Guintoli not content to be second aims for top spot Round three Holiday Monday 25 May Donington Park ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Sylvain Guintoli regards Donington Park as his local circuit in terms of the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli and the Frenchman who lives nearby is aiming for nothing short of victories in the Holiday Monday 25 May third round. “My aim is to get back in the championship lead; I don’t want to be second,” said the Worx Crescent Suzuki rider who after winning on his debut into the series has had to settle for three top three finishes in races won by Airwaves Yamaha’s Leon Camier. The run of form by Camier has put him 11 points up on Guintoli, but the Frenchman reckons his knowledge of the Leicestershire circuit gained from him previous MotoGP career will give him the edge. “The good thing about is that it is going to be easier from the start compared to the previous round at Oulton Park where I had to learn the circuit,” explained Guintoli who finished in the points in last year’s British Grand Prix at Donington. “I will be able to get into a rhythm straight away as I know the track whereas at the last round we couldn’t get up to race pace straight away. I really like Donington Park so we should be able to see the best of both myself and the bike . “Leon is going to be strong there but so are many of the other riders but it is a strong track for Suzuki, so it is looking good, and I want to be back at the front,” added Guintoli. Camier will have something to say about that, as will Glen Richards riding HM Plant Honda, currently third in the rankings, but so far still to taste the winner’s champagne. The best result so far for the Aussie is a second in the opening race, and he left Oulton Park with a pair of top six finishes, performances he was no happy with: “I need to go away from this round and get my head totally dialled in to where I need to be and then be back ready to challenge for the podium at Donington,” said Richards who in the past two years has won both the SUperstock and Supersport titles. Adding to the front running action is sure to be Yorkshireman Karl Harris aboard the Hydrex Honda with James Ellison on the second Airwaves Yamaha in close contention amid this big on quality and quantity entry for the country’s premier racing series. Around the two 20 lap Superbike races on the full Grand Prix circuit on Monday are races counting to the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport, Relentless British 125GP; Metzeler National Superstock 600 and 1000; 250GP ACU National and Focused Events KTM RC8 SuperCup series. Practice for all classes is through Saturday 23 May with the Superbike grid deciding Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole on Sunday 24 May with in late afternoon KTM RC8 and Superstock 600 ‘Shoot-out’ race. Main raceday is Monday 25 May. Adult admission is Saturday £10, Sunday £13, Monday (onday) £28 (advance £23) or purchase advance weekend ticket for all three days for £29. Accompanied children aged 15 years and under are admitted FREE of charge. All car parking FREE. Advance tickets and details of all Donington Park events: www.donington-park.co.uk More, from another press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: Kirkham working hard for home glory Round three – Holiday Monday 25 May Donington Park ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Jon Kirkham powers into his home round of the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Donington Park on Holiday Monday 25 May determined to repay the hard work of his Jentin Yamaha team with strong performances. The rider from nearby Derby hopes to be mixing it with early season title chasers Leon Camier, aboard the Airwaves Yamaha, and Sylvain Guintoli, riding the Worx Crescent Suzuki, to move back into contention for the country’s premier crown. Kirkham knows that it will not be easy, but, he has a good pedigree at the Leicestershire circuit and he is intent on using that knowledge to good effect in the two 20 lap races on the full grand prix circuit. “Donington Park is a good track for me, it is my local circuit and I did take a win there last year in the R1 Cup. It is fast and flowing so we need to try and make as much improvement as we can so that we can really challenge,” reflected Kirkham. Together with his team, he will be making strenuous efforts to ensure his bike is running up front as he explained: “The whole team are flat out, I am training really hard and we want to improve our results at the next two rounds. ” The team are working really hard to improve the new Yamaha, but time has been against us in the opening rounds. I know that we need to work really hard at Donington Park,” added Kirkham. Chris Walker will echo those sentiments as he prepares for races that could kick-start his campaign the four times runner-up in the series has, like Kirkham started steadily, something that the Nottingham rider is keen to put right. He rides for the Motorpoint Henderson Yamaha team, under the management of former champion Rob McElnea, and Walker will be gunning for a first podium finish of the term so far in his game of catch-up on the leaders. Camier arrives at Donington as the real ‘form-man’ having won the last three races, and that leaves him 11 points clear of