Brands Double For Blistering Byrne
Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne put in two superb rides on the Be Wiser Ducati at Brands Hatch today to claim an emphatic double victory and take over the lead of the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship.
Riding the factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R, the five-times and defending champion from nearby Sittingbourne battled against the elements in the opening 20-lap race as rain threatened the Kent track but bounced back from ninth at one point to end up taking the lead with a couple of laps to go, when out came the red flags as a shower intervened.
The result provided Byrne with his 81st career win and 16th victory around the historic Grand Prix circuit and with it, claimed the championship lead for the first time this season as the series hit the halfway point.
Starting the second race from the front row, Shakey made a great getaway off the line and grabbed the lead on the opening lap before upping the lap record as he made his escape at the front. After early challenger Josh Brookes crashed out, Byrne never looked back, before going on to win by almost six seconds from James Ellison to make it four wins in a row after his double earlier this month at Snetterton. Byrne also won the coveted King of Brands trophy for a second year in succession.
Team-mate Glenn Irwin found the going tough on his comeback from injury although he was unlucky to miss out on scoring a point in race one, eventually crossing the line in 16th place. He started from the same position in the afternoon’s second race and was part of a six-rider battle for 12th place whereby the Carrickfergus rider maintained a good pace throughout and, still far from fit, he was rewarded for his sterling efforts with 14th place and two hard earned points.
Shane Byrne: “The first race was a lot tougher than what I was hoping for but the safety car coming out did me a favour and I got going straightaway again. The bike had felt really good all weekend in the dry and we were able to prove that in the race so a big thank you to the team. The pace was even hotter in the second race and with a good start decided I had to get to the front as quickly as possible and go for it. Once I’d got the lead, I just tried to stay as consistent as possible and watched my pit board. I just kept my rhythm and concentration so to get the double is brilliant and we’re achieving just what we wanted to at our strong circuits.”
Glenn Irwin: “I’ve had two tough races today but don’t think we got the results we deserved to be honest. In the first race, I had a mechanical issue and the team did a great job in putting in a new engine for the second race. I was struggling with my shoulder but altered my style in some areas of the track to make up for the lack of strength and it definitely helped. I was a lot smoother and steadier on the throttle and had really good pace. I haven’t lost any of my confidence after the injury and although I’ve got a mountain to climb to get into the Showdown, I’m two points closer than what I was at the beginning of the weekend.”
Phil Borley, Technical Director: “It’s been a fantastic day for Shakey and although it wasn’t an easy first race, he fought back brilliantly after dropping back and overtaking so many riders to get back into the lead was no mean feat. It was a fantastic ride and a great win. He made a good start in the second race and as soon as he got to the front he controlled things perfectly. He maximised the potential he’d shown in the dry all weekend and a double win and ten podium credits is great from a championship perspective. For Glenn, he obviously did the best he could given his fitness levels and he rode really well in his first ride back after what was a pretty bad injury. He just missed out on the points in race one but managed a couple in the second and that will be a big lift for him. Coming back from injury is never easy but he’s got the first race out of the way now and knows what he can do so I’m confident he’ll be a lot higher up the order at Thruxton where he’ll be closer to 100% fitness.”
MCE British Superbike Championship race one (18 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati)
2 Dan Linfoot (Honda)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Peter Hickman (BMW)
5 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
6 James Ellison (Yamaha)
16 Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)
MCE British Superbike Championship race one (20 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati)
2 James Ellison (Yamaha)
3 Christian Iddon (BMW)
4 Peter Hickman (BMW)
5 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
6 Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)
14 Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati)
Championship Positions (after six rounds)
1 Byrne 190pts
2 Mossey 161
3 Haslam 159
4 O’Halloran 133
5 Brookes 129
6 Hickman 119
11 Irwin 65
For more information, please visit www.pbmuk.net or www.pbmuk.net
More, from a press release issued by Smiths Racing Team:
Hickman Just Misses Out On Brands Hatch Podium
Gloucester-based Smiths Racing BMW enjoyed a strong weekend of racing at round six of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this weekend with Peter Hickman giving the team a brace of fourth place finishes in the two races to strengthen his standing in one of the top six Showdown positions.
