News from Team STP Racing

Duncan Knox put in his best performance of the season before a crowd of over 40,000 at Cadwell Park over the Bank Holiday weekend. A brace of TDG Cup wins consolidated his lead in the Championship with just two races left.

Running as part of the MCE British Superbike Championship programme meant there was just twenty minutes of free practice available for the Triumph Triple Challenge runners. Benefitting from his Supersport outing at the circuit two weeks before, the STP supported riders was fifth quickest in the session but was also conscious that the pace in qualifying was likely to be much faster.

With just the single 20 minute qualifying session and the narrow Cadwell track making overtaking difficult , changeable weather was the last thing the competitors needed. But rain 30 minutes before the session started left riders in a quandary over tyre choice. Duncan opted for dry tyres and sat out the first 10 minutes of the session.

When he finally came out, the track was still wet in places leaving him quickly doubting the wisdom of his decision but as he managed to generate some heat in the tyres his paced quickened. His best lap was good enough not just to top the TDG Cup standings but to place him 3^rd quickest overall and claim a place on the front row of the grid.

When the lights went out to start the first race Duncan slotted into third place but soon found himself coming under pressure from some of the young guns competing in the Michelin Cup. The need for TDG Cup points meant Duncan had to curb his natural instinct to race with them. An eighth place finish still left him comfortably ahead of his TDG Cup rivals, doubling his Championship lead to 18 points in the process.

With race two taking place on Bank Holiday Monday, Duncan took his place on the front row of the grid once again but this time in front of the packed BSB crowd and with his own “Brolly Dolly” as well. Another good start saw him initially in third place once again before dropping to fourth, still 8 seconds ahead of his closest TDG Cup rival. For a second time Duncan had to forego the pleasure of battling it out with the young guns in favour of taking maximum Cup points and 7^th place overall secured exactly that.

Leaving the Lincolnshire circuit with a 23 point advantage over championship rival Chad Hashmi, Duncan commented, “I had a plan for the weekend and it worked out perfectly. The weather played into my hands, although I took the risk and had to stay on the bike in the damp conditions while the others played it safe on full wets. I knew if I could put in a good qualifying it would give me a very good chance of scoring maximum points. Qualifying for a front row start at a BSB meeting was brilliant; I even got my own Brolly girl in her cat suit.”

And looking ahead to the championship finale at Silverstone he added, “The point advantage does not make me safe; however, I can finish 3rd in both races and still win the Championship. Beating Chad in the first race will get the job done early as the point difference will be greater than 25 points. It's been a mixed season with some high and low's and a bit of bad luck, but, I am now on a high and really looking forward to Silverstone and wrapping up the TDG Cup Championship.”

Victor\'s Valiant Effort Nets Tenth

Victor Cox left Cadwell Park with a top 10 finish in the Metzeler British Superstock Championship but still believing there is more to come from the Blackhorse Kawasaki.

The STP supported rider was 9^th quickest in both free practice sessions and was confident he could improve on that in qualifying. With high winds making life difficult in the qualifying sessions for all the riders, Victor opted for a new rear tyre for the second session, but 3 laps in he ran wide at the chicane, clipping the tyre wall in the process which left him in 12^th place on the grid for the race.

From the start of the race Victor found himself battling with Steve Plater who was making a return to racing following his serious accident at the North West 200. While those two battled a three way fight for 7^th place was pulling away from them.

Victor eventually got the upper hand in the battle for 10^th place and began eating into the advantage held by the group ahead of him. Unfortunately the laps were running out and just as he got onto the back of the 7^th place dogfight the chequered flag came out forcing him to settle for 10^th position.

Bring It On, Says Knox

Duncan Knox will arrive at Cadwell Park this weekend with a 9 point lead in the TDG Cup class of the Triumph Triple Challenge and just four races left. The STP rider got some early practice in for the event when he took part in a Supersport race at the recent MRO round held at the Lincolnshire circuit.

The ride was part of his prize for finishing 2^nd in last year’s TDG Cup and he remains optimistic about going one better this year. Despite the Supersport bike not being set up for him and an overwhelming desire not to run up a crash damage bill he lapped the demanding circuit in 1m37s, confident that he will be able to go faster this weekend.

Duncan is in no doubt about what he needs to do at the Bank Holiday BSB meeting, “I just need to get my head down, keep it smooth and bring it home (1st).” He believes that his closest Cup rival, Chad Hashmi, will also be confident following some recent strong finishes but points out that recent races have been at his “home circuit”, Brands Hatch “I'm looking forward to racing at Cadwell” adds Duncan, “as it's neutral ground and a technical track. It's also difficult to pass there so I'll be looking for a good qualifying and start. The time to push will be in qualifying, especially with only 3 bikes per grid row.”

And he has a clear strategy in mind. “Come rain or sunshine - my aim for the weekend is to take 50 points - nothing more, nothing less. I need to make sure I enter the last round with the other TDG riders knowing they MUST beat me on track, not the other way around! Bring it on!”

Meanwhile, Victor Cox will be on board the Blackhorse racing Kawasaki once again for the Metzeler British Superstock race. He put in an impressive performance at the last round at Brands Hatch, running in 5^th place until an unfortunate coming together with Barry Burrell eliminated both riders from the race. A top 5 finish must be on the cards for STP backed Victor this weekend.

Sadly absent from the meeting will be young Superbike racer Luke Jones with mechanical problems continuing to plague the PR Racing Yamaha R1.

Duncan Went Down But Is Not Out

Duncan Knox enjoyed mixed fortunes as the Triumph Triple Challenge teamed up once again with the MCE British Superbike Championship package but he came away from Brands Hatch still leading the TDG Cup.

The congested BSB timetable meant STP supported Duncan had only 20 minutes free practice in which to learn the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit but he ended the session 11^th quickest overall and best of the TDG Cup runners.

Duncan decided to break out a new pair of boot for qualifying but quickly regretted it. The fresh footwear saw him struggling to find the right gear on down changes and he admitted afterwards, “I struggled to complete a smooth lap in the right gear.” The result was 15^th place on the grid, 2^nd of the TDG Cup runners.

Back in his old boots for the start of Saturday’s race one, Duncan lined up on the grid for what was to be the first fully wet race of the season. A great start saw him up in seventh place and leading the TDG Cup. A strong opening two laps enabled him to join in the lead battle, four seconds ahead of the rest of the field, including closest TDG Cup rival Chad Hashmi. Thoughts of Cup points deterred Duncan from continuing his battle with the Michelin young guns but the lapse in concentration was punished when he lost the front of the bike going into Clearways. The result was damaged lower ribs and a DNF while leading the class for the second time this season.

Sunday’s race two was to prove to be a hard fought one with Duncan and championship rival Chad swapping places lap after lap. Duncan’s technique of backing the bike in to Druids was the subject of a slow motion replay on Eurosport! Chad took the lead on lap 8 and opened up a two bike length advantage. That prompted Duncan to settle for the championship points, finishing 11^th overall and 2^nd in the TDG Cup.

Despite the mixed results Duncan heads to the next round at Cadwell Park still with a 9 point lead in the TDG Cup race. After the race a reflective Duncan was keen to thanks his sponsors, John Wood from Level Peaks, GRC communications, BLUE solution, Seventech and STP motorsports, adding “I would also like to thank my wife, Amanda, for all her support this season and Luke Smith for helping keep the bike together!”

Summing up his position as the championship reaches its climax he said “The Championship lead is now down to 9 points, with only four races left. However, I am confident heading into Cadwell Park because although Chad has closed the gap, the last 5 races have been at his local track. I've proved I have the pace in the wet and the two race DNF's I have been out in front, giving away 50 points.

“But, it's racing and anything can happen! I will be pushing hard at Cadwell to ensure the Championship is still mine to win at Silverstone.”

Brands Crash for Victor

Victor Cox left Brands Hatch with plenty of positives to take with him despite a disappointing non-finish in the Metzeler British Superstock round.

The STP supported rider was 9^th fastest in free practice and with minor adjustments to the Blackhorse Kawasaki was able to set faster lap times each time he took to the track. After two qualifying sessions he had claimed a place on the third row of the grid.

Victor slipped to 11^th overall in a cloudy Sunday morning warm up session but a good start to the race saw him move up to 7^th place before the safety car came out. Three laps later the safety car returned to the pits and Victor setting about recording the fourth fastest lap of the race as he moved up to 5^th place.

On lap 6 Victor was passed by the Buildbase Kawasaki of Barry Burrell but the race was to end for both riders at the next corner. “Barry ran wide and slowed”, explained Victor, “I tried to hold my bike up with my knee and brake at the same time but the front folded and I just slid into Barry. I felt really sorry for him but there was nothing that I could do.”

Despite the premature end to his race Victor was pleased with the pace at which he had been able to run and the way the team had worked. “Working with Ian (Lougher, the Blackhorse team principal) is great. He thinks so hard about everything. You come in and explain how the bike is handling and he always has an idea how to improve it. Now I’m off to the gym to get ready for Cadwell Park.”

Tyred and Frustrated

Despite a strong showing against some of the world’s best riders, Victor Cox professed himself ‘frustrated’ with his performance in the Silverstone round of the World Superstock Series, “We didn’t anticipate such a big difference between the Metzeler tyres that we run in the British championship and the Pirellis that we had to use for the World round.”

The wider Pirellis also have a stiffer carcass leaving the STP backed rider to contend with chatter and problems with sliding until softer suspension settings helped remedy the situation. Unfortunately, the team only found this solution after qualifying leaving Victor 18^th on the grid. But in Sunday morning warm up he found he could lap more than a second quicker on the Kawasaki ZX10 than he had in qualifying.

A strong start to the race saw Victor quickly move up to 10^th place on the Blackhorse racing bike with the 4^th place battle just a short way ahead of him but an overtaking attempt by Daniele Beretta saw him high side his BMW forcing Victor to back off dropping him back from the frontrunners and into the clutches of the group of bikes battling behind him. A dogfight to the flag left Victor in an impressive 14^th place amongst a high quality field. Nevertheless, he was disappointed to have missed out on a top 10 placing although he had some positives to take from the weekend. “It was great experience”, he conceded, “and the team was fantastic as always. Now I have to concentrate on the British championship and the next round at Brands.”

The Knox and Cox Show

While a duo of STP backed riders will be in action at Brands Hatch this weekend, Luke Jones will unfortunately be absent from the latest round of the MCE British Superbike Championship. Time has run out for the PR Racing team as they try to resolve the engine problems that sidelined the Yamaha R1 at Snetterton so they will concentrate on preparing for the remainder of the season.

Duncan Knox, meanwhile, will be concentrating on retaining his lead in the TDG Cup. The Triumph rider concedes that retaining a series lead can be a stressful business. “If you aren’t in contention you can just go for it but when you have a lead to protect you have to weigh up every move.”

It’s a busy time for Victor Cox who returns to the Metzeler British Superstock Championship just a week after his wild card ride in the World Series. And he’s looking forward to getting back on board the Kawasaki ZX10 albeit with some reservations. “I love Brands Hatch” he says, “especially the Grand Prix circuit but I think the weather could play a big part.”

Duncan Back on Form at Brands

A hot, sunny and successful weekend at Brands Hatch saw Duncan Knox consolidate his lead in the TDG Cup class of the Triumph Triple Challenge.

Friday testing produced dividends for the STP backed rider with changes to the gearing initially providing better drive onto the start finish straight. Late in the afternoon Duncan was also able to identify a faulty temperature sensor which was restricting the bike’s pace and explained Duncan’s relative lack of pace at the previous round at Snetterton.

Saturday’s first qualifying session saw Duncan 18^th quickest and third among the TDG Cup contenders with a best lap time of 51.3s around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Duncan opted to fit the second of his control rear tyres for the second session and promptly promoted himself to the front of the TDG Cup field, 15^th overall with a lap time of 50.8s. Pole position went to Jimmy Dye with a time of 49.04s.

Duncan made a good start to the first of the weekend’s trio of races but was passed by Chad Hashmi as they went through Paddock Hill Bend for the first time. After following Chad for 5 laps looking for where he was quicker, Duncan missed a gear on lap 6 allowing two of the Michelin Cup runners to move ahead of him. On the final lap, the duo also put a passing move on Hashmi and Duncan was able to take advantage of that on the final bend to take TDG Cup honours and 13^th place overall with a best lap time of 50.7s.

Sunday’s first race of the day produced another good start from Duncan who found himself mixing it with a group of Michelin Cup runners and recording consistent 50 second laps. But when Tommy Dale missed a gear going into Paddock Hill Bend Duncan was delayed allowing Cha Hashmi to take the TDG Cup lead and Duncan had to content himself with second in class and tenth place overall.

Duncan continued his series of strong starts in the final race of the weekend with TDG rival Hashmi hard on his heels. On lap 6 Hashmi made a pass through Graham Hill Bend only for Duncan to return the compliment through Paddock Hill Bend. By now, however, Duncan’s rear tyre was badly worn and spinning up whenever he applied the power. Chad Hashmi retook the lead going into Druids but Duncan was back in front at Graham Hill and so the race continued until they crossed the line to start the last lap.

With Chad in front, Duncan moved through at Paddock Hill only to run wide and concede the place once again. Duncan challenged once again at Druids and at Graham Hill and then looked to get the better drive out of Clearways and after slip streaming Chad on the run to the line it seemed impossible to separate the two bikes at the flag. In fact, the electronic timing gear gave the class win to Chad Hashmi by just two hundredths of a second with Duncan 2^nd in class and 12^th overall.

Despite such a strong showing Duncan came away from the Kent circuit with what he described as “Mixed emotions”, explaining, “I am glad the bike is now sorted but disappointed I rode at Snetterton with the fault. I had to work hard during all three races. At times I lost the front and struggled with rear grip. With one win and two seconds, I've come away from Brands with 65 points towards the championship and extended my lead in the TDG Championship but it was frustrating to lose out on Sunday’s race by 0.020 seconds.”

With 6 rounds of the championship remaining Duncan now leads the TDG Cup by 39 points. Competitors return to Brands Hatch for the next round of the championship on August 6^th to 8^th racing this time on the Grand Prix circuit as part of the British Superbike programme.

Victor is Calm About his Wild Card

Victor Cox goes to Silverstone this weekend relishing the prospect of the biggest challenge in his racing career to date. The STP supported rider will compete as a wild card in the British round of the World Superstock Championship. He will ride the Blackhorse Kawasaki on which he put in such a strong performance to finish 6^th in the most recent round of the Metzeler British Superstock Championship at Snetterton.

The confidence which that has given the Trowbridge rider is boosted by the knowledge that, unlike much of the field against which he will be competing, he has already ridden the new Silverstone circuit at the recent MotoGP meeting.

