First clash of 2018 for Bennetts British Superbike contenders at Donington Park
The wait is finally over – the Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns this weekend (March 31 – April 2) at Donington Park and after last season’s dramatic finale, the battle lines have already been drawn ahead of the opening two races of 2018 this Easter Monday.
Following his crushing title defeat at Brands Hatch last season, Leon Haslam is fuelled with even more motivation than before to claim a first Bennetts BSB title. The JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider’s 2017 campaign ended with a dramatic 172mph crash, but the ‘Pocket Rocket’ has vowed to strike back stronger, starting this weekend at his home circuit where he claimed the double victory in 2017.
Haslam’s nemesis Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne was second fastest to his Kawasaki rival in last week’s official test, but the defending champion has a target of title number seven as he bids to smash more records this year with the Be Wiser Ducati team. The defending champion had a disastrous time at Donington Park a year ago, failing to start the races after a crash in morning warm up and the Kent star is determined to make amends this weekend.
The pair though will face a strong attack from 2015 champion Josh Brookes after he came within three points of title glory last season. A move to the McAMS Yamaha team for this season has also given the Australia an additional boost for 2018 and he is joined by rookie Tarran Mackenzie, who makes his debut in the Superbike class this weekend.
Honda Racing retained their familiar line up of Jason O’Halloran and Dan Linfoot and are feeling confident after pre-season testing. Te Australian made the cut for the Showdown last season and Linfoot secured two victories in 2017, so they have high hopes of returning to their former title-winning glory this year.
Young gun Jake Dixon was a revelation in 2017 after securing his first race win and the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki will be pushing to build on that success after celebrating a top six finish last year, as will 2017 race winner Glenn Irwin on the second of the Be Wiser Ducatis.
The Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team came within three points of securing the title last season with Brookes and the local team from Swadlincote are hungry for more success in 2018 with James Ellison motivated to fight back into title contention.
Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon narrowly missed out on a place in the Showdown last season and is chasing that first race win in the Superbike, but was a podium finisher at Donington Park last year whilst Michael Laverty returns to the team and fired up to return to winning ways.
Smiths Racing BMW had their strongest campaign to date last year and with Peter Hickman a Showdown contender in 2017, the Gloucester-based team are ready to carry that momentum into Donington Park this weekend.
This weekend also marks the much anticipated debut of former Moto2 podium finisher Gino Rea and the OMG Racing Suzuki team; they have had a positive debut in pre-season testing and are ready to make an impact at the Leicestershire circuit.
Buildbase Suzuki’s Bradley Ray was impressive in his debut year in 2017 after securing his first podium finish and he will have race winner Richard Cooper on the opposite side of the garage as the pair push to add to Suzuki’s winning tally.
The opening round of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship take place this Easter weekend at Donington Park. For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne
(Be Wiser Ducati)
Defending champion
“I am excited for the first races of the season! I don’t really know how to gauge pre-season testing as Mother Nature intervened with a lot of it, although we have almost an identical bike to what we won the championship with last season, albeit a new one, so that should help with us getting up to speed from the off.
“Last year was a big tick for me to defend a title for the first time and so the next aim has to be Mackenzie’s three in a row, which is funny because I remember when three titles was the goal and now I am on six!
“I will of course be pushing hard to add to that tally and it is an important weekend coming up at Donington Park and we need to have a better start to the season than last year when I didn’t make it past warm up!
“However in 2016 the Ducati worked well and we did the double so a repeat of that would be a nice way to start the season that’s for sure. I am so keen to get started now and see where we are at and where our competitors are at. It will be then time to create a battle plan and go from there!”
Josh Brookes
(McAMS Yamaha)
“I feel like we’re in a good place to be honest, of course a bit of extra track time in dry weather would have been ideal but think everyone is in the same boat.
“Although it’s a new team, I feel confident in the bike as a base machine. The front end feels really good, the focus will be on trying some different options at the rear at Donington. But that is pretty much what I’m always looking for; a good setting to gain more grip, go we have plenty to try.
“The attitude from me and the team is that the series is long, of course we all try our best but ultimately the first round doesn’t decide the championship!”
Leon Haslam
(JG Speedfit Kawasaki)
“I am always excited for Donington Park, especially as we go into it with the same team for the second consecutive season and off the back of a really good winter test programme.
“I am feeling good too and if anything the end of last season has just fired me up more to come out fighting harder this year.
“Last year we did the double but before that, Donington had always been a tough track for me and hadn’t been that kind with results.
“We know the Ducati goes well there though and I am looking forward to getting stuck in this weekend and where better to kick things off than at my home round.”
More, from a press release issued by Be Wiser Ducati:
Donington Dreaming For Byrne And Irwin
This forthcoming Easter weekend sees the Be Wiser Ducati Racing Team start their title defence when the opening round of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship gets underway at Donington Park.
Reigning champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is gunning for title number seven after clinching last year’s crown in dramatic fashion in the very last race of the season for Paul Bird’s Lake District-based team and the 41-year-old Londoner is confident of further success on what will be his third successive year aboard the factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R.
Also staying with the ultra-successful PBM Team based in the village of Langwathby is Northern Ireland’s Glenn Irwin who also starts his third term aboard the second of the Bologna-supplied Be Wiser Ducati Panigale Rs. The 28 year old from Carrickfergus secured his first BSB victory last season but saw his title challenge thwarted due to injuries sustained mid-season but is back and ready to challenge for honours this year.
Pre-season testing was badly hit with inclement weather but despite this, positive steps were made in both Spain and at Donington Park last week meaning both riders are confident going into the opening two races on Bank Holiday Monday at the East Midlands track.
Shane Byrne: “2017 was a long time ago it seems but it’s all about this season now and I’m really looking forward to getting back racing at Donington Park this weekend. This year I intend to get past morning warm-up which will be a start after what happened last year! Testing went OK, but I wouldn’t say it gave a true representation of where we are at as I think there is much more to come from us. We need this weekend to see where our opponents are at, so we can build what we need into a successful championship-winning year again. The team have done a great job and I just can’t wait to get started.”
Glenn Irwin: “I am looking forward to starting our season off this weekend at Donington Park. I feel I have made a big step up over the off season along with the team understanding what I want from the bike to make it a little bit better. It’s great to be thinking that going into race weekend, I can target the podium in both races as a minimum. That said it’s a strong series with a lot of depth and I’ll not be resting on my laurels, although it was good to get a podium at Donington last year. The hard work has started but I’m confident we have what it takes to be a title contender this season.”
Johnny Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “After our pre-season testing and having a few weeks back at the workshop, Team PBM are ready and raring to go for the first round at hopefully a dry and sunny Donington Park. Shakey, of course, will have his usual target on his back but as he’s shown over the years he’s a tough nut to crack! But he’s ready to go and looking for a strong start. As for Glenn, he’s feeling strong after a good pre-season under his belt but knows this is the year he needs to step up to the plate and deliver the results we all know he’s capable of. Most importantly, we are looking to come away with the strongest results possible for both riders.”
There is live action on Eurosport and on the Eurosport player throughout the weekend with Datatag Qualifying on Sunday from 16.15 and the Bennetts BSB races live on Monday at 13.30 and 16.30. For further information, please visit the team’s new and updated website, www.pbmuk.net and the official website of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship www.pbmuk.net