Louth-based Hickman shone in the dry free practice sessions, setting the fifth fastest time on the Smiths BMW S1000RR, and did even better in the wet conditions of qualifying, eventually taking fourth place for a second row start for the opening 20-lap race today.
The 30 year old was in the thick of the action throughout and led for five laps as the race went into its second half. On lap 16 he got pushed back to second and with spots of rain falling, positions were constantly changing before the race was ended prematurely on lap 18 due to the rain where Peter was unluckily placed in fourth.
Starting the second race from seventh, Hickman battled towards the front where he soon overhauled Leon Haslam to take over fourth place and set about closing the gap to fellow BMW rider Christian Iddon who was occupying third. However, Iddon responded to keep Peter at bay and he had to settle for another fourth place at the chequered flag although the 26 points have strengthened his hold on a top six position.
Team-mate Lee Jackson was equally adept in the changeable conditions too as he ran inside the top 15 in both races. He started the first race from the fifth row and battled hard to score a point in 15th. The second encounter saw him enjoy a race long battle with Tommy Bridewell and Billy McConnell with never more than a few tenths of a second covering the trio. Indeed, Taylor Mackenzie and Glenn Irwin also closed in to make it a five-way battle for 12th and although it was Bridewell who grabbed the position on the final lap, Lee was only 0.033s behind in 13th and he added another three points to his ever-increasing 2017 tally.
Peter Hickman: “I’ve felt really strong all weekend although I was gutted to have missed out on a podium in the first race. I really felt we deserved a top three finish but the race ending prematurely put paid to that although we did have the consolation of some solid points. My grid position for race two held me back a bit but I got stuck in from the start and put some good passes in although I didn’t quite have the pace to catch Ellison and Iddon. I’m trying really hard to get up to fourth in the championship to give myself a bit of a buffer but I’ve strengthened my hold on sixth place. I’m really happy with the weekend, I’m really happy with the bike and delighted for the team so roll on Thruxton.”
Lee Jackson: “The weekend started slowly and I was quite down after FP1 on Friday but I went away to have a think about things and after that, things started to fall into place. All of the changes we made were in the right direction but I got boxed in at the first corner of the first race and I was only able to get back up to 15th for just a single point. I opted for the inside line at Paddock Hill for race two and had a good first few laps, holding people off. I made a slight mistake at Druids which saw me lose the tow to tenth place and 13th saw me pick up some more points.”
Rebecca Smith, Team Manager: “The test we had at Cadwell Park prior to this weekend was a big help and allowed us to test some parts which we wouldn’t normally have had time for. They definitely helped both riders and although we’re disappointed not to have picked up at least one podium, Peter was in great form all weekend and two fourth places sees us maintain a top six position and pull more points on the seventh placed rider. Lee also made good strides forward and can consider himself a little bit unfortunate not to have scored more points. He’s running consistently in the top 15 now though and edging closer to the top ten so that’s what we’ll be aiming for next time out.”
MCE British Superbike Championship race one (18 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati)
2 Dan Linfoot (Honda)
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
4 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
5 Josh Brookes (Yamaha)
6 James Ellison (Yamaha)
15 Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati)
2 James Ellison (Yamaha)
3 Christian Iddon (BMW)
4 Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW)
5 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)
6 Luke Mossey (Kawasaki)
13 Lee Jackson (Smiths Racing BMW)
MCE British Superbike Championship standings (after six rounds)
1 Byrne 190pts
2 Mossey 161
3 Haslam 159
4 O’Halloran 133
5 Brookes 129
6 Hickman 119
17 Jackson 24
Round seven of the MCE British Superbike Championship takes place at Thruxton over the weekend of 4/6 August and for further information, please visit www.smithsracing.co.uk and www.smithsracing.co.uk
More, from a press release issued by Tyco BMW:
TYCO BMW’S CHRISTIAN IDDON RETURNS FROM INJURY TO TAKE SUPERBIKE PODIUM
Tyco BMW returned to Brands Hatch this weekend for the sixth round of the MCE British Superbike Championship with a full house of riders. After steady progress throughout qualifying for all riders in both the Superstock 1000 and Superbike class, it was Superbike Race 2 that saw Christian Iddon return to take his place back on the podium.