Despite that, Victor insists he will not be putting undue pressure on himself. “I am going there on a good bike and with a good team”, he says, “and I will give 110% knowing the team will be doing the same. But World Superstocks is a tough class and the BMWs have been dominating so far. Hopefully, I can get the Kawasaki in amongst them.”

Mechanical Misery Spoils Weekend for Luke

Mechanical problems made for a frustrating weekend for Luke Jones as the STP supported rider contested the latest round of the MCE British Superbike Championship at Snetterton.

The problems began in Saturday morning qualifying with a head gasket failure on the newly fitted engine in Luke’s PR Racing Yamaha R1.

A replacement engine was fitted in time for the first race of the weekend, which had been carried over from the previous weather disrupted meeting at Knockhill. An impressive wet weather performance at the Scottish circuit meant Luke started the race from the fourth row of the grid but in the latter stages of the race the temperature warning light lit up on the Yamaha and Luke was forced to settle for 23^rd place.

A post race check identified no obvious engine problems but after only around 7 laps of the Sunday morning warm up session Luke suffered his second head gasket failure of the weekend and, with no further replacement engines available, his meeting came to a premature end.

The weekend saw HM Plant Honda take a clean sweep with two wins for Josh Brookes and one for Ryuichi Kyonari. Despite that, Tommy Hill retook the championship lead on his Worx Suzuki.

Luke and the PR Racing team are now hoping to get in some testing before the next BSB round at Brands Hatch with a view to further developing the bike’s suspension set up.

Things Get Tight in the Triumph Triple Challenge

Two 2^nd in class finishes enabled Duncan Knox to leave Snetterton still leading the TDG Cup, albeit by a reduced margin.

With the Triumph Triple Challenge once again on the BSB bill, competitors had just one 20 minute free practice session and windy conditions made it hard for riders to maintain the racing line. Duncan recorded his fastest lap on the final lap of the session placing him 13^th overall and 2^nd among the TDG Cup runners.

High winds also plagued the qualifying session and STP backed Duncan was disappointed that his best time was over a second slower than he had recorded at the same circuit last year. That placed him 15^th on the grid and third in class behind both Adam Kemp and his closest TDG Cup rival, Jamie Poole.

Following qualifying a check on the Triumph’s clutch prompted Duncan to fit a new clutch basket. That in turn caused problems at the start of Saturday’s race as he struggled to get the bike off the line.

After being squeezed onto the kerbs at turn one Duncan battled his way through the pack into 3^rd place among the TDG Cup runners. When Adam Kemp retired with a blown engine Duncan was promoted to second in class but Jamie Poole was by now too far ahead to be challenged and Duncan had to settle for 13^th overall and 2^nd in class.

A better start in Sunday’s race put Duncan 12^th overall and 2^nd in class behind Jamie Poole. Despite pushing hard in the early laps Duncan was unable to eat into Jamie’s half second advantage and with his nearest rival 5 seconds behind him he took the decision to settle for 2^nd place in class and 20 championship points.

Two wins for Poole enabled him to halve Duncan’s advantage in the championship to 10 points. A disappointed Duncan commented afterwards “I found the weekend quite frustrating as I could not post the same time, or better, than I did last year in the TTC. Running over 2 sec’s down on the front runners, I still don’t feel like I am riding to the best of my ability.

“I am looking forward to Brands Indy as it’s more of a physical track and should suit my riding style better. But we are now over half way through the season and the points gap has been closed. I need to start to find the pace again that I showed during the first round.”

With three races scheduled for the Brands Hatch weekend it could be a key moment in this year’s championship battle.

Victor Prepares to Take on Best in the World

A strong performance at Snetterton provided Victor Cox with the ideal preparation for his forthcoming wild card entry for the World Superstock 1000 round at Silverstone.

Victor’s debut for the Blackhorse Kawasaki team had seen him slide out of a wet race at Knockhill and so he arrived at Snetterton determined to put in a strong performance and 9^th place in both free practice sessions was a good start. More importantly as the team made adjustments to the bike’s gearing and suspension set up Victor was able to set quicker times each time he went onto the track.

When it came to qualifying, the STP supported rider found himself losing time through the first sector of the lap. Victor ultimately qualified in 11^th place although had he been able to string together his best sector times in one lap it would have moved him up to 8^th place.

A good start to the race took Victor up to 7^th place only for red flags to interrupt proceedings. The Blackhorse Kawasaki was baulked into the first corner from the restart but Victor soon found himself in a good battle for 6^th place with Dennis Hobbs and James Hillier. By the flag he had broken 2 seconds clear of that battle to consolidate his 6^th place and was 4.5 seconds behind the fourth place battle.

After the race a jubilant Victor said “I am really pleased for the team that we got this result, they are so good to ride with. It sets us up well to take on the World’s best at Silverstone in a couple of weeks.”

STP Three Head East

A trio of STP supported riders will be in action at Snetterton this weekend as the MCE British Superbike Championship visits the Norfolk circuit.

Luke Jones will line up for three BSB rounds over the weekend buoyed by an outstanding race performance at a treacherous Knockhill last time out. He will be on the third row of the grid for Saturday’s round carried over from the Scottish round after high wind and rain brought a premature end to the meeting.

Snetterton is a circuit which Luke has grown to like over the years, partly because of the large number of overtaking opportunities that it offers in contrast to Knockhill. “The key to success there is good drive out of the corners”, he says, “so you can carry the speed down the straights.”

Luke is still getting back to full fitness following an operation to deal with arm pump problems and is still looking for the ideal set up on the PR Racing Yamaha R1 following changes to its suspension so he is modest in his ambitions for the weekend, “Some top 20 finishes will be good although it would be great to get into the points at some stage during the weekend.”

Victor Cox will be making his second appearance on the Black Horse Racing Kawasaki at Snetterton as he contests the Metzeler Superstock 1000 round. “I’m really looking forward to joining up with the team again”, he says, “They are so friendly but so professional”.

Victor believes the circuit will be ideally suited to the Kawasaki with its strong top end but he says it will be important to get the gearing and aerodynamics right. Luke secured a top 10 Superstock finish at the circuit and 2008 and nothing would please him more than a repeat performance.

Guest Championship at this weekend’s meeting is the Triumph Triple Challenge and Duncan Knox head to East Anglia hoping to build on the series lead that he currently holds in the TDG Cup for riders aged 30 and over.

Luke is On Song In the Rain

Luke Jones made his return to the MCE British Superbike Championship on board a PR Racing Yamaha R1 that was sporting significant changes to its suspension. The short term consequence of this was that most of the free practice time at Knockhill was spent finding the right set up and STP supported Luke qualified in a slightly disappointing 28^th place.

Race morning warm up held on a wet track saw a significant improvement in Luke’s performance and when the red lights went out to get Race 1 underway Luke made a start which he later said “could not have been any better”. Unfortunately, a torrential downpour quickly brought out the red flags.

Luke was unable to repeat his earlier getaway at the restart but an opening lap crash involving Dan Linfoot and Chris Walker saw the red flags flying once again. The third attempt to get the race underway saw Luke made a solid start and set about making up places but while he was quick while running alone, passing his rivals was another matter. “I had a few scary moments”, he later commented, “as I was carrying more corner speed trying to preserve my tyres, but many of the guys in front were breaking as late as possible and squaring off the corners.”

Nevertheless, by the chequered flag he had worked his way up to an impressive 16^th place and furthermore a best lap time of 54.834s placed him 11^th on the grid for Race 2, his best BSB grid position to date. The race win went to Michael Rutter, the Ducati rider heading home the HM Plant Honda duo of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Josh Brookes.

From the start of Race 2, Luke quickly made his way up to 8^th place overall only for the weather to bring out the red flags once again. With ever strengthening winds and rain, it was impossible to restart the race and it will now take place on the Saturday of the Snetterton round of the championship.

Looking back on the weekend, Luke concluded, “I‘m feeling a little race rusty and I know, as a team, we are playing catch up with respect to track time and collecting actual race data. Because of my arm pump issue we are not where we want to be at this part of the season, but that is all behind us and I am feeling really confident and can’t wait for Snetterton.” That Snetterton race weekend is on 16^th to 18^th July.

Victor is Positive After Debut Kawasaki Ride

Knockhill was the venue for Superstock 1000 rider Victor Cox’s debut ride for Ian Lougher’s Blackhorse Kawasaki team.

The STP backed rider found the Kawasaki a very different proposition from his more usual Yamaha. “It’s more powerful”, he commented, “and the team are great, they are really friendly and doing everything they can to make it easy for me.”

Free Practice saw Victor 16^th quickest despite still coming to terms with the bike and finding a set up that suited him. After the two qualifying sessions, the Trowbridge racer was 14^th on the grid. “Although it’s not where we wanted to be”, he said later, “It’s still my best qualifying performance of the year.”

With conditions changing dramatically overnight, a wet and windy Knockhill made choosing the right tyres something of a gamble. Victor opted for a wet front and dry rear tyre, which was to prove to be the right choice. A good start saw Victor quickly up to 11^th place and caught up in a multi-bike battle for 6^th place. Unfortunately, on lap 3 he became one of a number of riders to be caught out by the treacherous conditions, falling at the chicane.

“It was a frustrating end to the weekend”, he said later, “but I am taking a lot of positives from the whole meeting and I’m looking forward to riding for the Blackhorse Kawasaki team again at Snetterton.”

Luke is Back for Knockhill

Luke Jones will be back in the saddle of the PR Racing Yamaha R1 as the MCE British Superbike Championship reaches its halfway point at Knockhill this weekend.

The STP backed rider has been out of action for 5 weeks after undergoing surgery for a longstanding arm pump problem. But following a test session at Oulton Park earlier in the week he is confident that the time is right for his return to BSB action.

At the end of testing, Luke commented. “The last couple of weeks since the operation have been hard, especially missing last weekend at Mallory. But after today, I feel it has all been worth it. I feel much better and can’t wait for Knockhill. I would like to thank everyone for their good luck messages and patience."

Kiyo Doubles Up

Ryuichi Kiyonari took his first BSB double for three years at Mallory Park and in doing so climbed to fourth place in the Championship standings.

The opening race saw Kiyo take the lead from the lights on his HM Plant Honda before slipping back to third behind Michael Laverty and Michael Rutter. The Japanese rider fought back only for the race to be red flagged following a crash at Charlies which left Riders Ducati’s Martin Jessop with a broken leg.

Michael Laverty took the lead from the restart ahead of Josh Brookes and Kiyonari. Brookes eventually moved ahead of Laverty and was soon followed by his team-mate Kiyo. On lap 11 the duo swapped places and went on to claim an HM Plant 1-2 with Laverty 3^rd. Meanwhile, championship leader Tommy Hill had retired with mechanical problems.

Race Two saw Kiyo once again lead from the lights followed by Chris Walker and Brookes. The Stalker took the lead at the hairpin only to concede the place to Kiyo once again a lap later. While the HM Plant rider held the place all the way to the flag his team-mate Josh Brookes moved into second place ahead of Laverty and Rutter with Chris Walker finishing fifth.

The MCE British Superbike contenders now head to Knockhill for round 6 of the championship this weekend.

Duncan Drops it Then Wins

As the Triumph Triple Challenge series joined the MCE British Superbike package, Duncan Knox arrived at Mallory Park heading the TDG Cup standings for riders aged 30 and over.

One consequence of sharing the circuit with Britain’s most prestigious race series was that free practice was restricted to just one 25 minute session. Duncan’s pre-event testing paid dividends, however, as he finished the session 6^th fastest and quickest of the TDG cup runners.

Qualifying was punctuated by a red flag and following the restart Duncan struggled to get a clear run in, leaving him 14^th on the grid and 2^nd among the TDG Cup runners when the chequered flag came out.

Race One also saw the red flags flying and problems with traffic at the restart demoted Duncan to 4^th among the TDG cup runners. He gradually managed to make his way up to lead his class, passing a number of young guns in the process. Now running in 10^th place overall, Duncan’s race came to a premature end when he became one of three riders caught out by fluids from the blown engine of young gun Ben Miller’s machine.

Race Two took place on a hot and sunny Sunday morning in front of a bumper BSB crowd and the TDG Cup contenders produced some great entertainment to justify their place on the programme. Duncan was part of a race long 4-way battle for Cup honours, eventually pipping Chad Hashmi by half a bike’s length at the line to take maximum Cup points. Chad was subsequently penalised 20 seconds for a jump start.

After the race, a thoughtful Duncan commented, “Someone said to me over the weekend “You sometimes need some luck to win a championship”. I just hope that bad luck does not come back to haunt me at the end of the season!” On a more upbeat note, he added, “Although the points gap has now been closed due to the DNF I am still leading the TDG Championship ahead of our next round at Snetterton with the BSB. Having finished on the podium there last year I am looking forward to the race, especially in front of another packed BSB crowd”

Luke Misses Mallory But Back Soon

The MCE British Superbike Championship arrives at Mallory Park this weekend without STP backed rider Luke Jones. Luke, who recently underwent surgery in Belgium for a longstanding arm pump problem, feels he is still not up to full fitness. He hopes to test his PR Racing Yamaha R1 next week with a view to making his return at Knockhill in two weeks time.

One rider who will be back for this, the fifth round of the championship, is James Ellison. The Swan Honda rider broke his femur in a crash during qualifying for the second round at Thruxton in April. He now finds himself over 100 points behind championship leader Tommy Hill. The Worx Suzuki rider’s closest rivals are Australian Josh Brookes on his HM Plant Honda and Relentless Suzuki rider Michael Laverty.

Another Australian, Andrew Pitt, makes his BSB debut this weekend on the Motorpoint Yamaha. There will be full coverage of Sunday’s races on British Eurosport from 1.25pm.

Duncan Joins The Big Boys

The Triumph Triple Challenge contenders join up with the MCE British Superbike Championship for the 5^th round of their series at Mallory Park this weekend. Duncan Knox goes to the Leicestershire circuit leading the TDG Cup for riders aged 30 and over by a healthy 35 points.

The STP supported rider is back to full fitness now following his tumble during qualifying for the season opener at Oulton Park, and has managed to get in some pre-event testing at Mallory, sharing the track with a number of BSB riders including Josh Brookes and Ryuichi Kyonari.

Despite the crowded track conditions, Duncan managed to better his qualifying time from last year but feels he will have to find another 2 seconds to be at the head of the field, something which he says is not going to be easy on the short and physical Mallory circuit.

