HILL NEEDS TO BOUNCE BACK UNDER KIYONARI AND BROOKES PRESSURE MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Round sixth Knockhill, Fife 2/3/4 July Series leading Tommy Hill is under pressure from the HM Plant Honda riders Ryuichi Kiyonari and Josh Brookes going into this weekend’s sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Knockhill. The Worx Crescent Suzuki rider has seen his advantage in the title chase slashed to just four points after last Sunday’s races at Mallory Park where he had machine problems sidelining him in the opening race, and then taking a distant eighth place next time out. Brookes, despite having to run second in each of the races to Kiyonari, closed in on Hill and is feeling confident that he can move into the overall lead in the standings with more strong results in the Scottish round. Hill is determined to halt the progress of the Aussie and re-assert himself as the leader of the pack, commenting: “Racing has its ups and downs but at Knockhill I will be looking for a return to podium finishes and strong points. I am looking to rebuild my championship lead.” It will not be easy for Hill as Brookes has good form at the circuit, having taken second and third placings in the corresponding round of last year, and the Aussie says he is up for more of the same, building on his recent rich vein of form. “I think that both Tommy and Stuart Easton will be back up there again for these races and I want to beat both of them when they are at their best and I think that will be the case at Knockhill,” explained Brookes. “The second places at Mallory were good results for the championship but I want, and am racing for, wins to keep putting the pressure on Tommy with two good results this weekend, we could be leading the championship for the first time,” added Brookes. He faces his own in-team challenges with Kiyonari brimming with confidence after his brilliant winning double at Mallory Park, rides that really underlined his credentials for a third title success in the country’s premier series. The Japanese rider is now up to fourth in the standings and is determined to continue where he left off last Sunday as he bids to improve his position further. “I want to carry the momentum of Mallory Park forwards in what I think will be two tough races.” Kiyonari has twice before tasted the winner’s champagne at the Fife circuit, also taking another two podium finishes: “I like the track and I want two more wins there but I know that Josh will be pushing me hard and other riders will be fast.” Among them will be the home favourite Stuart Easton riding the Swan Honda. Like Hill he has had a problematic time in the previous two rounds and is keen to get back on top form, and for the Hawick rider that means going one better than his second place of last season at Knockhill and scoring his first BSB victory on home soil. Pushing them all will be the Laverty brothers, Michael riding Relentless Suzuki and John on the Buildbase Kawasaki, while Michael Rutter is strong on the RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati with Simon Andrews back to fitness and form on the MSS Colchester Kawasaki. And in a buoyant field, twice World Supersport title winner Andrew Pitt will be keen to make his mark riding for the Motorpoint Yamaha team. Hudson Kennaugh, riding MAR Kawasaki, and Jentin BMW’s Steve Brogan are all set to continue their scrap for the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class crown. More, from a press release issued by Honda: MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Round six Knockhill, Fife, Scotland, 2-3-4 July KIYONARI WANTS ACTION REPLAY OF HIS MALLORY DOUBLE Ryuichi Kiyonari is keen to repeat the scintillating form of last Sunday in this weekend’s sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Knockhill to maintain his ambition of taking the country’s premier crown for a third time. The HM Plant Honda rider is full of confidence after a brilliant performance at Mallory Park where he dominated throughout, taking pole, winning both races and setting the fastest time in each. Kiyonari has the bike dialled into his style, having worked hard with the team in a test prior to the fifth round at the Leicestershire circuit and he believes that he will continue to profit from the changes made then as he powers into the Scottish round of the series. He has a good pedigree there with two victories among his four podium finishes, a record that he intends to enhance, although he will have to deal with the considerable threat posed by his own team-mate Josh Brookes. The Australian is sensing that he has the chance of taking the lead in the title chase for the first time. His pair of second placings in the fifth round moved him to within four points of series leading Suzuki rider Tommy Hill who had a miserable time with a machine problem and then a distant eighth place. Brookes was in the top three in both races at Knockhill in the corresponding round of last year and he reckons that will be the case again, though, he will not be settling for anything less than victories. That should provide for interesting action, with local rider Stuart Easton, whose hometown is Hawick, keen to get his title challenge back on course after disappointing performances at both the recent Cadwell Park and Mallory Park rounds have dropped him out of the top six in the standings. Swan Honda rider Easton knows all too well the significance of being back in the top six, as under this season’s regulations only those riders occupying those positions after the ninth round will be put forward for the final title deciding showdown. Easton took a second place at Knockhill last term and is keen to turn on the style for