Philip Neill – Team Manager: “After a difficult period recently it is very satisfying to see Christian back racing at the sharp end on the S1000RR. He’s a gutsy character and although he was frustrated to miss the past two rounds the best option for the long term was to allow his arm injury to heal sufficiently. What we needed was a solid points haul from this round and that’s exactly what Christian delivered with a podium finish for good measure. Andy continues to learn the art of racing a Superbike and once again his level of progression is superb. His efforts on track today in dicing with some very experienced riders are not fully reflected in the results. We are very satisfied with his progress at this point and his positive attitude reflects well for his future.”
Josh had a tough start to the weekend with a rare technical problem in qualifying making the first race especially difficult from a lowly start position. He battled hard throughout the rest of the weekend and after a long time away from racing we expect to see him back on the podium soon.
As always at Brands Hatch we had a great turnout of support and I would like to thank our partners Tyco Security Products and BMW Motorrad for their continued support’
Christian Iddon: “I’m peaking after Race 2 – first round back and we are back on the box and going home with a trophy. It’s nice to be back racing after missing two rounds, it’s been difficult coming to rounds watching and not racing. A big thanks to the Tyco BMW team and all my sponsors for putting up with me being agro for the last few weeks. Now it’s time to focus and look forward to Thruxton, I enjoy the circuit. I know we will have the pace there it will be a case of working with the team to conserve tyres and hopefully back on the podium.”
Andy Reid: “I’m still working with the team and learning the bike and its capabilities so I’m trying to not let the position effect my mindset at the minute. I know I am a lot better than where we are currently and when all the parts of the equation fit then it will come together and I am confident that I will be racing towards the top end of the pack, it’s a case of ‘chipping away’ and keep making progress. Qualifying was my first ‘wet race’ so I was a little nervous but the electronics package that was put together was unbelievable and I felt grip right from the off. Each race / lap / sector we are decreasing the gap to the top. A big thank you to Tyco BMW for all their support.”
Josh Elliott: “We had a small technical issue in Qualifying but we fought through from the back of the grid in Race 1 to place 6th. The bike feel really good today, we have made some more steps forward, I have more feeling with the bike especially in terms of the brakes and support which will certainly help pushing forward for the rest of the season. I’ve had some really good results at Thruxton in the last couple of years so I am looking forward to getting back there and hopefully getting the win!”
More, from a press release issued by Bathams SMT Racing:
Brilliant Brands for Rutter with two more podiums
Fresh from his successful visit to the Imatra road races in Finland, Michael Rutter was back in Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship action at the weekend with round seven taking place on the iconic Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. – and the Bridgnorth rider enjoyed another great meeting with two seconds and a fourth on the Bathams/SMT Racing BMW.
Having qualified in an excellent third place and on the front row, Saturday was scheduled to have two 17-lap races take place but both were shortened, the first due to a crash and the second due to rain. However, Michael was in the thick of the action in both and the opening eight-lap encounter saw him sit in second place throughout and he took another podium position just 0.629s behind race winner Richard Cooper.
The second race saw the 45-year old again battle with Cooper, Danny Buchan and Chrissy Rouse and there was never more than 1.5s between the quartet, Michael leading in the early stages. He eventually got shuffled back to fourth, albeit only 1.1s behind Cooper who was again victorious, with the race being stopped at the beginning of lap twelve due to rain. A haul of 16.5pts consolidated his third place in the Championship table.
Sunday saw a third race take place, this time over 16 laps and Michael immediately slotted into second place behind Cooper. The Suzuki rider edged away in the second half of the race and in the closing stages Michael came under pressure from Rouse and Buchan with all four riders bettering the old lap record. Rouse sneaked ahead on the final lap but Michael responded immediately and duly crossed the line in second place once more.
The results mean that Buchan still leads the Championship from Cooper with Michael maintaining third place on the BMW S1000RR and now 13.5pts clear of Rouse.
Michael Rutter: “It was another busy, but successful and rewarding weekend although I did struggle a bit with the brakes in Saturday’s races. I made a bad start in the first race although fortunately for me it got red flagged and in the restart I got off the line brilliantly. I led for a couple of laps and although Richard came by, he didn’t get away. I couldn’t quite get close enough to make a pass though but I was more than happy with second. In the second race, I led off the line again but by about lap four the brake lever kept coming back to the bar and I had to drop back.”