Because of the packed BSB programme, the TTC riders will get just one 25 minute free practice session and 25 minutes of qualifying so it will be important to be on the pace from the start. Duncan says he is looking forward to racing in front of a bumper BSB crowd, adding, “With 50 points available over the weekend I am aiming to extend my lead as we approach the half way point in the season. I struggled at Silverstone to push on the bike and felt off the pace all weekend, having raced with injuries for two rounds. But I now feel back to full fitness and in the right mental frame of mind to find the pace I showed during qualifying at the start of the season.”

Triumph Trials and Tribulation

Duncan Knox headed to round 3 of the Triumph Triple Challenge at Silverstone having made use of the extended gap since the previous round to recover from the injuries he sustained in qualifying for the season opener at Oulton Park.

The STP supported rider was unfamiliar with the Silverstone National Circuit however and spent much of Friday practice determining which was the fastest line. The final session of the day also saw him lose the front end carrying too much brake into Maggotts. Fortunately, the end result was just some light damage to the bike.

Duncan made some changes to the bike overnight raising the front end to give him better feel and opting for a taller gear ratio. Going out on new tyres, he couldn’t match his free practice lap times and qualified 12^th in a field of 25 but second fastest of the racers vying for the TDG Cup for riders aged 30 and over.

Despite a few minor changes aimed at giving him more confidence to drive hard onto Silverstone’s long straights, Duncan’s lap times went up in qualifying 2 and he finished 13^th on the grid although just one place behind the leading TDG Cup contender.

Duncan lined up for Saturday’s opening race of the weekend with the set up he had used in qualifying, something he later admitted was a mistake. A poor start saw him slip further down the field and he spent most of the race battling for fourth place in the TDG Cup before moving up to 3^rd at the flag.

A switch back to the settings used for free practise paid immediate dividends in the warm up for race two on Sunday morning with lap times down by 2 seconds. A good start to the race saw Duncan making up places and he was running second among the TDG Cup competitors when the red flags came out. From the restart he found himself in a three way fight for TDG Cup honours. He eventually managed to lead that battle only to lose out on the penultimate lap when he was out braked into a corner and pushed wide. He finished the race 3^rd in the TDG category and 10^th overall.

The final race of the weekend produced another good start from Duncan and he once again led the TDG runners. He quickly set about opening up a healthy advantage over his championship rival Jamie Poole in 2^nd place but a quick excursion onto the grass at over 100mph enabled Jamie to close the gap and then move ahead of him only to be forced out of the race with mechanical problems. Duncan moved backing into the Cup lead before being overhauled by Chad Hashmi and finishing 2^nd in the Cup and 11^th overall.

Despite his mixed fortunes Duncan ended the weekend with a slightly bigger advantage at the head of the TDG Cup standings but commented, “After racing the last two rounds with injuries I was looking forward to Silverstone. However, I was not performing my best for the race weekend. I struggled to find a good pace and didn’t feel like pushing hard. … I always seem to make the wrong changes for qualifying and return to the original settings for the race, which always leaves me playing catch up on the other riders.”

Looking ahead he said, “I am still leading the Championship as we head into the Mallory Park round with BSB, which was my aim for the weekend. I now need to get back to the race pace I know I can run! Push hard and maintain my lead.”

Duncan Back in the Saddle at Silverstone

Competitors in the Triumph Triple Challenge head to Silverstone this weekend for the third round of the championship. It has been six weeks since the last round took place at Pembrey and that break has given STP backed Duncan Knox the chance to recuperate from injuries he sustained in qualifying for the opening round at Oulton Park.

“My sternum cartilage settled down quite quickly after Pembrey”, says Duncan, “however, my hand and muscle damage to my back and shoulder has taken a lot longer. I've been under going physio treatment and have been conducting an exercise programme to free up some of the scar tissue.”

Despite that, the Hereford based rider is not fully recovered, “I'm back to about 90% fitness, with a few aches and pains when I wake up in the morning. However, I've managed to get back in the gym and started running again. But my hand is not strong enough to lift weights and has little strength.”

Duncan has also taken the opportunity to visit some of the other circuits on the championship schedule for test sessions and track days. Despite the early season set back he currently leads the TDG Cup, for riders aged 30 and above, and his priority at Silverstone will be to maintain that advantage as they head off for the following round at the Mallory Park BSB meeting.

Luke Races to Reach Mallory

MCE British Superbike Championship racer Luke Jones is recuperating at home following surgery to deal with the arm pump problems that have troubled him throughout his racing career.

Initial indications are that the procedure, carried out in Belgium by one of Europe’s leading surgeons, Dr Claes, was successful and the STP supported rider can now begin his rehabilitation process.

Luke is still aiming to be back on the PR Racing Yamaha R1 in time for the next BSB round at Mallory Park on June 27^th although he concedes that it is a tight deadline.

Everyone at STP wishes Luke a speedy recovery and looks forward to seeing him back in action.

Tommy delivers best ever result

Ballsy Bridewell delivers best ever result

Quay Garage Honda's Tommy Bridewell rewarded the team with their best ever results at Cadwell Park last weekend following two gutsy performances, but he believes that it could have even been more - and now he has his sights firmly set on the podium.

The team have celebrated plenty of success in the BSB Cup in previous seasons, with a best result of sixth at Brands Hatch Indy last year with Gary Mason, but this is the closest they have come to stepping up on to the main championship podium. Bridewell admits his finger injury from Thruxton was still holding him back a little, but a gritty ride saw him end race one less than a second from third place Michael Rutter and Bridewell admits that a better start could have put him within striking distance.

A repeat of the heroics looked on the cards for race two but a clash with Kawasaki's Chris Walker forced Bridewell onto the grass at the chicane but with typical determination he bounced back from tenth to sixth and was set to challenge John Laverty for fifth when the race was stopped after Dan Linfoot crashed at the Mountain.

Talking about his weekend to the BSB website Bridewell said: "We came away happy from Cadwell Park; before the weekend to be honest I didn't think we were really going to be that strong as it is so physical and my finger was still playing up a little bit. The Oulton Park round hadn't gone according to plan, with the jump start and everything but I did feel confident at the weekend and just enjoyed every minute and I do think that makes a difference. I just got my head down and did what I had to do which worked as we had our best result in race one.

"I was happy with how qualifying went and a second row start was what we needed, especially at Cadwell Park. I think if anything I needed to try and get a better start as I was a little cautious at the weekend as I didn't want to jump it again like I did at Oulton Park so I think if I had got away quicker we might have even done better.

"I tend to find that at the start of the race with a full tank of fuel we struggle with the Honda, the weight is low and the engine casing can ground out so easily so you have to be careful as you can crash quite easily. I dropped down the order a bit in the opening laps but I always knew that would be the case as our set up works better mid-race and towards the end which is where we make up some of the time.

"In race two the start was pretty much the same and I dropped down again and then came back mid-race. The clash with Chris to be honest wasn't really his fault and I was partly to blame as I was trying so hard to overtake him; he is one of the hardest riders to pass, even more difficult there, and I knew I had to do something. I went by and I thought it had worked but I wasn't a hundred percent committed and that gave him the chance to come back. I was annoyed with myself as getting hit off cost me a podium or at least the chance to have a shot at it as I was catching Tommy Hill and Michael Laverty. I was just getting frustrated with myself and it cost me time, but to get back in the top six meant more points although I think it could have been more."

Evo anecdotes from Cadwell park

Evo anecdotes: Cadwell Park

The Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo Championship was all change in the championship standings again at the fourth round at Cadwell Park as Steve Brogan and the Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad team scored their second winning double of the season. Here some of the contenders reflect on their weekend whilst we get the lowdown on the latest Evo standings.

MAR Kawasaki
Hudson Kennaugh: R1- 2nd, R2 - 3rd
Championship position: 1st

"I am pleased that we were back on the podium again twice at the weekend, especially in the first race as the conditions were really tough out there but we managed to get second which is important for our championship. In the second race I was pleased to be back on the podium but at Mallory Park I want to start winning again as Steve is now closing."

Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad
Steve Brogan: R1- 1st, R2 - 1st
Championship position: 2nd

"I had a great start in race one and I was mixing it with the full-spec Superbikes for a few laps, and was pulling away from Hudson. I was pushing hard but mid-race I had a few moments trying to keep up with the Superbikes. I was getting some good pit signals and knew that my lead in the Evo class was safe so rather than crash I settled for a safe first and it was great to be at the top of the podium again. I got a good start and the race settled down for me pretty quickly in race two. The bike was feeling great and I knocked off the laps and continually pulled away from the Evos behind me. I was chasing down the Superbikes but didn't manage to catch them but it was a good win and I'm really pleased as the double win means we are now only six points off the championship lead."

"It was a bit of a weekend to forget for us really as we have lost a place in the Evo standings but it was just one of those tough rounds. We struggled a bit with grip and then we had a technical problem whilst running second in the first race which meant we didn't start the second one. We now have a bit of a break and hopefully we can come back at Mallory Park and be on the podium again."

Two Brothers Racing Kawasaki
David Johnson: R1- 4th, R2 - 6th
Championship position: 4th

"I'm very happy with my new team, Two Brothers Racing Kawasaki. We put the whole team and bike together in less than two weeks so a big thanks to everyone, Marty, Bill, Nick and Nicky for their hard work in getting us to Cadwell Park. We had major problems with the bike from the get go so huge thanks to Nick Morgan for lending us an engine so we could race. We missed practice and qualifying so to end up with fourth in race one was great. Race two was tough and nothing went my way but still got some good points towards the EVO championship."

"I am disappointed, because this was a chance to close back in on the championship. The third in race one was very much welcome but I knew we were capable of much more. I just pushed it that little bit too much in the second race as the bike felt fantastic and I figured that I would pass the Suzuki and then set three quick laps. I knew I was never going to catch Brogan who was up front, but I thought if I could pull a gap from the guys behind in a few laps I could then settle down and keep second. The team did an amazing job and I'd have liked to have given them a bit more to cheer about, but it's over now and I've got to put it behind me and concentrate on the rest of the season."

Cadwell Park was also the best events this season for Redline KTM who secured their first Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo podium with Alex Lowes standing in for James Edmeades, with a second place in race two whilst Pauli Pekkanen got his best result with a fourth place in the second outing.

Team Manager debriefs:Cadwell Park

Team manager debriefs: Cadwell Park

The fourth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park produced another two sensational races and a weekend of firsts. Here some of the team managers reflect on the weekend's events:

Team manager Jack Valentine: "Obviously race one was a disappointment, particularly after the fantastic qualifying, but then Tommy more than redeemed himself with an excellent second race. The team also put in some excellent work to clean up a bike that was covered in fire extinguisher dust and have it all ready for race two. Tommy's progress in that race was excellent. He was maybe too aggressive early on, but as soon as he settled into a rhythm the race came to him and he made two inspired passes on Rutter and Laverty, he did a great job.

"We're looking forward to Mallory Park now, although there's a bit of a wait. Yukio (Kagayama) was at Cadwell Park as a very interested spectator and he should be a very interested racer come Mallory Park in five weeks' time! We're still only one-third the way through the season so far, so there's plenty to play for yet, both for Tommy and Yukio."

Team Manager Shaun Muir: "Cadwell Park was a challenging weekend for the whole team and unfortunately it never came together for us. Stuart made a good start in the first race, despite his grid position but then had a big crash and that meant he was a bit beaten up for race two. It was disappointing as he could have battled for a position in the first race and it cost us points and then in race two we had some technical problems, so a difficult weekend for the team. We now have time between rounds to get our heads together and come back stronger at Mallory Park."

Relentless Suzuki by TAS
Michael Laverty - R1: 2nd, R2: 3rd
Alastair Seeley - R1: 9th, R2: 7th

Team Principal Philip Neill: "From a championship point of view it's been a very good weekend for us. As I've said before, time and time again, I always knew Michael had these sort of results in him and he was never outside the top five all weekend with his times. And but for the arm pump problems I think he was strong enough to win that first race, however it's good for his championship.

"Alastair had a tough weekend but to see him progress from the first session where he was a bit off the pace, and having crashed in qualifying, was very pleasing. He also put his confidence in the team to make some radical changes to the bike before the races and I was personally pleased to see him set his fastest lap of the weekend in the second race, getting down in amongst the times of the top five. We are now looking forward to the next round."

HM Plant Honda
Ryuichi Kiyonari - R1: 1st, R2: DNF
Josh Brookes - R1: 5th, R2: 1st

Team Manager Havier Beltran: "All in all it was a very positive round for the HM Plant Honda team with two race wins and it has been a while since we have done the double so it's a great feeling. We had a good weekend from practice, qualifying through to the races and that has put us back where we should be. The team, the Fireblades and the riders as a package are totally on form and working incredibly hard and long may that continue as the results just go to show what can be achieved. In race one it was a shame that Josh didn't get a better start as we felt he would have been able to challenge Kiyo for the win and likewise it was disappointing for Kiyo to have a technical problem before the second race. We showed the pace of the HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR this weekend with two wins and now we look forward to carrying that momentum to Mallory Park in a few weeks' time."

MSS Colchester Kawasaki
Gary Mason - R1: DNS, R2: DNS
Chris Walker - R1: 7th, R2: 8th

Team Manager Nick Morgan: "It was a roller-coaster weekend yet again! It started off looking very promising with the team working hard and running at the pointy end of the timing sheets all through free practice and qualifying. Gary was showing the potential we know he has and the bike has round Cadwell Park before he put himself on his head and out of the race. I feel bad for Gary as he was on song and looking at the race pace times he could and would have been up there fighting for a rostrum. It would be easy to feel disheartened after Gary went out but Chris had another good weekend for us and seventh and eighth places were a good result bringing in good points."

Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati
Michael Rutter - R1: 3rd, R2: 4th
Martin Jessopp - R1: 8th, R2: 9th

Team Owner Phil Jessopp: "The weekend went really well for us and the team worked well over the weekend to put us back on the front row and on the podium and I'm delighted with the results. Now we're looking forward to Mallory where we want to pick up where we left off at the weekend."

Motorpoint Yamaha
Dan Linfoot - R1: 10th, R2: DNF
Ian Lowry - R1: 11th, R2: 12^th

Team Manager Rob McElnea said: "Lesser folk may have called the Samaritans by now but we are thick skinned in Scunthorpe! I can't believe another weekend of 'if only's'. Ian struggled all weekend at a track he is strong; Dan showed some of his Spanish testing form but failed to finish the job off. We will dissect the weekend over the tea brief and come back and try again."

Team Owner Ian Woolacott said: "Tommy did a brilliant job at the weekend as our bike lacks a little on top end power. It was a great event, we've had two very good results and we've beaten factory teams and we were next to HM Plant Honda on the grid so I'm very pleased."