opening race winner, the MotoGP exile Sylvain Guintoli with HM Plant Honda’s Glen Richards third in the rankings, a couple of points up on Sheffield rider Karl Harris. Around the two Superbike races on Monday are races counting to the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport, Relentless British 125GP; Metzeler National Superstock 600 and 1000; 250GP ACU National and Focused Events KTM RC8 SuperCup series. Practice for all classes is through Saturday 23 May with the Superbike grid deciding Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole on Sunday 24 May with in late afternoon KTM RC8 and Superstock 600 ‘Shoot-out’ race. Main raceday is Monday 25 May. Adult admission is Saturday £10, Sunday £13, Monday (onday) £28 (advance £23) or purchase advance weekend ticket for all three days for £29. Accompanied children aged 15 years and under are admitted FREE of charge. All car parking FREE. Advance tickets and details of all Donington Park events: www.donington-park.co.uk More, from a press release issued by GSE Racing/Airwaves Yamaha: AIRWAVES YAMAHA LOOK TO CONTINUE CHAMPIONSHIP CHARGE AT DONINGTON PARK The British Superbike Championship heads to Donington Park in Derby this Bank Holiday weekend for the third round of the 2009 season. Having scored three race wins out of a possible four so far, current series leaders Airwaves Yamaha will be looking to continue their good form and secure more valuable championship points from the two 20-lap races. At the previous round at Oulton Park, Leon Camier (22) recorded his maiden British Superbike pole position and followed up with a career-first double win. He now lies 11 points clear at the top of the Championship table. Leon, from Ashford in Kent, is looking forward to getting back aboard his Yamaha YZF-R1 this weekend saying, “The Airwaves Yamaha team has been working hard since Oulton Park on developing the race bikes and getting new engines ready, so it’ll be great to see how the new package performs. Until we get on track it’ll be hard to predict how we’ll do, but if our top speed is competitive, I think we’ll be looking good for some more strong results. Heading into this weekend leading the Championship is a great feeling, but it’s still early days and we need to continue to learn and improve so that we’re still top come the final round in October”. James Ellison (28) from Kendal in Cumbria, narrowly missed out on his first podium for the Airwaves Yamaha team at the previous round, but is confident about the races ahead saying, “I can’t wait to get to Donington Park. I love the circuit and it’s always been a favourite of mine. I went into the previous round feeling confident but we made quite slow progress on bike set-up and it wasn’t until the second race that a change to the gearing saw us make a huge leap forward. After race two at Oulton Park, I now understand the bike much better and so I’ll be aiming to be at the front of the field more consistently from now on”. The third round of the British Superbike Championship takes place on Monday 25th May. More, from a press release issued by British Superbike Championship organizers: Camier aims to continue winning streak towards title Round three Holiday Monday 25 May Donington Park ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Leon Camier aims to continue his winning spree in the third round of the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Donington Park on Holiday Monday, 25 May, to tighten his grip on the early season title chase. He has won the previous three races, opening up an 11 points advantage over Worx Suzuki rider Sylvain Guintoli and believes that the up-rated engines supplied to the team since the previous round should give him extra power to accelerate through the corners. “The team has been working hard since Oulton Park on developing the race bikes and getting new engines ready, so it’ll be great to see how the new package performs,” explained Camier. “Until we get on track it’ll be hard to predict how we’ll do, but if our top speed is competitive, I think we’ll be looking good for some more strong results. “Heading into this weekend leading the Championship is a great feeling, but it’s still early days and we need to continue to learn and improve so that we’re still top come the final round in October,” added Camier Guintoli meanwhile has been working hard in a determined bid to get back to winning ways on a circuit he knows from his MotoGP racing days. “Since the last round we have been testing, putting in many laps and I was also able to practice my starts I think it is very important to do that,” said the Leicestershire based Frenchman whose sluggish get-aways in races have left him playing catch-up. “I have now changed my technique and we also have some new parts which will make a difference as well so I think my start should be better now,” added Guintoli. “The racing this weekend will be very close and I can see many battles.” Certain to be involved in those will be Glen Richards riding HM Plant Honda and Karl Harris aboard the Hydrex Honda with James Ellison on the second Airwaves Yamaha coming in the reckoning. “I can’t wait to get to Donington Park. I love the circuit and it’s always been a favourite of mine,” said Ellison. “I went into the previous round feeling confident but we made quite slow progress