“I adjusted it but it took a lap to start working close to what it should have been although I was right with the front group when the rain brought the red flag out – if it had gone full distance, I think I could have got back into a podium position. In the third and final race, I got another good start and sat in second throughout but it was a long race particularly in the middle. We were all struggling for rear grip and I knew Chrissy would have a go but I managed to get back ahead and hold them off to the line. All in all, it’s been a great weekend so big thanks as always to the team.”
The next round takes place in two week’s time at Thruxton, Hampshire on 4-6 August.
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race one (8 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing BMW)
3 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
4 Adam Jenkinson (BMW)
5 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
6 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race two (11 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
3 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
4 Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing BMW)
5 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
6 Josh Elliott (BMW)
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race three (16 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Michael Rutter (Bathams/SMT Racing BMW)
3 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
4 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki)
5 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
6 Josh Elliott (BMW)
Championship Positions (after seven rounds)
1 Buchan 220pts
2 Cooper 196
3 Rutter 148
4 Rouse 134.5
5 Law 101
6 Hedger 94.5
More, from a press release issued by Morello Racing:
Podium positions see Buchan and Morello Racing retain title lead
The Morello Racing Kawasaki team resumed their Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship challenge at Brands Hatch at the weekend and although Danny Buchan wasn’t able to add to his tally of wins, two podiums from the three races ensured he still left the Kent venue as the title leader.
The Basildon rider qualified in second place for Saturday’s opening race just 0.074s behind pole setter Richard Cooper although a slightly sluggish start saw him back in fifth at the end of the first lap. He’d fought his way up to third when the red flag came out on lap nine due to an incident and with the race restarted over eight laps, he went on to finish third behind Cooper and Michael Rutter with less than a second covering the trio at the chequered flag.
It was a similar hard fought battle in the second race although this was also cut short from its intended 17 laps to 11 as rain began to fall. By that time, Danny was in second on the Kawasaki ZX-10R and well placed to mount an attack on Cooper as the race entered its closing stages. As it was, he had to settle for the runners-up spot with his lead cut slightly to 36 points.
Sunday again saw dry conditions for the Superstock competitors but although he made a good start, Danny appeared to be struggling in the early stages and dropped back to an unfamiliar sixth place. He regrouped and dug deep to get back up to fourth behind Rutter and Chrissy Rouse and although less than half a second covered the trio at the end of the 17 laps, Danny had to settle for fourth. Cooper won his third race of the weekend though to eat further into Danny’s lead.
Team-mate Fraser Rogers found the going slightly tough during practice and qualifying with the Chippenham rider lining up in tenth and on the fourth row for Saturday’s first race. He too made a slow getaway and dropped back to 13th but he regrouped and fought his way back up to seventh, scoring an identical result in the second race later in the day.
For Sunday’s 16-lap race, he started from the middle of the third row and although he dropped back to ninth at one stage, he battled all the way through the race to take his third seventh place of the weekend, also moving into the same position in the Championship table.
Danny Buchan: “I made a bit of a rubbish start in both of Saturday’s races and gave myself a lot of work to do whilst I wasn’t aggressive enough in the first few laps. In the second race I felt more comfortable and made good in-roads into Richard and passed him when his tyre went off. It’s a shame the race didn’t go the full distance as I felt confident of the race win but the rain clouds were looming and that’s the way racing goes sometimes. Sunday didn’t go to plan though and for some reason the bike felt totally different in the race than it had done in morning warm-up. The bike wouldn’t hold a line and fourth was the best I could do so with Richard winning all three races, we need to bounce back strongly at the next round.”
Fraser Rogers: “I’ve struggled all weekend to be honest with the set up of the bike and although we’re not a million miles away, it’s just a couple of clicks here and there that we need. Unfortunately, such is the pace of the series this year, those couple of clicks are what you need to run at the front. We’re all on lap record pace and whilst three sevenths isn’t the end of the world, I obviously want to be getting on the podium so I’m determined to be up there at Thruxton.”
