2:06.907
15. Julien Da Costa, France (Honda), -19.429, 2:07.264
16. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Japan (BMW), -19.668, 2:07.319
17. James Ellison, UK (Kawasaki), -23.753, 2:05.267
18. Josh Waters, Australia (Suzuki), -23.904, 2:07.091
19. Filip Backlund, Sweden (Kawasaki), -25.536, 2:07.256
20. Jed Metcher, Australia (Kawasaki), -47.297, 2:08.999
21. Aaron Zanotti, UK (Yamaha), -50.568, 2:08.884
22. Taylor Mackenzie, UK (Kawasaki), -54.508, 2:09.253
23. Shaun Winfield, UK (Kawasaki), -54.610, 2:09.638
24. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW), -73.377, 2:07.395, ran off track
25. Jenny Tinmouth, UK (Honda), -79.694, 2:10.829
26. Billy McConnell, Australia (BMW), -7 laps, DNF, crash, 2:06.428
27. John Hopkins, USA (Ducati), -10 laps, DNF, mechanical, 2:06.559
28. John Ingram, UK (Kawasaki), -12 laps, DNF, no lap time recorded
29. Rhalf Lo Turco, Brazil (Kawasaki), -13 laps, DNF, no lap time recorded
30. Robbin Harms, Denmark (Kawasaki), DNS
31. Jack Kennedy, Ireland (Kawasaki), DNS
Championship Point Standings (after 23 of 26 races):
1. Brookes, 653 points
2. Byrne, 606
3. Ellison, 573
4. Laverty, 553
5. Linfoot, 534
6. Bridewell, 531
7. Cooper, 156
8. Mossey, 140
9. Stuart Easton, 139
10. Hickman, 137
11. Iddon, 114
12. O’Halloran, 103
13. Buchan, 101
14. McConnell, 97
15. Jackson, 80
16. Mainwaring Smart, 79
17. Chris Walker, 67
18. Westmoreland, 66
19. Kiyonari, 66
20. Hopkins, 39
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Brookes reigns at Silverstone ahead of Brands Hatch season finale
Results
Race one result:
1: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +0.688s
3: Peter Hickman (RAF Reserves BMW) +1.923s
4: John Hopkins (Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati) +2.745s
5: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +3.254s
6: Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +3.480s
Race two result:
1: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
2: Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +3.568s
3: Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +3.748s
4: Christian Iddon (Bennetts Suzuki) +5.050s
5: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +5.463s
6: Richard Cooper (Buildbase BMW) +8.158s
Championship standings after Silverstone:
1: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 653
2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) 606
3: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 573
4: Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) 553
5: Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) 534
6: Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) 531
Report
Josh Brookes celebrated a Showdown double win at Silverstone at the penultimate round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship to maintain the advantage ahead of the triple-header season finale at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time (16-18 October).
The Milwaukee Yamaha rider had to work hard for the two wins at the Northamptonshire circuit; in the opening race he had to overcome the challenges of America’s John Hopkins and then James Ellison in the early stages of the race, before arch rival Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne joined the fray.
Brookes had been holding third place with three laps to go but then he pulled a decisive move on Byrne and then Ellison to hit the front. The pair tried to launch a retaliation but the Australian had the edge to win ahead of Byrne whilst in third place Ellison was mugged on the penultimate lap by Peter Hickman onboard the RAF Reserves BMW and Hopkins, who claimed his best result of the season in fourth place.
Byrne elevated himself up the grid for the second race and he started from pole position for the PBM Kawasaki team. He claimed the lead on the opening lap as Ellison began his charge to hit the front of the field by the third lap with some committed moves on the defending champion, Dan Linfoot and Hickman.
Linfoot had been holding third behind Ellison and Byrne, but Brookes was carving his way up the order after running eighth over the opening laps. The Milwaukee Yamaha rider was up to fourth by the eighth lap and then made a move on both Byrne and Linfoot to move to within striking distance of Ellison.
A lap later and Brookes made the final move on Ellison that would put him back at the front of the field and then he forged a margin to claim his second victory of the day. Meanwhile the intense battle for the final podium positions raged with Linfoot and Laverty trading places with the Tyco BMW rider emerging ahead to score his best result of the season.
On the final lap Byrne and Christian Iddon were dicing for fourth place but the Bennetts Suzuki rider was able to get the better of the defending champion to score his strongest finish of the season.
Ellison meanwhile drastically dropped down the order over the final laps after challenging at the front of the field due to a severe drop in rear tyre grip, finish 17th.
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Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
Championship leader: 653
Silverstone double race winner
“At the start of race one I was trying to find a pace that I felt could last the race distance and then James [Ellison] came passed and I thought that maybe that was a good situation as I could let him do the work. Then when Shakey came by me I sat calmly in third and kept an eye on them. I thought if I could stay smooth and fast and not make any mistakes then they shouldn’t have any extra to give than I have, I felt we were on fairly equal terms.
“I was able to get passed and then the final laps were a real fight with myself, the bike, the tyre and each corner – I was battling the elements in my own environment to keep it together. I had to concentrate and I am really pleased I bought it home.”
“I certainly found it difficult at the start of the second race as I got pushed wide at turn one. Exiting the turn he moved wide and I got squeezed out and I lost momentum and a few positions. I knew right from the start it was then going to be difficult.
“I got momentum going again and I had a great battle with Christian [Iddon] but every time I got in front of him he would slam me back and I was wasting a lot of laps as I needed to make some forward progress. It wasn’t until I was in front of him that I could move forward with confidence and the bike definitely worked better than race one. I moved to the front and then I could ride my own rhythm and I had confidence to keep pushing harder. I am looking forward to returning to Brands Hatch now for the final round.”
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki)
Championship position: 2nd
Race one: 2nd, Race two: 5th
“I think I know exactly what it takes to win championships, I have won two championships in the Showdown format and unfortunately what we had at Assen wasn’t good enough. it took us all weekend to get up to pace here at Silverstone and race one felt really good, another lap or so things could of been different but could’ve, would’ve, should’ve and didn’ts don’t count.
“We got a strong second place in race one and pole position for race two and I was quite confident with a couple of small tweaks to the bike we could sit at the front and run the pace and try to look after the bike and the tyres better for but I think probably two or three laps in a big problem developed with the bike. I think it was pretty obvious to anyone that knows what they are looking at, and there is nothing that myself or PBM could do to change that.
“You know the fighter in me gave 110% until the end of the race but the realistic me wanted to give up after five laps as I knew I wasn’t going forward and that is the frustrating and bitter pill to swallow as we are good enough to win races. We proved that a couple of rounds ago, we got close to doing that again in race one with everything thrown against us.
“It is not where me or PBM want to be but we will get to Brands Hatch now, the pressure is off, try and enjoy it and we will try to win three races, and mother luck can work the rest out.”