Team Owner Robin Croft said: "It was a hard weekend for us and, sadly, another weekend without points. As like all the other rounds, Christian steadily improved his times throughout the free practice sessions but in the third, he'd only done a handful of laps when he crashed and the damage was too much for us to get the bike repaired in time for qualifying. The team did a great job overnight rebuilding the bike and changing engines and we were given permission to start the two races from the back of the grid but it was always going to be tough from there. Gear selector problems spelt the end of the first race and in the second Christian did as good as could be expected to climb up to 16th just outside the points."

Swan Combi Roll for Pole: Cadwell Park

All the latest updates from the three knockout qualifying sessions in the Swan Combi - Roll for Pole race one grid decider at Cadwell Park.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Swan Roll for Pole result:

16:17 Top five after Q2 - Brookes, Rutter, Kiyonari, Mason, Michael Laverty - top 12 coverd by less than a second

16:17 Riders out after Q2 - Linfoot, Lowry, Jessopp, Jenkinson, Seeley, Hickman, Kennuagh, Tunstall, Burns and Brogan

16:11 Brogan suffers technical problem and forced to the sidelines, but Brookes goes fastest - 1m:28.318s

16:02 Red flag

16:02 Current order - Rutter, Mason, Hill, Brookes, Michael Laverty, John Laverty, Martin Jessopp

16:01 Mason fastest, only for Rutter to topple him almost instantly - 1m:28.378s

15:51 Top five in Q1 - Brookes, 1m:28.382s from Kiyonari, Hill, Rutter and Easton - the top nine covered by less than a second

15:51 Riders out after Q1: Lowes, Anthony, Zanotti, Pekkanen, O'Brien, Ward and Heneghan

15:39 Brookes goes fastest - 1m:28.382s from Hill, Rutter, Mason and Kiyonari

15:36 Brogan currently ninth - the fastest of the Mirror.co.uk BSB Evo contenders

15:33 Hill goes P1 - 1:28.530s on first flier, from Mason, Brookes and Kiyonari

PR Racing to miss Cadwell Park

The PR Racing team will sit out this weekend's fourth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as rider Luke Jones prepares to travel to Belgium for surgery to prevent his ongoing arm pump issue.

The team are hopeful that Jones will be back within three weeks to test before his expected return to the championship at Mallory Park at the end of June.

Jones said: "Nobody likes the thought of surgery but after talking to my family and other riders who have had it done, I feel it's the only solution to the problem I have. As I said after Oulton Park, it's something that I've had for a while but been able to cope with on the smaller bikes, but not a Superbike. I am just thankful that my family and the team are standing by me and helping me to get this problem sorted."

Team Manager John Jameson commented: "As Luke said, no one likes the thought of surgery and we, as a team, did not want to force Luke into something he did not want to do. I spoke with Luke and his dad over a couple days after Oulton Park and we all agreed, he would have to have something done and the preferred way was to go and see Dr Claes. Once this course of action was agreed, we contacted Dr Claes to secure the earliest possible date for the operation."

Kagayama forced out of Cadwell Park found

Kagayama forced out of Cadwell Park round

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama has been forced to sit out this weekend's fourth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Cadwell Park as he recovers from a fractured T5 vertebrae he sustained at the previous event.

After the crash in the first race at Oulton Park, doctors diagnosed a fracture to his T5 vertebrae requiring rest for several weeks, but following a further private examination today (Wednesday) at London Bridge Hospital, he has been advised to delay his return after it was decided that the fracture had not repaired sufficiently.

Team manager Jack Valentine said: "It's disappointing not to have Yuki racing this weekend. However, the fracture was serious and despite the fact that Yukio feels well in himself now, we cannot risk any long term injury, especially by returning to such a physically demanding track like Cadwell Park. Now with a bit more time to recover, Yukio should be back to full-fitness at Mallory Park next month. In the meantime, I can also confirm that we will not field a replacement rider this weekend, so Tommy will fly the flag at Cadwell for the Worx Crescent Suzuki team."

Cadwell Park by numbers:The statistics

Cadwell Park by numbers: The statistics

There is less than a week to go until Cadwell Park and ahead of the first of two visits to the Lincolnshire circuit the official British Superbike Championship website brings you some fascinating facts and surprising statistics.

Worx Crescent Suzuki may lead the title chase after the opening three rounds, but the team haven't won at Cadwell Park since 2004 when Yukio Kagayama was victorious in the second race.

HM Plant Honda have previously celebrated a high success rate at their home track; since 2003 the team have won five times and secured a further five podium finishes. In fact in the past seven seasons they have only failed to secure at least one podium finish on one occasion; last year when the team fielded two substitute riders.

Kawasaki have enjoyed some of their strongest events at Cadwell Park; last season the front row (three riders) consisted of two Kawasaki riders with John Laverty enjoying his best ever qualifying position in second for the Buildbase team whilst Simon Andrews also started from the front row for the first time in his career. Andrews then went on to secure a maiden BSB podium finish and also the first for the MSS Kawasaki squad.

Cadwell Park has a history of being a circuit that traditionally hasn't favoured double race winners. In the past ten years (since 2000) only Leon Haslam in 2008 and Steve Hislop in 2001 and 2002 have managed to stand on the top step of the podium twice, the other seven seasons there has been two different race winners.

Ducati returned to the BSB podium at Oulton Park, but if Michael Rutter or Martin Jessopp can repeat the feat next weekend it will be the first time that a Ducati rider has been on the podium since Gregorio Lavilla in 2007, whilst the last victory for the Italian manufacturer was the previous year when the Spaniard won the opening race in 2006.

British riders have in the past ten years won 18 of the 20 races at the Lincolnshire circuit; only Spain's Lavilla in 2006 and Japan's Kagayama in 2004 have upset the Brit pack's winning form. The last Australian of course to win at Cadwell Park was the legendary Troy Bayliss in 1999.

The circuit may not favour winning doubles for riders, but it has for teams in the past five seasons. Last year it was Airwaves Yamaha (Leon Camier and James Ellison), in 2008 HM Plant Honda reigned (Haslam double) and 2006 it was a double celebration for Airwaves Ducati (Lavilla and Haslam).

Second place finishes has been something of a repeat performance in both races over the past three years; Stuart Easton doubled up in 2009 whilst Tom Sykes did the same in 2008 as did Ryuichi Kiyonari in 2007.

Of the current class of riders in BSB, Kiyonari has the most successful track record - he may not have won at his home round but he has finished at least once on the podium at every race he has competed in at Cadwell Park.

Cadwell Park has produced some unpredictable qualifying but since 2005 Yamaha, Suzuki and Ducati have all started from the pole position whilst Honda haven't been on pole position in the last ten years

Plater injured in NW200 crash

HM Plant Honda's Steve Plater has been injured today (Thursday) following a crash in practice at the North West 200.

The Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship leader crashed at the final corner during the last Superbike session and in a statement released from the team his injuries are not life-threatening and he was conscious at the scene.

Plater has now been taken to hospital for further assessment and to establish the full extent of his injuries with the team expected to issue an update in due course.

UPDATE: It has since been confirmed that Plater has broken his left arm in the crash

Evo anecdotes from Oulton Park

The Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo Championship had its third change of championship leader in as many rounds at Oulton Park as MAR Kawasaki's Hudson Kennaugh took a double win to edge three points clear of David Anthony and MIST Suzuki.

Here some of the riders reflect on their weekend whilst we get the lowdown on the latest Evo standings.

MAR Kawasaki
Hudson Kennaugh: R1- 1st, R2 - 1st
Championship position: 1st

"It was a great weekend for the MAR Kawasaki team and now we are finally winning - I think we will be red hot! In the second race I was delighted to finish ninth overall and to get the double win so now I want more of the same for the team as they have been working so hard so we just need to keep at it and keep pushing harder."

"We were pleased with our performance despite not being able to repeat the race wins from Thruxton. We led for most of practice and qualifying only to be punished for a mistake in race one when I ran off the track and then the weather played its part in race two. Our tyres lasted so well in the wet so I am confident we could have made up several more places which would have assured us a place on the podium if we had a few more laps."

Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad
Steve Brogan: R1: 2nd, R2: 3rd
Championship position: 3rd

"I was happy to be back on the podium considering the technical issues we suffered during qualifying. A second and a third has put me right back into contention in the championship. I had to start from the back of the grid in the first race because I'd only managed one lap in qualifying before having to pull in because of an electronic gremlin. The whole Jentin team worked impressively hard to get it sorted and the bike was running well. I had a flying start in the first race and managed to pass a few people in the first couple of laps. I then settled in to a good rhythm and took the flag in second. The wet second race was fun! I made a great start and managed to get up to tenth overall but the power of the S 1000 RR chewed up the soft wet tyre very quickly. The bike was spinning up in fifth down the straight and my lap times started to drop off. I held on though and was pleased to finish with a third place and another trophy."

Two Wheel Tuning Suzuki
David Johnson: R1 - 4th, R2 - 5th
Championship position: 4th

"In race one I did the best I could considering the engine was standard and I only ran it in the day before. I tried to stay consistent and I had good grip throughout. In race two the change of conditions got everyone, we opted for a soft wet tyre and it lost all feeling after about five laps. Then at half race distance my gearlever snapped leaving me stuck in third gear. I was still passing people but it was very frustrating. I'm just going to look ahead to Cadwell Park now."

Arm Pump Ends Lukes Oulton Outing

Problems with arm pump forced STP supported Luke Jones out of the third round of the MCE British Superbike Championship.

Luke arrived at Oulton Park still nursing the injuries sustained at Thruxton two weeks earlier but it was the arm pump that he has endured at various points in his career that was to cause the biggest problem.

“Oulton is one of the hardest circuits on your arms”, explained Luke, “and it was a real struggle to hold on to the bars”.

Luke toughed it out through Saturday’s practise sessions but, after a fall in the third session, he and the PR Racing team decided to withdraw the Yamaha R1 before qualifying took place.

A disappointed Luke said he is now to undergo surgery which should provide a permanent solution to the problem. “They have told me it will take three to four weeks to get over the op”, said the Hereford rider, “so I will probably miss the next round at Cadwell but I am determined to be back in time for Mallory Park.”

The opening race of the weekend provided a win for the Swan Honda of Stuart Easton while in race two, Michael Laverty took his Relentless Suzuki to a maiden BSB win.

Duncans Triumphant Pembrey

As he arrived at Pembrey for the second round of the Triumph Triple Challenge Duncan Knox said damage limitation was the order of the weekend in the light of the injuries he was still carrying from the previous round. When he left the circuit he had secured 70 out of a possible 75 points to head the standings in the TDG cup for riders aged 30+.

STP backed Duncan was keen to put in a strong performance at his local track but a broken hand and sternum injury, the consequences of his Oulton Park crash meant he was forced to keep Friday testing to a minimum, just enough to find a base set up.

In Saturday morning qualifying Duncan found that the 675cc Triumph was turning in well but head shake problems left him struggling to put the power down. Nevertheless he still managed to qualify as the leading TDG cup runner. He was 8^th fastest overall in a tight qualifying session that saw 4^th to 14^th places separated by just seven hundredths of a second.

Set up changes before second qualifying helped with the head shake issue but Duncan was now struggling to turn the bike with his injured hand. Despite shaving six hundredths off his first session time he also found himself down to 14^th on the grid, second of the TDG cup runners.

Wary of Pembrey’s notorious first corner, Hatchets Hairpin, Duncan elected to make a cautious start to Saturday’s opening race of the weekend. He still soon found himself leading the TDG cup category as the bike ahead of him was forced onto the grass. He was still finding the bike difficult to turn with his hand injury, however, and was eventually forced to settle for second in the TDG cup class and 14^th overall.

Reverting to the original set up for Sunday’s races made the bike less stable under power but allowed Duncan to turn it more easily. With a better start to the race he made up 6 places to 8^th on the opening lap. After battling with the front runners for much of the race he eventually decided to settle for maximum TDG Cup points and 8^th overall.

The final race of the weekend saw Duncan make an even stronger start, moving up to 5^th place on the opening lap only for the race to be red flagged. From the restart, he worked his way back up to 8^th place but a high wind that was now blowing across the circuit magnified the Triumph’s stability problems and giving the rider a few heart stopping moments. Nevertheless, 8^th was once again enough to secure maximum Cup points as he finished 6 seconds ahead of his closest rival.

Duncan left the Welsh circuit satisfied with his weekend’s efforts. “Coming away with 70 points out of a possible 75 and extending my lead in the TDG Cup championship was more than I expected”, he explained, “I would have liked to have pushed myself at Pembrey; being my local track. However, dropping into the 1.01’s when I’m not fully fit and finishing 8^th has given me a boost knowing I can get into the top 5 when fully fit.”

Looking ahead he added, “I’m looking forward to the long break now before Silverstone when I can get some physio treatment and get back in the gym.”

Team Manager debriefs: Oulton Park

The third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park produced some unpredictable results, here some of the team managers reflect on the weekend's events:

Worx Crescent Suzuki
Tommy Hill - R1: 2nd, R2: 3rd
Yukio Kagayama - R1: DNF, R2: DNS

Team manager Jack Valentine: "I'm very pleased with Tommy's performance at the weekend. In both races he rode intelligently, not making a pass in the first race when it would have been risky and then playing himself carefully in the second, taking no chances, but working hard and taking yet another valuable podium.

"Yukio was very unlucky again. He'd made good progress on his set-up and looked good for some strong results. The plan is now is to see him back at Cadwell Park fit and rested. He's starting to lose touch with that vital sixth place in the championship but there's still plenty of opportunity to turn his season around. Now it's on to Cadwell Park and hopefully more of the same from Tommy and hopefully a change of luck for Yukio."

Team Manager Shaun Muir: "It was great for Stuart to have won the opening race for the Swan Honda team. He likes to lead from the front and we knew Tommy (Hill) was going to be strong and they were quite evenly paced so it was an impressive and controlled race from Stuart. In the second race it was obviously disappointing to have not finished, but we are now second in the championship and we are looking forward to building on that at the next round in three weeks' time at Cadwell Park."

Relentless Suzuki by TAS
Alastair Seeley - R1: 4th, R2: 6th
Michael Laverty - R1: 5th, R2: 1st

Team Principal Philip Neill: "After all the hard work our team has put in, it was a pretty emotional day for me. I have to say, Michael's win was probably one of the best rides I've ever seen - he really destroyed the field and was even comfortable putting in consistent quickest laps. It's a great reward and a boost of confidence for the whole team and proves just how great a bike the current GSX-R1000 really is. I must obviously give credit to Michael, who I have always believed in, and this will be a real confidence booster for him.