Steve Buckenham, Team Owner: “Overall, it’s been a solid weekend and whilst we obviously want to win as much as possible, we’re realistic enough to know that’s not possible so when you can’t win, podiums are the next best thing. Danny had no sleep before Friday due to the birth of his first child but he got on with the job and secured two good podium positions in Saturday’s races although the bike wasn’t working how he wanted it to on Sunday.”
“You could see the bike wouldn’t hold its line so we’ll have a good look at things to identify what happened but at least we’re still leading the Championship. Fraser, like he said, struggled all weekend to find the elusive set-up he’s searching for despite the team constantly making changes to the bike. He’s carrying superb corner speed but losing out in other areas although he came away with three solid seventh place finishes so we’ll keep working hard and hopefully get him back amongst the podium positions sooner rather than later.”
Round eight of the series takes place in two week’s time at Thruxton, Hampshire on 4-6 August.
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race one (17 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Michael Rutter (BMW)
3 Danny Buchan (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
4 Adam Jenkinson (BMW)
5 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
6 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
7 Fraser Rogers (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race two (11 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Danny Buchan (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
3 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
4 Michael Rutter (BMW)
5 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
6 Josh Elliott (BMW)
7 Fraser Rogers (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship race three (16 laps)
1 Richard Cooper (Suzuki)
2 Michael Rutter (BMW)
3 Chrissy Rouse (BMW)
4 Danny Buchan (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
5 Luke Hedger (Aprilia)
6 Josh Elliott (BMW)
7 Fraser Rogers (Morello Racing Kawasaki)
Championship Positions (after seven rounds)
1 Buchan 220pts
2 Cooper 196
3 Rutter 148
4 Rouse 134.5
5 Law 101
6 Hedger 94.5
7 Rogers 83.5
More, from a press release issued by RAF Reserves Kawasaki:
Challenging weekend for Dixon and RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki
Jake Dixon and the RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki team had a challenging and somewhat frustrating round six of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch with the Ashby resident taking a best finish of tenth from the two races.
The weekend started well for the 21-year old as he ran consistently in the top ten during the dry, free practice sessions but he struggled slightly in the damp qualifying session on Saturday afternoon and lined up in 13th and on the fifth row of the grid for Sunday’s opening 20-lap race.
He completed the first lap in 11th on the Kawasaki ZX-10R but by the time the safety car came out on lap five he’d been pushed back down to 13th. Such was the pace of the leading riders, making an overtaking manoeuvre proved to be difficult but Jake had fought his way up to 11th when the race ended prematurely due to rain, only 3.8s adrift of race winner Shane Byrne.
It meant he lined up for the second race later in the day in 13th on the grid once more and at the completion of the first lap around the 2.43-mile Grand Prix circuit, he was up into twelfth. By lap four, he’d moved up another spot to eleventh and when second placed Josh Brookes crashed out on lap nine, he was promoted up the order to tenth. His pace in the second half of the race was as quick as the riders in the podium positions but the time lost in the first half meant he had to settle for tenth and six points, the results seeing him slip back to eighth overall in the points table.
Team-mate Jordan Weaving had three races during the course of the weekend with the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship rider putting in three fine rides on the Briggs Equipment Kawasaki. Starting Saturday’s first race from 11th on the grid he ran inside the top ten throughout and was rewarded with a fine eighth place at the chequered flag.
He was battling hard for a similar position in the second encounter later in the day but got shuffled back to 11th at half race distance and with rain falling, the race was ended prematurely thus denying him the opportunity of climbing back into the top ten. It was solid points nevertheless and he wrapped up his weekend with another strong ride, this time taking his best result of the weekend with seventh in Sunday’s 16-lap race.
Jake Dixon: “It’s been a really tough weekend and we never really recovered from a technical issue we had in FP2 when I only managed four laps. I didn’t quite have the speed with the bike to allow me to fight in either race and in the beginning of each in particular it was really hard going. When the fuel load got lighter, I was as quick as anyone and in the second race I was the fastest rider on track at the end of the race so it’s been frustrating. It’s not the results we were hoping for so we need to go away and have a look at everything and make sure we come back stronger at the next round.”