on bike set-up and it wasn’t until the second race that a change to the gearing saw us make a huge leap forward. After the second race at Oulton Park, I now understand the bike much better and so I’ll be aiming to be at the front of the field more consistently from now on,” added Ellison. Around the two Superbike races on Monday are races counting to the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport, Relentless British 125GP; Metzeler National Superstock 600 and 1000; 250GP ACU National and Focused Events KTM RC8 SuperCup series. Practice for all classes is through Saturday 23 May with the Superbike grid deciding Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole on Sunday 24 May with in late afternoon KTM RC8 and Superstock 600 ‘Shoot-out’ race. Main raceday is Monday 25 May. Adult admission is Saturday £10, Sunday £13, Monday (onday) £28 (advance £23) or purchase advance weekend ticket for all three days for £29. Accompanied children aged 15 years and under are admitted FREE of charge. All car parking FREE. Advance tickets and details of all Donington Park events: www.donington-park.co.uk More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office: Worx Crescent Suzuki’s Sylvain Guintoli is approaching this weekend’s third round of the British Superbike Championship in a confident mood as Donington Park is the first circuit in the series that he has raced before, having visited the Leicestershire circuit many times during his GP career. “I am looking forward to Donington because I know it well, but also because I know it will suit the Suzuki. This track – and I think also Thruxton and Snetterton – will show just how powerful the GSX-R1000 is. “Since the last round we have been testing at Mallory Park where we put in many laps and we were very pleased with our lap times. I was also able to practice my starts – I think it was very important to do that! I have now changed my technique and we have some new parts that will make a difference as well. I think my start should be better now. “The racing this weekend is going to be very close though and I can see many battles. Leon Camier is my main rival – he took over my championship lead – but I can see the other riders are now much stronger.” Team Manager Jack Valentine agrees with Guintoli’s predictions. He said: “I’m looking forward to this weekend as we can expect Sylvain to be on the pace from the word go. He’ll need to be for, as he said, this is likely to be a very tough BSB round. Obviously we’re setting out to reverse the championship positions with Leon Camier, but we have to be aware other riders are likely to be stronger too – like the Australian Josh Brooks, as this is a known circuit for him as well. “The GSX-R1000 will be very much set-up as it has been from the beginning. We’re very happy with its performance and we’re only making fine adjustments each time, although as always we view it as an ongoing development project. “Our priority is to keep getting those podiums, but Donington’s also a chance for us to again be right at the front.” More, from a press release issued by Hydrex Honda: Hydrex Honda Aim For More Podiums At Donington ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli Round 3 Donington Park 23/24/25 May The Hydrex Honda team go to Donington Park having had their best ever team performance in the previous round at Oulton Park. Karl Harris achieved his best personal Superbike result, coming second in both races at Oulton Park, and is now confident he can go one step up the podium for his first BSB race win. Stuart Easton, who has been a consistent front runner in the previous two rounds, is looking to continue this success and compete alongside his team mate to give the Hydrex Honda team more podium finishes. Karl Harris “Oulton Park was great but I want to be consistent and of course I want my first win. I am sure once I have that win more will follow. I need to keep my training up, which I am, and focus on consistency. This is my year and Donington, followed by Thruxton, is key to the rest of the Championship for me and the team” Stuart Easton “After Oulton Park, Donington cannot come quick enough for me. It’s been two weeks since the last round but at least I know I have the speed. With Thruxton straight after Donington we have 4 races in one week which I am looking forward to. I don’t think that the Championship table is a true reflection of where Hydrex Honda should really be. Seeing Karl doing so well has just given me more focus and intent to go on and do better. I want to get Hydrex Honda their first race win, even if that means beating Karl to it” Shaun Muir (Team Owner) “Oulton Park saw us, as a team, get our best results yet and we are determined to keep the momentum going. Karl had a fantastic couple of races and is focused on getting his first BSB win with us. Stuart did not perform badly in the last races but not being able to finish the second race means that he must hold firm this weekend at Donington and get back in contention with the leading four riders. This year the team and riders have gelled better than before and it’s also great that Karl and Stuart are competing against each other too” Practice for all classes is during Saturday 23 May and the “Swan Combi 50 Roll for Pole” qualifying session is on Sunday 24 May. Main raceday is Monday 25 May.