"Alastair may be disappointed at missing out on a race one podium, but the wee man just continues to blow us away with his talent, enthusiasm and self belief. Let's not forget it's only his second time out at Oulton Park on a Superbike and his comeback from mid pack to sixth was phenomenal in race two. It also shows where he has come from when he's disappointed not to be on the podium every weekend as a rookie.

"We really do have two genuine contenders this year, who are as good as anyone in the championship, and we are delighted to have helped Suzuki retain top spot in the manufacturers' standings; it's always good to do your bit."

HM Plant Honda
Ryuichi Kiyonari - R1: DNF, R2: 4th
Josh Brookes - R1: 6th, R2: 8th

Team Manager Havier Beltran: "It was a tough day for the team and it was disappointing for Josh and Kiyo that we didn't get the results we thought we could achieve. Both riders struggled; for Kiyo he got beaten up in both races whilst Josh really struggled with rear tyre deterioration in the second race. However we have learnt from the experiences we have had at the weekend and the whole team is now looking forward to our home race at Cadwell Park in a few weeks."

Buildbase Kawasaki
John Laverty - R1: 3rd, R2: 5th
Adam Jenkinson - R1: 13th, R2: 10th

Team Manager Stuart Hicken: "I was really nervous watching the race I have to be honest but as soon as I saw John appear over the crest I was literally jumping on the pit wall. It has been a long time coming for the team and it is well deserved for everyone involved. For John we knew he could do it as he has come close before, but it has really given us all a real boost and I think there is still more to come. We are now looking forward to trying again at Cadwell Park so we can aim for the top six come the Showdown."

MSS Colchester Kawasaki
Gary Mason - R1: 7th, R2: DNF
Chris Walker - R1: 8th, R2: 11th

Team Manager Nick Morgan: "That was a tough weekend for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team. I'm disappointed for Gary but he had a solid ride in race one. Chris was very workmanlike and we're happy with his results, given that it was his first time on the bike, so there were some positives but ultimately we need to do better as a team."

Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati
Michael Rutter - R1: DNF, R2: 2nd
Martin Jessopp - R1: 11th, R2: 12th

Team owner Phil Jessopp: "In all it was a pretty good weekend for the RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati team. Michael's experience showed as he finished a very strong second in race two in the most difficult of conditions and he's now only six points off fourth in the championship. Martin's weekend was trying with the crash and then the gearbox problem. His 12th place in the wet was a hard-earned result. He wasn't quite sure how hard to push in the rain. We could have done without the technical issues but we're still looking to get both our riders into the top six of the championship come the ninth round so they can go through to the final three-round title Showdown."

Team Principal Ian Woollacott: "I thought Tommy did a fantastic job for us at the weekend as the odds were stacked against us a little. A tenth following a ride-through penalty and seventh in the rain speaks volumes about how hard Tommy and the team are working. Hopefully all our bad luck is out of the way and we can show both Tommy's and the bike's true potential from now on."

Motorpoint Yamaha
Ian Lowry - R1: DNF, R2: DNF
Dan Linfoot - R1: 9th, R2: 14th

Team manager Rob McElnea said: "We are absolutely gutted with how the weekend ended after what was such a positive start. There is nothing more we can really do, but wait for some luck to come our way and it is about time it did that's for sure! For the first time this season we were back to our full strength with a two rider team and it just didn't work out for us. We have a young new addition in Ian, who we know can run the pace, but he just got caught out in the first race. He was being aggressive and was unlucky and the second race he was always going to be on the back foot as he had never ridden the bike in the wet. For Dan he finished both races to get some points on the board, but now we just need luck as we know what the bike, team and riders are capable of so hopefully it is on our side at Cadwell Park."

PR Racing Yamaha
Luke Jones - R1: DNS, R2: DNS

John Jameson said: "Obviously, we are all disappointed not to have raced, but the safety of Luke due to his arm pump and all the other riders on the track is our number one priority. Early next week, I will sit down with Luke and look at our options. I believe Luke has a natural talent and the team will be doing everything we can to get him back out on the bike, so he can show his true ability when riding the R1."

Bridewell bounces back

Quay Garage Honda's Tommy Bridewell is feeling positive with the progress the team have made so far this weekend at Oulton Park on his return to the championship following his practice crash at Thruxton.

After a good start in the opening free practice sessions he will start the opening race of the weekend from tenth on the grid after the Swan Combi Roll for Poll qualifying session yesterday. Having problems encountering slower traffic, Bridewell managed to make the cut in 18th place in the first part but better was to come in the second session whereby he took a brilliant fifth place to qualify for the final session. Bridewell couldn't repeat the heroics in that final session and ended up in tenth place.

Bridewell said: "As strange as it sounds, I'm happier with the third session qualifying times from yesterday as my lap times were more consistent and reflective of race pace as there's no way the riders in front can do those fast lap times all race long. I'm pleased with the set up and my finger isn't causing me too many problems so I'm feeling confident going into the races. The team has worked very hard to get here this weekend following the damage sustained at Thruxton so I'd like to say a huge thanks to them and hope to reward them with a couple of solid finishes."

Anthony back on top in Evo

Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo championship leader David Anthony was once again setting the pace in the class for the MIST Suzuki team after qualifying ahead of rival Hudson Kennaugh on the MAR Kawasaki.

Anthony set the pace, whilst Alex Lowes continues to impress on his first weekend with the Redline KTM team with a time that put him third fastest of the Evo contenders whilst Close Print Finance Honda's Craig Fitzpatrick was fourth fastest.

Aaron Zanotti put the Red Viper Spike Suzuki fifth of the Evo riders, whilst David Johnson managed to get back on track after some technical problems earlier in the weekend.

Anthony said: "The weekend has gone according to plan so far and the times are so close between us that it doesn't take much to lose out. Hudson Kennaugh has really been pushing hard, as have the other guys, but to be the fastest Evo rider in qualifying definitely bodes well for tomorrow. This has been really good for me and one of the highest positions I have been all weekend so we just hope we can maintain it tomorrow in the races."

Kennaugh said: "I was struggling a bit in qualifying and we were up to 13^th so I was happy enough, and then we had to get a fresh tyre which wasted us a bit of time but we managed to get back up there in the end. I have finished today feeling optimistic that we can be up there fighting tomorrow as I want to be back on the podium again for sure."

Lowes said: "I am pretty happy, but it was just unfortunate that I tipped off earlier in the day. I made a mistake in Q3 which was my own fault and that put us back a bit, but it has been a mega weekend for me so far and I am happy to have been given the opportunity. I think we have a good race pace though so I am feeling confident for tomorrow's races."

Fitzpatrick said: "I have been struggling this weekend with illness but we have come out and done what we need to do and to be in the top four in Evo is not as bad as it could be. We just need to see what happens tomorrow but I am going to do my best and hopefully we can get a result for the Close Print Finance Honda team."

Lowes tops Evo times on KTM debut at Oulton

Lowes tops Evo times on KTM debut

The Redline KTM team set the pace in the Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo class for the first time this season during the opening free practice sessions at Oulton Park, with Alex Lowes making his debut for the team to replace injured James Edmeades.

Lowes had been setting the pace in the Evo class throughout the second session from championship leader David Anthony on the MIST Suzuki, despite only riding the bike for the first time earlier today and believes there is still more to come tomorrow in qualifying.

Lowes said: "It is mega to make my British Superbike debut this weekend and being back on a 1000cc bike as I think they suit me more than the 600s. The whole team is great and we are really working well together and to start the first day as the fastest Evo bike is just awesome.

"The bike is working well and we have further improvements to make tomorrow as I get more time on track. I am targeting Q2 tomorrow in the Swan Combi Roll for Pole and think that we are in a strong position to achieve an Evo podium on raceday.

Painful Pembrey in store for Duncan

It will be a softly softly approach for Duncan Knox as he visits his local circuit, Pembrey, this weekend for the second round of the Triumph Triple Challenge.

Although he left the opening round at Oulton Park with maximum points in the TDG cup for riders aged 30+, the STP supported rider also departed the Cheshire circuit with some significant injuries following a heavy practise crash on his Triumoh Daytona 675.

“My broken hand makes it very difficult to grip the bars and my chest is still very sore where I broke my sternum cartilage”, says Duncan and as a result he is approaching the Welsh round with a philosophy of “damage limitation”.

“My aim is to be at the head of the TDG runners”, he explains, “but not necessarily the head of the field”. That comes as a disappointment for Duncan who says Pembrey is the circuit that he knows best but, with 75 points up for grabs over the weekend’s three races, points are more important than podium places.

“I will be happy”, he says, “if I can move on to the next round at Silverstone still heading the TDG Cup standings.”

Luke faces Oulton challenge

A number of MCE British Superbike riders will still be nursing the wounds sustained at an eventful second round when they arrive at Oulton Park for round 3 this weekend.

Among them will be STP supported rider Luke Jones who suffered a spectacular high side in the opening practise session at Thruxton. “The injury to my hand still means I am having trouble bending it”, explains the Hereford rider.

The Cheshire circuit has been a happy hunting ground for Luke in the past, he won a 125 race there in 2007, but he has so far managed just a handful of laps around there on a superbike during a damp pre-season test day.

Although he likes the flowing and undulating nature of the circuit, Luke feels it will be difficult to find the last half second necessary to be on terms with the frontrunners this weekend and he will be approaching the opening corner, Old Hall with caution. “I’ve crashed there a few times in the past!”

With the damage done to the PR racing Yamaha R1 and its rider at the previous round preventing any testing, Luke says a top 20 finish in each race would be a good result for him. “I’m still learning the bike and adapting my riding style to suit it”, he says, “and any championship points would be a real bonus.”

Meanwhile, Tommy Hill will be looking to extend an already significant 34 point championship lead on the Crescent Worx Suzuki while Aussie Josh Brookes will be keen to follow up his maiden BSB win at Thruxton with another strong showing on the HM Plant Honda.

There is no confirmation yet of who will replace James Ellison in the Swan Honda team as he recovers from the broken femur that he sustained at Thruxton but Chris Walker moves over to MSS Colchester Kawasaki for this round as Simon Andrews continues to recuperate from the foot injuries that he sustained in the WSB round at Valencia.

Sadly, Neil Hodgson has been forced to retire from racing after aggravating an existing shoulder injury in a crash at the Brands Hatch Championship opener. His place in the Motorpoint Yamaha team will be taken by Ian Lowry.

With practise and qualifying on Saturday and Sunday, Monday’s race programme will be shown live on British Eurosport from 12:30pm

Walker returns with MSS

Walker returns with Kawasaki

Fans favourite Chris Walker will be going green again this weekend at Oulton Park (1/2/3 May) when he joins the official factory backed MSS Colchester Kawasaki team to deputise for the injured Simon Andrews.

Walker joins the team this weekend to ride a Kawasaki in BSB for the first time since finishing runner-up in the 1999 title chase which was followed later by seasons in the World Superbike Championship, including Kawasaki's last WSB race win at Assen in 2006.

Walker has had a tough start to his season racing the privately-run CW Racing Suzuki whilst waiting for further news on a title sponsor, with the highlight of the opening two rounds being a ninth place finish in the first race of the season at Brands Hatch.

Walker said: "It has been a difficult start to the season for some teams with riders out injured and Nick Morgan and the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team were looking for someone to stand in for Simon and I was fortunate enough to get the call. I am still waiting on a sponsor for the Suzuki team that I have raced with in the first two rounds, so a chance to have a race on a factory bike is something that I couldn't refuse.

"I have some of my best memories with Kawasaki, from BSB and WSB, so it is a chance for me to try and repay the favour this weekend. I have always had a good relationship with Kawasaki so I want to go out there and do the best I can. I am looking forward to the challenge that's for sure."

Lowry back in BSB

Lowry back in BSB with Motorpoint Yamaha

The Motorpoint Yamaha team have confirmed today (Thursday) that Ian Lowry will replace Neil Hodgson after the former World and British champion took the difficult decision to retire from competitive racing.

Lowry's return follows his impressive rookie season last year in the championship when he finished fifth in the overall standings and was regularly getting close to podium finishes aboard the Relentless Suzuki. Lowry recently had a test on the Motorpoint Yamaha at Oulton Park and is now gearing up for the new challenge starting next weekend at the Cheshire circuit.

Lowry said: "It's a great shame for Neil, I followed him throughout his career and I am sure he is feeling pretty rubbish right now. I am sure he knows he has made the right decision and I hope he can come and help myself and Dan throughout the year. Rob called me a few weeks ago and asked if I could test the bike so I jumped on a plane and rode the bike at Oulton Park and really got on well. It's not the way you want to get a ride when a rider gets injured, but that's racing. For me I can't wait to get to Oulton Park next week and get stuck in!"

Team Manager Rob McElnea said: "We have been working closely with Neil since Brands Hatch and have known the injury was career threatening, to lose Neil like this has been tough to take as the whole team had been put together for Neil and Dan. The buzz around our team and sponsors has been great and the expectations of a great season were justified. As a team we all feel for Neil but he will be around with the team helping our riders and sponsors so he can't put his feet up just yet!

"For me I had to find a replacement fast and Ian Lowry being available is a real coup for us and the BSB Championship. He finished rookie of the year in the Superbike class of 2009 and at only 23 years will line up as one of the most exciting young talents on the grid. We managed to give him a run last week and will test Friday this week, he has a lot to learn in a short time but is very confident in himself and our bike."

Hodgson announces retirement

Motorpoint Yamaha's Neil Hodgson has taken the agonising decision to retire from competitive motorcycle racing after finally having to admit that his damaged shoulder will never be strong enough for him to compete at the elite level.

After many months of hard work trying to recover from horrific injuries sustained while training in the USA Hodgson was setting his sights on the BSB Championship but after an examination yesterday (Wednesday) in Manchester by a leading shoulder specialist, it became clear the amount of damage that has been done and also the time scale needed to recover.

The former BSB and World Superbike champion started the season as one of the title favourites with the Motorpoint Yamaha team following a successful winter test programme as he geared up for the challenge. However, a crash at the opening round aggravated the shoulder injury again and set back all the hard preparation. Hodgson has undergone tests and taken advice from several specialists over the past three weeks, but after yesterday's results he has had to make the difficult decision to retire from the sport.

Hodgson said: "To be honest I'm still pretty shell shocked from Brands Hatch. When you start the season you know you're going to have to take a few knocks but the very first time I slide off I landed straight on my shoulder! I knew it was bad as I have lived with it all last year and I understand the level of weakness and the recovery. I had more work to do but was really happy with the progress and riding the bike was the best therapy but also the biggest risk.