Lee Hardy, Team Owner: “It’s been a bit of a tough day although at least we managed a top ten finish in the second race. We haven’t had a lot of wet track time with the Kawasaki so qualifying was a bit of a challenge but 13th wasn’t the end of the world and there were a few riders ahead of Jake on the grid who didn’t have as good a pace in the dry so we were reasonably confident for Sunday’s races. However, for some reason the bike wasn’t working at the beginning of the races, an issue we had at the beginning of the year. Something’s not quite right so we’ll check the bike over, look at the weight distribution and the like and get to the bottom of it as it’s clearly holding Jake back in the first half of the race.”
“Jordan had two really good rides on Saturday to score some good points and he did exactly what we asked of him. Two strong starts put him in a great position and all the changes we’d made to the bike worked and the only disappointment was when the second race got stopped early as he’d just made up three places. It was a good day though so it set him up nicely for Sunday’s third and final race and he ended his weekend on a high note with seventh place so we’re all delighted with his performances.”
The next round takes place in two week’s time at Thruxton, Hampshire on 4-6 August.
MCE British Superbike Championship positions (after six rounds)
1 Shane Byrne (Ducati) 190pts
2 Luke Mossey (Kawasaki) 161
3 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki) 159
4 Jason O’Halloran (Honda) 133
5 Josh Brookes (Yamaha) 129
6 Peter Hickman (BMW) 119
8 Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserve Kawasaki) 100
Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship positions (after seven rounds)
1 Danny Buchan (Kawasaki) 220pts
2 Richard Cooper (Suzuki) 196
3 Michael Rutter (BMW) 148
4 Chrissy Rouse (BMW) 134.5
5 Mason Law (Kawasaki) 101
6 Luke Hedger (Aprilia) 94.5
10 Jordan Weaving (Briggs Equipment Kawasaki) 50
More, from a press release issued by Bennetts Suzuki:
Cooper does Superstock double for Bennetts Suzuki at Brands Hatch
Richard Cooper took another win in the National Superstock 1000 championship at Brands Hatch onboard his Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000, leading today’s race from start-to-finish to make it a perfect weekend after qualifying on pole and winning both legs of yesterday’s two-part race.
In today’s 16-lap affair he led into turn one off the line, and steadily built a comfortable advantage – setting a new lap record along the way – to take another win to bring his championship challenge back on track. After arriving at Brands Hatch with a 45-point deficit at the top of the championship standings, he now heads to Thruxton and round seven of the MCE British Superbike championship just 24 points adrift.
Richard Cooper, “We’re in a good run of form which, to be honest, started at Snetterton. We led just about every lap there until it was outside of my control and we started to run low on fuel, and that, plus the bad luck and DNF from Knockhill, is what’s put us on the back foot in the championship. But we know our pace is good and I have the confidence, and to be honest the bike just gave me that confidence all weekend. I knew I could control today’s race from the start and that we could do the lap times out front on our own, and that was always the plan today. I managed to pull a comfortable lead and to see +3 on the pit board starting the last lap was nice.”
Team manager, Steve Hicken, “This has been the perfect weekend for us in Superstock. We were winning races from the start of the season and without the little bit of bad luck we could still be leading this championship. But that’s all part of racing, and this weekend Cooper’s shown what the Bennetts Suzuki can do and that’s lead from the front and command races. We’re still a way off the championship lead, but we’ll keep working hard and keep doing our best and hopefully we can keep chipping away and get ourselves back in contention.”
In the two British Superbike races the Sylvain Guintoli suffered from a lack of circuit knowledge and a crash in FP3 that left him sore, while Taylor Mackenzie struggled with the engine braking setup issues the team had been working to resolve. Both riders failed to finish race one, before finishing 17th and 15th respectively in race two.
Hicken added, “It’s been difficult again in Superbike; Sylvain’s learning a lot of the circuits and then had a get-off on Saturday morning that set us back, while we’re still trying to get an engine braking setup right for Taylor. We know Taylor’s got the pace and we’ve seen it, and we’re confident that, once we’ve found a solution in that area, we’ll see a big improvement. With Sylvain we’ve also got some ideas to try with his setup, and are working with the Yoshimura team, who he is racing with at Suzuka, to try and get him comfortable enough to push harder.”