his home crowd with his team-mate James Ellison eager to get in on the act as he continues his return from the broken leg he sustained in practice for the second round at Thruxton. The Cumbrian rider is having further hyperbaric chamber treatment in the Isle of Man as he works to build up his strength and fitness to be able to challenge for top ten finishes. The short,demanding Fife circuit always makes for close racing, and expect to see the Laverty brothers, Michael and John, running at the sharp end of the pack with the experienced Michael Rutter in contention. Honda BSB personnel comments: Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda): “I am feeling very happy and confident at the moment as my team have worked hard to put us in this position. I want to carry the momentum from Mallory Park as now I am fourth in the standings after the two wins at the weekend and I think we can expect more on Sunday. I think it will be two tough races and I know Josh will be pushing me hard again. I won there in 2005 and 2006, and had other podium finishes so I like the track. I want two wins at Knockhill and I will be trying my hardest.” Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda): “I had two good races, with podium finishes at Knockhill so I am up for more of that this weekend. Two second place finishes at Mallory Park was a good result for the championship, but I am obviously racing for wins and that is what I want. I think as a team we are in a stronger position now following the tests and last weekend ours was the bike to beat. I need to keep putting the pressure on Tommy Hill (the series leader) and with two good results at Knockhill we could come away leading the championship for the first time.” HM Plant Honda team manager Havier Beltran said: “The whole team are feeling really positive about Knockhill following the weekend at Mallory Park. To have a one-two finish in both races was an excellent result for everyone and shows our strength. If Kiyo and Josh can push like that again this weekend, I think we will have a good chance of replicating the result. We are all heading to Scotland on a high and it is a short week for the mechanics to turn the bikes around again ready for practice on Friday, but we are definitely confident we can chase for wins. We know what we are capable of and at the moment we are going from strength to strength, however we know we can’t afford to get complacent.” James Ellison (Swan Honda): “I am looking forward to Knockhill as last weekend was a real test for me and now I know what to expect. I am going there with the same mentality I did for Mallory Park to go out and give it everything to score as many points as I possibly can. I am desperate to just get back up there and every day I am getting stronger so the top ten is my aim for Sunday.” Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) “I love Knockhill and I want to turn things around this weekend after the disappointing time at Mallory Park especially for my home fans as it is the only chance they get to see me race in Scotland. It is critical to have a strong weekend and get back on the podium on Sunday and back into the top six in the championship. I have yet to win at my home round so that is definitely the aim for the weekend, especially as I missed out last year with a second place.” Shaun Muir (Team owner Swan Honda): “Stuart is determined to put on a good show for his home crowd while James is looking to get back inside the top ten and get some more points on board.” More, from a press release issued by Swan Honda: EASTON READY TO DEFEND HOMETERRITORY AT KNOCKHILL The Swan Honda team head north of the border this weekend for the sixth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Knockhill. Stuart Easton will be targeting victory at his home round whilst team-mate James Ellison is determined to build on his impressive point scoring finishes at MalloryPark. Easton has his sights firmly set on becoming the first Scottish rider to win a BSB race at Knockhill since former BSB champion Steve Hislop in 2002 and get himself back inside the top six following a challenging weekend at MalloryPark. Ellison marked his return to the championship at MalloryPark with two solid point scoring results and this weekend is determined to raise the bar again with expectations of scoring two top ten finishes. Easton said: “I had a disappointing weekend at MalloryPark, but then it has never been my strongest circuit. However I love Knockhill and I want to turn things around this weekend for my home fans as it is the only chance they get to see me race in Scotland. My mind is already on the weekend and what we can do to put us back inside that all important top six again as that is where we need to be and it is critical to have a strong weekend and get back on the podium on Sunday. I have yet to win at my home round so that is definitely the aim for the weekend, especially as I missed out last year with a second place.” Ellison said: “I am looking forward to Knockhill as last weekend was a real test for me and now I know what to expect. I am going there with the same mentality I did for MalloryPark to go out and give it everything to score as many points as I possibly can. I am desperate to just get back up there and put the Swan Honda where it deserves to be, especially for everyone that has supported me. I think I can improve on Sunday as in the second race at Mallory Park I could battle with Dan Linfoot and Gary Mason and my lap times at that point of the race were the third fastest on the circuit, so that was a boost for me. I am heading back to the hyperbaric chamber again before Knockhill and every day I am getting stronger so the top ten is my aim.”