"I am obviously gutted; I had a plan to come back to the UK and have some fun with Rob and his team so it will take time for me to come to terms with this but it is the right decision. My shoulder will get back to probably 90% over the next couple of years so I will be able to have a normal life.

"For all my fans and all the supporters who have been with me over the years I want to thank you. I really am sorry I could not fulfil our plans this season for Rob, the team and all the sponsors, as everyone at Motorpoint and the team have been great and I hope to be part of their success this year."

Team Manager debriefs:Thruxton

Team Manager debriefs: Thruxton

The second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton produced another two sensational races, here some of the team managers reflect on the weekend's events:

Worx Crescent Suzuki
Tommy Hill - R1: 1st, R2: 2nd
Yukio Kagayama - R1: 3rd, R2: 11th

Team manager Jack Valentine: "It was a cracking weekend for the team. Tommy had a day like he did at Brands Hatch, putting in a great performance in the first race then playing the long game in the second, taking the points and building the championship lead. Yukio was right on it, to the point where I was getting nervous as he and Tommy started slugging it out! Yukio was looking good in the second race too, but tyre issues put him out quite early on. Tommy retaining and building on his championship lead was a great way to finish the weekend. But we're far from complacent - it's a long season and Tommy knows he can't afford to relax. Yukio has shown that he's got the pace and being just 15 points outside the top six he's still very much in the frame for being in the showdown at the year end."

Swan Honda
James Ellison - R1: DNS, R2: DNS
Stuart Easton - R1: 4th, R2: 3rd

Team Manager Shaun Muir: "At the end of the weekend we managed to salvage a reasonable position with Stuart finishing on the podium in the second race after what was a difficult and trying round for the whole team. Stuart really battled for his two positions today and he was struggling with grip so it was a good result for him, especially in race two from so far back on the grid. The whole focus is on him with James not racing so a fourth and a third place is moving in the right direction now after a wobbly start to the season after his crash. We are obviously bitterly disappointed about James' injury and we are still coming to terms with it. He has had his operation so we now have to wait and see how his condition progresses; this is the difficult part as it is just a waiting game for everyone."

Relentless Suzuki by TAS
Alastair Seeley - R1: 12th, R2: 9th
Michael Laverty - R1: 10th, R2: 6th

Team Principal Philip Neill: "It was a tough weekend for the whole team for a number of reasons, but we will take the positives from Thruxton. We didn't come away with the results we had hoped for after a strong start on Friday, with both boys posting top three times, but we scored solid points. Both riders started the weekend with a lot of confidence but their crashes during practice set them back a bit and we also had our fair share of little problems - not least an all night session for the boys to rebuild Michael's bike, after it's excursion over the infamous Thruxton kerbs. With flights cancelled Alastair also had a long drive to the circuit from Northern Ireland at the last minute, which isn't ideal preparation, but something that couldn't be avoided.

"Michael needs a lot of credit for his efforts. He rode around a chatter problem in race one due to an out of balance tyre, which in turn affected his grid position for race two. From the halfway point in the second outing he showed us just why he is regarded as one of the most talented riders in the championship, narrowly missing out on the podium. Alastair had a baptism of fire on his first Superbike ride at the circuit, but it is a daunting circuit for even the most experienced riders and bike set-up is very specific. Maybe we fell into the trap of trying to find the perfect set-up but we have learned from it. I'm glad Thruxton is over and we can now focus on Oulton Park in two weeks' time."

HM Plant Honda
Ryuichi Kiyonari - R1: 9th, R2: 4th
Josh Brookes - R1: 2nd, R2: 1st

Team Manager Havier Beltran: "We were pleased to have finished on the top step of the podium twice with Josh and Steve winning a race each. For Josh he is ecstatic to take the BSB win and for the team we are pleased to be celebrating a victory for the first time in 18 months. He knew he had the pace and it has come together for him so he is now feeling very confident. For Kiyo it was a challenging weekend and there are areas we need to improve to make him feel more comfortable as he lost some confidence at the start of the weekend in the front of the bike, but we saw him really show fighting spirit in the second race. It was unfortunate that we lost some time, especially during qualifying where we could have possibly made further progress. We made some changes between the races and we saw a real change in Kiyo and a fourth place gave him some good points after a difficult start."

MSS Colchester Kawasaki
Gary Mason - R1: 8th, R2: 10^th
Howie Mainwaring - R1: 8th, R2: DNF

Team Manager Nick Morgan: "It feels like the season has really started now after the disappointment of Brands Hatch. We were off the pace at Brands Hatch but now we've made massive progression. Although Gary's positions weren't earth-shattering, his lap times throughout the weekend were right on the pace. We had Phil Borley on loan from the World Superbike team and he gave us great direction with the data and we've got good mileage. Howie was fantastic in Superstock and rode a really mature race. He worked hard and impressed the team in Superbike qualifying but was unlucky to be taken out. For now it's back to the workshop and build on this performance for Oulton Park."

Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati
Michael Rutter - R1: 5th, R2: 7th
Martin Jessopp - R1: 6th, R2: 5th

Team owner Phil Jessopp: "The weekend was really good for us. We had a few technical issues in practice but the team worked well to overcome them and I'm delighted with the results. Martin rode well to mix it with Easton and Kiyonari and was unlucky not to get a podium finish. Michael also rode well, especially with that fifth place in the first race. He was right with the leading quartet until his rear tyre lost grip. And now we're looking forward to Oulton where the Ducati really will come into its own."

Team manager Rob McElnea said: "That was a pretty tough weekend. We knew as soon as Hodgy was not going to make it that Dan would find it tough on his own. It's not easy trying to set up the bike on your own with his limited experience on a Superbike so without a team-mate is tough, add in Thruxton the fastest track in Europe and it was never going to be easy. We all thought he would settle into Thruxton better with his style and that the Yamaha would suit the track, but it did not gel for us at all. We have to move on and not dwell on this as we know he has the ability, we just need to get all the team back to full strength."

Buildbase Kawasaki
John Laverty - R1: 7th, R2: 8th
Adam Jenkinson - R1: DNS, R2: DNS

Team Manager Stuart Hicken: ''Well that was a weekend of ups and downs for us quite literally. Unfortunately Adam had a huge crash in qualifying one which ended his race weekend and gives us plenty of work to do before the next round. Luckily Adam is ok apart from minor bruising so he'll be back for his home race at Oulton Park. John really pushed on during the weekend, with an excellent qualifying and two good solid finishes. We now have to keep consistent and push to make the top six. We've got the bike working well now and were hopeful of two more good results at Oulton Park."

Team owner Robin Croft said: "It was most definitely a case of good practice, bad race day for us last weekend and literally nothing went right! Christian's qualifying position was simply sensational and he just kept reducing his times in each session, taking off over a second each time he went out. He'd never been to the circuit before and he's got so much to learn regarding how to ride a Superbike and it's easy to overlook those facts but to qualify ninth, ahead of so top riders was brilliant and we were all ecstatic on Saturday evening.

"In the race Christian was running inside the points and putting together a strong ride when he got shunted off track and it left the bike with all kinds of damage including a broken subframe, a broken footpeg and a broken hugger. It dropped him down to 25th but he fought back up to 17th which shows his fighting spirit and was no mean effort. Due to the lap times in the first race, he lined up in 16th on the grid for the second race, rather than in ninth, but he again showed his riding capabilities running comfortably in the points although he showed his inexperience when it comes to race craft and there was a lot of stuff going on out there that he's not familiar with and he simply lost the front end going in to the chicane.

"For all our effort and achievement of Friday and Saturday, we certainly were not rewarded in the way we felt we should and we all feel a bit hard done by but that's racing. Christian is making progress all the time and it's our home round next so we're all confident of making further strides forward and getting back in the points there."

Evo anecdotes from Thruxton

The Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo Championship had a change of championship leader at the second round at Thruxton as David Anthony and MIST Suzuki scored their first winning double of the season. Here some of his rivals reflect on their weekend whilst we get the lowdown on the latest Evo standings.

MAR Kawasaki
Hudson Kennaugh: R1-DNF, R2 - 3rd
Championship position: 2nd

"It was two tough races for me at the weekend as we had a few engine problems that put us at a bit of a disadvantage but we were able to bounce back and finish on the podium in race two so we managed to get some good points for the championship there. I now know that we just need to get to the next round at Oulton Park in two weeks' time and really fight for the victories so we can make amends for missing out in the first race here."

Splitlath Motorsport Aprilia
Chris Burns: R1 - 5th, R2 - 6th
Championship position: 3rd

"It was a very hard round and in the end we had to go out and use it as damage limitation. The wrist was troubling me all weekend and we've still got a bit of work to do on the bike, so I was never going to be in a position to knock in fast laps. It was more about keeping going and trying to get some points. I am now going to Belgium to see Dr Claes about my wrist as we realised it was the only thing we could do to try and get fit enough to be really competitive at Oulton Park in a fortnight. I don't know how I'll get on, but I'm desperate to be ready for then. I'd like to thank John Dimbylow and the guys at Splitlath for everything they've done so far, and hopefully I can come back fit and give them something to really cheer about at Oulton on Bank Holiday Monday."

Magic Bullet Two Wheel Tuning Suzuki
David Johnson: R1 - 4th, R2 - 5th
Championship position: 5^th

"I got a wicked start and got away with the pack but unfortunately Hudson Kennaugh had a moment in front of me which let the top three get away. I tried to pull it back but I just couldn't bridge the gap. Race two I felt good and was sure I was on for a podium but Kennaugh made a last ditch last corner effort which left me nowhere to go. If I had tried to stop him we both would have gone down. My bike is still pretty standard but by Oulton Park we will have the new engine and forks which will put us on a level playing field and I know can start challenging for some wins. I'd like to thank Welsh Martyn and Big Ban Bill as they worked really hard for me at the weekend."

"The weekend went really well for us. The first race was really great fun and I got off to a good start but it could have been anyone's race as it was just so close and there was so little between the Evo riders. It was a great race to be in and I really enjoyed having a good scrap; the first podium of the year was in the first race we finished in so that was positive for the AIM Suzuki team. We then made some slight changes in the second race and it made us faster so another few fights on track and we were back on the podium again. Full credit has to go to all the boys for their hard work as I wouldn't have been back in the top three without them."

Close Print Finance Honda
Craig Fitzpatrick: R1 - 3rd, R2 - DNF
Championship position: 8th

"I was really happy with how things had gone all weekend up until the end of race two; the Close Print Finance Honda team worked really well and we have made some significant progress. I am starting to get on much better with the new bike and I think we have shown how competitive the package is. Race one was a good battle with four or five of us fighting for the win and I thought I could grab the victory coming into the final corner, but everyone was pushing so hard. They all ran a bit deep in the right-hander and I thought I could out-drag them to the line. When I opened the throttle the rear tyre was just spinning. I was frustrated about the crash in race two as it wasn't my own doing. I was catching David Anthony and thought I could pass him before the end of the race, it's a shame because it has cost us at least 20 points, but we just have to move on to Oulton Park in two weeks and make up for it then."

PR Racing report on Thruxton

After a good start to the BSB season, PR Racing rider Luke Jones was keen to continue his run of good fortune around the fastest track on the BSB calendar, and one of Luke’s favourite circuits, at Thruxton in Hampshire for Round Two of the BSB Championship.

An early error by Jones in Friday’s first BSB free practice session of the day saw the 21 year old hit the tarmac at over 130 mph, completely destroying his R1 machine and damaging his left hand. Under the new One Bike Rule, Luke was unable to have a replacement machine, so missed out on the second free practice of the day. The team had to work throughout the remainder of the day rebuilding the YZF R1 ready for Saturday's Free Practice 3 and qualifying sessions.

Friday’s high speed crash left a large hole in one glove and hand, plus it completely destroyed Luke’s leathers. Due to the ban on air flights this meant his new PR outfit was still sitting on a runway awaiting shipment. Squeezing into an old set, Jones was soon suffering circulation problems in his forearms, which added to his arm pump from Round One and compounded by his hand injury, hampered his ability to muscle the 200 bhp R1 around this unforgiving circuit.

Saturday saw Luke complete only five laps in Free Practice 3, but the gutsy PR rider was out again that afternoon and managed to qualify in P24 for Race One in a time of 1:17.624 with an average speed of 109.26 mph around the 2.35 mile circuit.

Race One saw Luke’s bad fortunes of the weekend continue. During lap 7, the front end of his machine folded sending him crashing to the floor for a second time that weekend, but the BSB rookie still managed to lap 19th fastest, therefore, starting from the fifth row of the grid for race two. Throughout Race Two, Luke struggled with arm pump on this demanding track but managed to stay out of trouble and brought his bike home in P21.

After a difficult weekend Luke commented. “This round has been a real test. After the crash on Friday, which was a result of being out of position whilst still trying to maintain cornering speed just before the complex (turn two), I wanted to reward the team by adding to our championship tally. I would like to thank all the guys back at the garage for an excellent job getting the bike ready for qualifying, as I completely destroyed the bike, I even managed to total the fuel tank.”

When asked about the afternoon of racing he said, “I can’t explain the crash in race one, the front just slipped away low siding during lap 7. At the start of Race Two I was ruffed up for most of the first half of lap one, it seemed everybody was banging into each other and I kept backing off to avoid the guys in front. Thruxton is the most demanding circuit but I have learnt so much about how the bike handles. I now need to rest my arms and get ready for our local circuit at Oulton Park.”

Luke Takes a Tumble at Thruxton

Thruxton produced more than its share of spills in practise and qualifying for round 2 of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. Unfortunately, among those to come to grief was STP backed rider Luke Jones.

The young Hereford rider suffered a major high-side on the run from Allards to the Complex during Friday’s opening practise session. Luke’s only legacy from a spectacular incident was a numb hand but his PR Racing Yamaha R1 didn’t fare so well and a major rebuild meant kept Luke off the track for the rest of the day.

“That left us playing catch up for the rest of the weekend”, explains Luke “and although we got faster in each session on Saturday so did the rest of the field. The red flags came out three times during qualifying as well and I struggled to get a clean lap in.”

The result was a slightly disappointing 24^th place in qualifying. Luke’s problems however were less serious than those of Tommy Bridewell. The Quay Garage Honda rider had the little finger of his right hand amputated after crashing at Club Chicane on Friday.

The following day saw championship frontrunner James Ellison sidelined for several weeks with a broken femur after he crashed his Swan Honda at Goodwood, one of the fastest points on the Thruxton circuit. Tommy Hill and Michael Laverty also had high speed crashes but both emerged with just cuts and bruises.