Superstock 1000 race result: 1. Richard Cooper, 2. Michael Rutter, 3. Chrissy Rouse.
Superbike race one result: 1. Shane Byrne, 2. Dan Linfoot, 3. Leon Haslam, DNF. Taylor Mackenzie, DNF. Sylvain Guintoli.
Superbike race two result: 1. Shane Byrne, 2. James Ellison, 3. Christian Iddon, 15. Taylor Mackenzie, 17. Sylvain Guintoli
More, from a press release issued by Mason Law Racing:
THE OUTLAW REMAINS POSITIVE AFTER OUTLANDISH WEEKEND AT BRANDS HATCH
Mason Law missed out on adding any points to his championship chase this weekend at Brands Hatch in the National 1000cc Superstock Championship, when Lady Luck deserted him, but the Benfleet lad is upbeat and already looking ahead to Thruxton with optimism.
A race one crash saw his Stauff Connect Academy ZX-10RR buried in the Brands Hatch GP circuit trees, and from there it was always going to be an uphill task for the Outlaw and his GR Motosport Team. Brake problems in today’s race capped off a turbulent weekend for the 21-year-old, who maturely remains positive as he explained.
Mason Law
“Obviously a very disappointing end to what was looking like a very positive weekend. In fact, it was the most positive start to a race weekend I’ve had this year to be honest right from the off in free practice. Qualifying was good even though I need to work on certain areas, especially my one lap pace, but we did have a good race pace. The team worked hard to get a setting for me here at Brands Hatch GP, which is a circuit, if I’m honest, that I’ve never really looked forward to, as it never really clicked for me, until now.
I’ve found that certain areas of the track really suits my style on the ZX-10RR. I was having a lot of fun riding round when everything was good. I went into race one with a second row start and I felt confident as coming from a motocross background I’m quite a strong starter. Unfortunately at turn 5 at the end of the back straight I lost the front and had a 140mph crash. I found myself rolling through the gravel and and I was okay, but the bike took a hefty tumble into the trees.
We retrieved the back late last night [7pm Saturday] but thanks to the Brands Hatch staff who had to sort a hydraulic lifting machine to get the bike cut out. I’m extremely grateful to the team who in between times had started building me a completely new bike. We win together and we lose together and they are a very committed bunch as they proved.
We regrouped and got ready for today. In warm up I ended up sixth even though we had a small brake issue, but I put it down to possibly being a new bike and just needed bedding in. Unfortunately in the race, it hampered me in the end. I had to start thirty-sixth on the grid but got a good start and was picking riders off, but from turn 2, I knew there was something not quite right.
The lever was coming back to my knuckles and it was getting hard to stop. I was starting to run in hot in a lot of places. I had about five moments that scared me, so I had to make the decision to retire. It was game over, but we can be proud of where we are at and I’m already looking forward to Thruxton, which is a circuit I very much like. It’s one that suits me, so I can’t wait to get out there on the Staff Connect Academy ZX-10RR. Thanks as always to my crew: Danny, Mark, Ash and of course Geoff and Brent and my dad for their continued support.”
More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
BMW racers continue their winning streak in the IRRC – Podium finishes for BMW riders in both BSB classes.
- Vincent Lonbois and Sébastien Le Grelle share the wins in the Chimay round of the International Road Racing Championship.
- Christian Iddon on the podium in the British Superbike Championship.
- Michael Rutter and Chrissy Rouse ride onto the rostrum in the BSB Superstock class.
Munich. Two races, two wins and a total of six podiums: the BMW S 1000 RR riders’ results in the International Road Racing Championship (IRRC) at the third round held in Chimay (BEL) at the weekend. In the British Superbike Championship (BSB SBK) Superbike class, Christian Iddon (GBR) had a successful comeback after his injury, racing to the podium at Brands Hatch (GBR). His fellow BMW riders Michael Rutter (GBR) and Chrissy Rouse (GBR) stepped onto the rostrum in the BSB Superstock class (BSB STK).
International Road Racing Championship in Chimay, Belgium.
The third round of the 2017 International Road Racing Championship (IRRC) was held at Chimay in Belgium at the weekend – and once again the BMW S 1000 RR riders dominated the action. In the two Superbike class races, both wins and all podium positions went to BMW racers.
Race one saw a fantastic battle between championship leader Sébastien Le Grelle (BEL / Herpigny Motors – BMW Motorrad Belux) and his team-mate, reigning champion Vincent Lonbois (BEL), who had returned to IRRC for this round with a wildcard. They pulled away from the rest of the field, fighting for the win. Shortly before the race had to be red flagged due to rain starting to fall, Lonbois overtook his team-mate and as a result secured victory. Le Grelle was second, and Marek Cervený (CZE / Wepol Safemetal Racing) joined them on the podium in third. Didier Grams (GER / G&G Motorsport by Todoracing) was classified fifth.
For race two, the rain had stopped but the track was still wet. Le Grelle took the lead straight away and defended it to the finish line, celebrating his fourth win of the season and extending his championship lead. Lonbois was second that time out, while Grams secured the third spot on the podium. Cervený was fifth, and Erno Kostamo (FIN / Markka Racing) completed the top six.
British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch, Great Britian.
A weekend full of action awaited the British Superbike Championship (BSB) fans at Brands Hatch (GBR), where the sixth round of the 2017 season was held on the long Grand Prix Circuit. In the Superbike class (BSB SBK), Tyco BMW Motorrad rider Christian Iddon (GBR) made a strong comeback after missing races due to injury. He stepped onto the podium in race two, crossing the line in third. In race one, Iddon was eighth. Fellow BWM rider Peter Hickman (GBR / Smiths Racing) was fourth in both heats. In race one, he missed out on the podium by just a few hundredths of a second. Hickman was fighting in the leading pack when the race was red-flagged as light rain began to fall. In the championship standings, Hickman maintained his place in the crucial top six, being sixth. Iddon follows in seventh. After nine race weekends, the top six in the standings will enter the “showdown” for the BSB title.
Christian Iddon: “I’m more than happy after race two – first round back and we are back on the box and going home with a trophy. It’s nice to be back racing after missing two rounds. It’s been difficult coming to watch and not racing. A big thanks to the Tyco BMW team and all my sponsors for putting up with me causing agro for the last few weeks. Now it’s time to focus and look forward to Thruxton. I enjoy the circuit. I know we will have the pace there and it will be a case of working with the team to conserve tyres and hopefully be back on the podium.”
Peter Hickman: “I’ve felt really strong all weekend although I was gutted to have missed out on a podium in the first race. I really felt we deserved a top-three finish but the race ending prematurely put paid to that – although we did have the consolation of some solid points. My grid position for race two held me back a bit but I got stuck in from the start and put some good passes in, although I didn’t quite have the pace to catch Ellison and Iddon. I’m trying really hard to get up to fourth in the championship to give myself a bit of a buffer but I’ve strengthened my hold on sixth place. I’m really happy with the weekend, I’m really happy with the bike and delighted for the team so roll on Thruxton.”
In the Superstock class (BSB STK) three races were held at Brands Hatch: the two parts of race one on Saturday, which was another “endurance race” with a quick change of tyres and refuelling between the two parts, as well as the “normal” race two on Sunday. The RR riders claimed several podium positions. On Saturday, Michael Rutter (GBR / Bathams SMT Racing) finished the first part of the “endurance race” in second place. Adam Jenkinson (GBR / Northern Escalator Installations) was fourth and Chrissy Rouse (GBR / Mission Racing) fifth. In the second part, Rouse secured his spot on the podium finishing third, followed by Rutter in fourth. Josh Elliott (GBR / Tyco BMW Motorrad) was sixth. In Sunday’s race, Rutter and Rouse celebrated on the podium together: Rutter was second and Rouse third. Elliott crossed the line in sixth.
SuperBike Series Brasil in São Paulo, Brazil.
The SuperBike Series Brasil (BRSBK) held its fourth race of the 2017 season in São Paulo (BRA) at the weekend. Danilo Lewis (BRA / Tecfil Havoline Racing Team) was the highest placed BMW rider, crossing the line in sixth. Davi Lara Costa (BRA / JC Racing Team) followed directly behind in seventh. Diego Viveiros (BRA / Tecfil Racing Team) also made it to the top-ten, finishing ninth.