The early stages of Sunday’s opening race saw Luke battling it out with a group of riders for 20^th position but eventually he managed to break away from that pack and begin to close on another group of 5 riders ahead. His progress came to an abrupt halt on lap 8 however when the front end of the Yamaha broke away as he came into the Complex.

Victory in the race went to the Worx Crescent Suzuki of Tommy Hill ahead of Josh Brookes on the HM Plant Honda and Hill’s team-mate Yukio Kagayama.

Luke’s best lap in the opening race was enough to earn him 19^th place on the grid for race 2. By his own admission, however, he made a poor start which saw him slip back. He managed to make up some of the lost ground but quickly hit problems maintaining his pace. “I had bad arm pump right from the lights and when the tyres went away later in the race it was all I could do to hold on to the bike.” As a result he slipped down the order once gain to eventually finish in 21^st place.

Meanwhile, Josh Brookes became the first Australian to win a BSB round since Troy Bayliss in 1999 with Tommy Hill and Swan Honda’s Stuart Easton taking the other podium places.

The damage to Luke’s bike means there will be no opportunities for testing before the next championship round at Oulton Park on May 1^st to 3^rd. Nevertheless he is hopeful he can regain the impressive form he showed at Brands Hatch for the opening round which prompted Motorcycle News to profile him as a “BSB rider to watch.”

Duncan Bounces Back at Oulton

Duncan Knox came back from a heavy crash in qualifying to take maximum championship points in the opening round of the Triumph Triple Challenge at Oulton Park.

With this year’s championship boasting one of its strongest entries to date, Duncan got off to a flying start, topping the times for the first 10 minutes of the opening 15 minute qualifying session. By the end of the session the STP supported rider still lay in joint 3^rd place, less than a tenth of a second behind the provisional pole position man and heading the TDG Cup field, for riders aged 30+, by more than 3 seconds.

Duncan is very much a one man team so by the time he had changed tyres it was getting close to the start of the second qualifying session when he was able to get the tyre warmers on. His aim was to do a few steady laps, keep his place on the front row of the grid and save the tyres for the race. After a couple of steady laps to get heat into the tyres he began to pick up the pace in readiness for a flying lap. Unfortunately, he lost the front end going into Cascades, bringing out the red flags in the process.

Despite sustaining a suspected broken right hand, broken sternum cartilage, neck muscle damage and a partially dislocated shoulder, his main concern was that not posting a time in the session resulted in him slipping to 7^th place on the grid for race one.

The Hereford rider had to ice his right hand just to get his glove on in readiness for the race and his other injuries meant he couldn’t lie on the tank or move about the bike and he would struggle to control the clutch. He opted for a cautious start to avoid any first corner melee but was soon able to settle into a rhythm only for the red flags to come out after two laps. From the restart, Duncan suffered severe pain each time he braked heavily but still managed to maintain a reasonable pace, albeit 3 seconds off his best qualifying lap. Nevertheless, he managed to come home second among the TDG Cup runners and 8^th overall. With the top TDG cup rider being a wild card that meant maximum championship points for Duncan.

By race two Duncan’s hand was badly swollen and he was only just able to get his glove on. Still, however, he slotted into second place among the TDG Cup contenders once again. He opted to pace himself, watching his pit board which showed his advantage over his nearest championship rival diminish until the red flags came out once again on lap 7 and a result was declared. Post race the wild card rider who lead the TDG cup riders home was disqualified for not using control tyres. That elevated Duncan to the top step of the podium and secured maximum points for him once again.

After the race Duncan reflected on what he described as a “mixed weekend”, commenting, “I was pleasantly surprised to qualify 3^rd in first session and showed I have the pace to run with the front runners this year including ex British Superstock 600 riders. The crash in the 2^nd Qualifying session left me with injuries at the start of the season. However, I still came away with maximum points in the TDG cup and look forward to running with the front runners once back to full health.”

Duncan and the rest of the Triumph Triple Challenge contenders will be back in action on May 1^st/2^nd when the championship visits Pembrey Race Circuit in Wales.

Seeley sets his sights on the front row

Relentless Suzuki's Alastair Seeley has his sights firmly set on a front row start following this afternoon's Swan Roll for Pole shootout after finishing sixth in the final free practice session this morning.

Seeley has been on the pace throughout free practice and is determined to make it two consecutive front row starts for the Relentless Suzuki team, but believes there are a few adjustments that still need to be made before the knockout session.

Seeley said: "It has been a good few practice sessions for us and we have been chipping away steadily like we did at Brands Hatch and we haven't been outside the top six. I think we have a good set up for the Relentless Suzuki for the race and I have been doing some longer stints and it hasn't been a problem. We have a few minor changes I want to make before qualifying and then hopefully we can put her back on the front row."

Tommy ruled out of Thruxton

Bridewell ruled out of Thruxton

Quay Garage Honda's Tommy Bridewell will miss this weekend's second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship following his crash in free practice yesterday.

Bridewell had set tenth fastest time in the opening free practice session but in the second session yesterday afternoon, he crashed out at the Club chicane. After being treated by medics at the circuit, Bridewell was transferred to Salisbury Hospital where he underwent surgery on his damaged little finger on his right hand but he hopes to be back in action at round three of the series at Oulton Park.

Marcus Bridewell said: "He'd lost a little bit of time in the early part of the session and was anxious to put in some fast laps but he touched the kerb on the entry into the corner and crashed out and his hand was trapped underneath the handlebar. Although he walked away from the accident he soon realised there was a problem and once he'd been assessed by the medical team at the circuit, he was transferred to hospital where they amputated the finger late last night. The surgeon told him he might be out of action for a while, but he fully expects to be back at Oulton Park. He has to go back on Thursday to get it checked out again but providing all is OK and the bike can be repaired, we will be at the next round."

Luke jones qualifies 24th for race one at Thruxton

Luke was back onboard the PR Racing R1 today despite being sore from his crash yesterday.He went quicker in free practice 3 and went on to qualify 24th for tommorows race 1 with a time of 1:17.624 .Pole was set by Tommy hill followed by a hard charging Michael Rutter and Stuart Easton.

Hodgson sidelined for Thruxton

Motorpoint Yamaha's Neil Hodgson has been forced to miss this weekend's round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton as he continues his recovery from his crash at Brands Hatch.

Hodgson crashed heavily during the morning warm up session at the opening round and suffered a heavy impact to his shoulder, which he had already badly injured during a training crash the previous year. He has taken advice from his specialist to give the injury more time to heal so will watch from the sidelines this weekend.

Hodgson said: "I am totally gutted. When you start the year you know you're probably going to have to take a few knocks and need a little luck to keep fit, but to crash and land directly on my bad shoulder is so frustrating. I was not a hundred percent strong as the damage was pretty severe the first time round, but I had made great improvements and riding was the best therapy. We wanted to get through Brands Hatch and build on that so I am very disappointed for Rob (McElnea), the team and all our supporters as everyone has put so much into this year. Now all I can do is keep working on my fitness and try and get back as soon as possible."

Team Manager Rob McElnea said: "I feel sorry for Neil as he put so much into the winter build up. His testing went well and his fitness was nearly there. He has had a pretty tough time recovering from his accident last season, but threw himself into the physio treatment and gym work. We knew he was not quite there yet but were sure after a couple of rounds he would be closer to full fitness. This is bad news for our team; we have all the tools for the job this year apart from luck! Let's hope he can make a full recovery sooner rather than later."

Brogan & BMW move to Superbike Championship class for Thruxton

Brogan and BMW move to Superbike Championship class for Thruxton

Steve Brogan will race the Jentin Racing-BMW Motorrad S1000RR in the main MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this weekend at Thruxton.

The team were granted dispensation for Brands Hatch only by MCRCB due to technical issues involving compatibility between the Motec official series ECU and the BMW drive by wire system.

With a race against time between Brands Hatch and Thruxton, the team, working closely with Motec have conceded that the S1000RR will not be able to comply with the EVO technical specification (use of series ECU) and will therefore be eligible only for main championship points this weekend.

Brogan said: "I am absolutely stoked to be in the main championship this weekend, it is going to be a challenge but I am definitely up for it. Although I am on a standard BMW, I think the S1000RR won't be too far away to get me back in the top ten again. That is my aim as that is what we managed at Brands Hatch and despite not competing in the Evo class this weekend I still need to beat them. I know that we have the potential to do well here as most of the time the pack all bunch together and it is about slipstreaming so I just need to keep my head down and achieve as much as we can here. It is going to be important to have a strong qualifying and then get a good start to get away in the leading bunch and then just go for it."

BSB Series Director, Stuart Higgs said: "The rule break was only ever granted by MCRCB for round one of the championship, and going forward it would not have been in the overall interests of the EVO project to keep rolling over dispensation. We've had a very positive session today with Motec, Bernie Toleman of Jentin and Steve Brogan with a fixed schedule planned to get the BMW S1000RR fully compliant to EVO specification and on track in advance of the Oulton Park round. The Jentin BMW team came together quite late and Bernie Toleman has done a great job pulling it together and I hope Steve can deliver a strong set of results this weekend."

Luke Jones crashes out of free practice 1

Luke Jones unfortunately crashed after setting his fastest lap of the practice session .The Thruxton circuit in Hampshire is one of the fastest in the calender and Luke had never previously raced a 1000cc bike here.His off has meant that he will miss the second practice session today as he has been ruled unfit to rided by the medical team.PR racing are working frantically to get the Yamaha R1 back together in the hope that Luke will be fit to race tommorow for the 3rd free practice session and qualifying.

Mainwaring replaces Andrews at Thruxton

Mainwaring in for Andrews at MSS Colchester Kawasaki

Howie Mainwaring will step in for the injured Simon Andrews this weekend for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team at Thruxton, doubling up alongside his Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship commitments.

Mainwaring finished second in the opening National Superstock 1000 race of the season at Brands Hatch and is excited about the prospect of riding the full factory Superbike for this round whilst Andrews recovers from a broken heel and bone in his left foot after a crash at the World Superbike Championship event at Valencia last weekend.

Mainwaring told the BSB website: "It is a shame for Simon and we all hope he is back soon, but for me I am currently peaking. I am really excited about getting the chance to ride the full factory Superbike; I am on the limiter at the moment! It is going to be a busy weekend for me, riding in the Superbike and Superstock classes but I am looking forward to it. The Superbike is going to be a challenge and a big learning curve for me but there is no pressure and I am going to ease myself in during free practice and go from there. As far as I am concerned I just want to go out and ride and do the best I can for the team for giving me the chance."

Luke Jones Races at Thruxton this Weekend

After an impressive points scoring BSB debut at Brands Hatch, Luke Jones moves on to one of the fastest circuits on the championship calendar this weekend.

Thruxton in Hampshire is renowned for its series of high speed curves and high speed Hanger Straight but also includes the equally challenging Club Chicane and Complex of Cambell, Cobb and Segrave corners.

It’s a challenge that the young STP supported rider relishes, however. “Thruxton is my favourite circuit”, says Luke “I love the long fast corners.” And the PR Racing Yamaha R1 rider is clear on his ambition for the weekend, “Finishing in the points at Brands Hatch exceeded hope for my first superbike ride. But having done it once, I want to be in the points again.”

Suzuki rider Tommy Hill currently leads the championship standings but Swan Honda’s James Ellison is keen to close the four point gap that separates the two riders. Hill’s team-mate Yukio Kagayama, meanwhile, is looking to make up some of the ground that he lost with a high speed crash at Brands.

Relentless Suzuki duo Alistair Seeley and Michael Laverty will also be keen to put in strong performances while Michael Rutter will be looking for a top placing on his Ducati at a circuit that seems to suit the road racing maestro.

Likely to be missing from the grid is Simon Andrews. The MSS Kawasaki rider broke bones in his left foot after an horrific looking crash in the second race of last weekend’s WSB round at Valencia.

The Thruxton British Superbike round takes place from April 16^th to 18^th with Sunday’s race programme live on British Eurosport. Watch out for Luke Jones on bike number 68.

Duncan Knox starts Triumph Triple Challenge Campaign

In 2010 the Triumph Triple Challenge will increase its association with the MCE British Superbike Championship with five out of nine rounds of this unique and challenging series hosted on the national stage. As well as providing an exciting addition for fans of BSB the Triumph Triple Challenge (TTC) is a fantastic opportunity for new and established racers to compete on a high profile, televised, stage.

The Triumph Triple Challenge is a one-make series with competitors using a race-prepared Daytona 675. To promote close, exciting racing each bike is prepped to exactly the same specification, with riders able to adjust the performance suspension settings to suit their individual style. As the TTC attracts both novice and more established riders there are three distinct competitions within the Championship to accommodate different age groups and levels of experience.

The Triumph Triple Challenge has been welcomed to the BSB paddock by series organisers MSVR. Stuart Higgs, BSB Series Director said: “The Triumph Triple Challenge provides a unique grid of great looking and importantly, great sounding bikes and a very cost effective platform for riders to make the breakthrough from senior club to national level. The new series structure and calendar comprising nine different circuit configurations makes it stand head and shoulders above any other equivalent series.”

The Championship is managed by T3 Racing who supply unrivalled trackside parts support, technical assistance and maintain close controls on eligibility. Full support from Triumph UK and MSVR guarantees the Triumph Triple Challenge maintains the highest levels of presentation. This gives you the ideal platform from which to entertain and motivate your existing and potential sponsors.

The Triumph Triple Challenge gets underway this weekend with STP supported rider Duncan Knox among the favourites for championship honours.

The Challenge is a one-make series with competitors using a race-prepared Triumph Daytona 675. To promote close, exciting racing each bike is prepped to exactly the same specification, with riders able to adjust the performance suspension settings to suit their individual style. As the TTC attracts both novice and more established riders there are three distinct competitions within the Championship to accommodate different age groups and levels of experience.

Duncan will be competing in the TDG Cup open to riders aged 30+. The self employed builder from Hereford finished 2^nd in the Cup last year but is anticipating greater competition this year. Five of the nine rounds will be at BCE British Superbike Championship meetings and the Challenge is now recognised as the leading one make bike racing series in Britain.

“The 2010 series will see a former top 3 British Superstock 600 rider and a winning TTC rider competing along with 5 returning riders who competed in the Young Guns Cup in 2009”, Duncan points out.

But he is happy with his preparations for the championship so far, “Pre season testing has gone well. I've managed to find a good base suspension set up with help from HM Racing and, although running on scrub tyres, I've found the same pace and times I finished on last year. During pre-season testing I raced with NGRRC and Wirral 100 to find some race pace.

“Despite high siding in the wet during qualifying at Brands Hatch and starting from the back of the grid, I finished 5th in the Sound of Thunder race behind TAG Centurion riders. I finished 2nd at Oulton Park at the Wirral 100 meet, dropping into the mid 1.47's, which I'm happy to take into the first round.”

Oulton Park is the venue for the opening TTC round with practise and qualifying on Friday before two races on Saturday. Duncan says he is looking forward to racing at what he regards as both a technical and physical circuit. “My main aim is to have a good qualifying and get away with the front runners during the race, put in some consistent lap times and score some points for the TDG Championship. Although some of the more experienced Young Gun riders will be pushing hard at the front, I'm hoping to be one of the front TDG Cup runners.”

If you can’t make it to the classic Cheshire circuit we will be carrying a full report on Duncan’s exploits next week.

PR Racing report on Brands

New rules, new line-up and a new session greeted Brands Hatch this Easter Bank Holiday weekend. With the new Evolution class running in the main BSB Championship, over 33 superbikes lined up for 30 laps around the 1.2 mile Kent circuit for the first BSB outing of the 2010 calendar.

PR Racing rider and BSB rookie, Luke Jones made a good start to both of the day’s races. The former 125 champion held his own on the tarmac as he battled with seasoned veterans around the fast turns of Paddock Hill Bend and Clearways.

Race One, lap 11 saw Jones lose four places and a points' scoring position, as an accidental red flag was shown for two seconds at Paddock Hill bend due to the Suzuki engine of Michael Laverty giving way, but a flawless performance from the young rider from Herefordshire in his debut in Superbikes saw him finish in 17th place just outside the points.

Race Two saw the new grid rules take effect, which found Luke starting from P20 in a strong 34 grid line up. Another good start from Luke in race two saw him mid-pack early on. After a couple of laps of settling in, then being constantly hard pressed, he answered the pressure and held his own to cross the finish line an excellent 12th place, and more importantly gaining four championship points.

After the second race Luke commented, ”This weekend has been one of the steepest learning curves in my life. Not only have I had to learn how to ride a superbike, but I have suffered with ‘arm-pump’, as well as dealing with one of the biggest blisters on my left hand I have ever seen. The whole weekend has been fantastic, I have not stopped smiling from the time we unloaded the truck on Thursday until the end of the second race.”

On the race result he added. “I came here with a game plan, which was to learn the bike and gather as much data as possible. To have qualified in the top 20 and then finish 17th and 12th was something I did not imagine from my first ever outing. I would like to thank the team for all their support and hard work on putting together such a great bike.”

On this weekend’s performance John Jameson, team principal added,” Due to receiving parts late for the bike we have not had the development time the team would have liked leading up to the first meeting. However, from the start of this weekend, Luke has shown great potential, particularly when running in the wet during free practice, where he finished in the top 10 for both sessions and was running P2 for most of the first session. We are very pleased with Luke’s attitude and professionalism. I believe Luke has the right pedigree to be a star in the future.”

Team Manager debriefs:

Team Manager debriefs: Brands Hatch Indy

The opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch produced two incident-packed races on the Indy circuit, here some of the team managers reflect on the weekend's events:

Worx Crescent Suzuki
Tommy Hill - R1: 1st, R2: 2nd
Yukio Kagayama - R1: 12th, R2: DNF

Team manager Jack Valentine: "Tommy showed our true potential at the weekend. We put in a lot of hard work into pre-season testing, very hard work as we had a lot of new equipment to test and we struggled with the weather. But that hard work paid off with Tommy netting two fantastic results. Yukio was extremely unlucky, firstly in that first race and then again when he high-sided in the second - he was looking good for a fifth or even a fourth place finish. I've no doubt Yukio has the potential to be there with Tommy. So we're looking forward to Thruxton and building on our championship lead."

Swan Honda
James Ellison - R1: 3rd, R2: 1st
Stuart Easton - R1: 6th, R2: 5th

Team Manager Shaun Muir: "I'm absolutely delighted with the performances of both my riders for different reasons. Stuart was fantastic; riding through the pain barrier and it has been quite a psychological week for him, but his consistency has paid off. James was great in the first race to come through from tenth on the grid to finish third and then to start second and win was a testament to his desire to win the championship. We wanted to get some good points on the board at Brands Hatch and we have done just that, so we left happy and now look forward to Thruxton."

Relentless Suzuki by TAS
Alastair Seeley - R1: 4th, R2: 3rd
Michael Laverty - R1: DNF, R2: 4th

Team Principal Philip Neill: "All the hard work over the winter from the team and the riders is already paying off. Yesterday is an early repayment to our sponsors Suzuki and Relentless and all our other loyal backers, but we will not get carried away. To score a podium finish at the start of our third season in the premier BSB class is very satisfying. However, now we have ticked that box our next goal must be the top-step of the podium. We are operating with two highly-motivated riders this season. With Alastair, we never really knew how long it would take for him to make the transition to Superbike. His quiet confident manner is hard to read at times but I think yesterday is a sign of what's to come from him.

"Michael Laverty was equally-impressive and how he conducted himself during and after the problems he encountered, demonstrates his level of professionalism. After the race one disappointment, his result in race two was phenomenal; especially running some untried settings. It was also especially-pleasing to see both bikes running P3 and P4 on track together in race two, as that's the sort of thing that makes it all worthwhile. It's onwards and upwards now."

HM Plant Honda
Ryuichi Kiyonari - R1: 2nd, R2: DNF
Josh Brookes - R1: 5th, R2: DNF

Team Manager Havier Beltran: "In the first BSB race, it was a great result for Kiyo to start the season with a podium and hold the lead for the majority of the race, although he was disappointed not to win. Josh was obviously frustrated with fifth as he was aiming for more, but it doesn't always go according to plan. For race two we knew that both riders had a good race pace to challenge for podium but it was just unfortunate that Kiyo had an ignition problem and Josh crashed whilst pushing hard for a podium finish. The team is now looking forward to Thruxton."

Motorpoint Yamaha
Neil Hodgson - R1: DNS, R2: DNS
Dan Linfoot - R1: 8th, R2: DNF

Team Manager Rob McElnea: "This is a long championship and we will use the weekend as character building! For Neil it was painful, for Dan it was frustrating and for me expensive! We came away with some real positives, Dan's pace is good enough for a front row and a podium result if we can get him chilled out and Neil made some promising steps forward before his crash. Brands Hatch Indy is probably the toughest track to start the series with its 46 second lap demanding 110% commitment and confidence; we will lick our wounds and be back stronger in two weeks."

MSS Colchester Kawasaki
Simon Andrews - R1: DNF, R2: 8th
Gary Mason - R1: 13th, R2: DNF

Team Manager Nick Morgan: "We started this weekend so strongly and yet had so many difficulties; it's quite hard to take. We've got to put this behind us and move on to Thruxton which is a totally different type of circuit."

Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati
Michael Rutter - R1: 7th, R2: 6th
Martin Jessopp - R1: 11th, R2: 9th

Team owner Phil Jessopp: "I'm really pleased with our performance at Brands Hatch. It's a good solid start to the season and something we can build on. Michael rode well and deserved his top six finish in race two. Martin needs to get the bike off the line better, but I think everyone in the team was delighted with the way he dug deep to battle his way through the pack. We're looking forward to Thruxton now as our Ducati v-twins are well suited to the fast, bumpy circuit."

Team owner Ian Woollacott: "Although we didn't wrap up any points I think it's fair to say that Tommy has been an absolute star and that our bike is very competitive. The fact that we are running on a fraction of what the other top teams are spending just shows how good the package is and I'd like to thank Tommy for doing a great job for us and also to John and James Buckingham who are as much responsible for this as anyone. Roll on Thruxton and hopefully we can have another good performance and stick the bike in amongst the front runners again."

Buildbase Kawasaki
John Laverty - R1: 10th, R2: 7th
Adam Jenkinson - R1: 16th, R2: 11th

Team Manager Stuart Hicken: ''Well what a weekend! The technicians all worked there socks off, a 36-hour shift working all through Sunday night put us to the test, but the lads did a great job. Seven starts from seven finishes gives us a great base to build from. John, Adam, Lee, Barry and Joel all rode well and battled hard and were looking forward to Thruxton."

Team Manager Robin Croft: "We were all a little bit disappointed after the first race but the crash was simply one of those things and could have happened to anyone. We were looking to move forward in the race and get as close to the points as we could. In race two he started to put in some extremely consistent times and with all the carnage that was going on, he rode sensibly and cleanly which ultimately paid dividends. The race came to us after a good dice with Luke Jones and we were all delighted Christian came home in 13th. To qualify inside the top 20 and claim his first ever BSB points at his first attempt is no mean feat by Christian so we're all very pleased with the way the weekend has finished. The whole team and everyone at sorrymate.com are delighted with his riding and we can now look forward to Thruxton in a confident mood."

Team manager Bernie Toleman: "I'm very proud of what the whole team has managed to achieve. Considering we had so little time to put everything together the whole package performed extremely well. The S1000 RR has proved it is a competitive package in stock trim and the riders have been full of praise for the bike. Both Steve and Richard showed at Brands Hatch that they have the pace to fight for the title in their respective championships."

Hodgson crashes out in morning warm up

Hodgson to battle pain of warm up crash

Neil Hodgson is going to battle through the pain barrier in the opening races for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this afternoon after a heavy crash during morning warm up.

The Motorpoint Yamaha rider high-sided out of Graham Hill Bend, falling on his left shoulder which he had previously injured in a motocross accident last year. The team are now working hard in the garage to rebuild the bike ahead of the opening race of the day.

Hodgson told the BSB website: "It definitely wasn't the way I wanted to start the day that's for sure. I just high-sided on the exit of Graham Hill Bend and down I went. I had done an out lap and I went to gun it and I just did it in the worst possible place; the tyre was cold on the left side and as I got on the power it just threw me over the bars. I came down quite heavily on my left shoulder, which now just feels really sore. I also have a bit of a hole in my knee as it must have caught the bike.

"It is disappointing as qualifying yesterday was tough. I thought I had done enough to get through to Q2 and then I realised that I was going to get dropped so I went back out, but that was when it started to drizzle. It was just bad timing, I will learn from it though as that was the first time I had done the three stage knockout. I am going to be racing, but it is going to be tough for sure."

Luke Jones # 68 finishes morning warm up in 21st

Kiyo heads the charge ahead of race one

Ryuichi Kiyonari set the pace in this morning's warm up session at Brands Hatch as the tension builds ahead of the opening MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race of the season.

Fans have already descended on the Kent circuit to see the HM Plant Honda rider take the final advantage ahead of race one which kicks off at 13:15 this afternoon. There was a frantic rush of riders out on circuit and before the session reached the final stages Kiyonari, Tommy Bridewell and Tommy Hill had all enjoyed a brief spell at the top of the time sheets.

Pole-sitter Kiyonari pulled together a string of consistently fast laps to remain fastest in the closing stages, ahead of Hill in a replica of how they will line up on the grid for the opening race of the day.

Michael Rutter had a nightmare in the session as he suffered a technical problem on the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati and had to sit out the remainder of the session as the team frantically worked to solve the issue.

Yukio Kagayama put the second Worx Crescent Suzuki fourth ahead of the first Swan Honda of James Ellison. Gary Mason was back on track after sitting out qualifying yesterday as the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team worked to resolve technical issues following his crash in free practice.

Motorpoint Yamaha's Neil Hodgson had a difficult session, ending 13^th fastest following a crash in the closing minute at Cooper Straight.

Luke Jones put the PR Racing Yamaha in 21st place in this mornings warm up but just 1.4 seconds behind Ryuichi Kiyonari .With times this close this afternoons races should see some very close action where any mistakes will be punished heavily.

Luke Jones # 68 17th in first British Superbike race

Hill wins Brands Hatch opener

Worx Crescent Suzuki are celebrating after Tommy Hill fought his way to the opening win of the day at Brands Hatch, holding off the hard-charging Ryuichi Kiyonari on the HM Plant Honda.

Hill said: "That was a hard race, especially towards the end as there were a lot of backmarkers and I nearly lost my head as I didn't want to lose the lead. I have to admit I started to panic as I thought it could go wrong, but on the last lap I knew that was it. I came across the line and the team were celebrating so I am really peaking now. I knew we needed to get some good points in the bag as it is a long season but everything has been fantastic and I can't wait for race two now to see if we can do the double."

Pole-sitter Kiyonari had a flying start off the line to take the lead from Tommy Hill, with Stuart Easton getting a sensational start from ninth on the grid to move third. Tommy Bridewell had forced the Quay Garage Honda in to fourth, ahead of HM Plant Honda's Josh Brookes.

Bridewell was on the attack for third, diving down the inside of Easton's Swan Honda at Paddock Hill Bend and then after he had passed him back, retook the advantage at Clark Curve on the tenth lap. The Quay Garage Honda was in close contention, but on the 14th lap he crashed out when he lost the front end at Graham Hill Bend.

Kiyonari was coming under pressure from Hill, but it wasn't until the 22 lap that the Worx Crescent Suzuki could get ahead when he took the lead on the run down to Surtees. He then maintained his position on track as the pair diced through back-markers, with Hill taking the win and 25 points ahead of Kiyonari.

The second pack were equally close as Easton, Brookes, Alastair Seeley and James Ellison fought it out for the final podium position. Easton was holding off the challenges of Seeley on the Relentless Suzuki, until he barged his way through down the inside at Paddock Hill Bend on the 13^th lap, only for Easton to retake the position at Druids. This happened for several laps, with the third place changing at three consecutive corners as the pair diced for the final podium spot.

On the 22 lap the second attack got shook up as they encountered back-markers and Ellison came off best moving to fourth after getting ahead of Brookes and Easton. He came under pressure from both riders, but with Seeley and third place in his sight he waited until the penultimate lap to make the move.

Michael Laverty on the second Relentless Suzuki was forced to retire after he suffered a technical problem on the 12 lap whilst running in ninth. MSS Colchester Kawasaki's Simon Andrews also didn't finish after taking to the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend. Motorpoint Yamaha's Neil Hodgson didn't take part in the race following his high-side this morning during warm up. Christian Iddon also didn't finish after crashing out at Druids on the 19^th lap.

Steve Brogan was the top Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo rider in 14^th ahead of Hudson Kennaugh and Chris Burns on the Splitlath Aprilia.

Luke Jones finished a solid 17th in his first British Superbike racs at Brands Hatch Indy circuit this afternoon and is looking forward to more of the same in race two.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, race one result:

Luke Jones # 68 12th in second British Superbike race

Ellison wins incident-filled race two

Swan Honda's James Ellison took the second win of the day at Brands Hatch following an incident-packed 30 lap race ahead of Tommy Hill who now leads the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship after the opening round.

Luke finished in the points with another solid ride leaving him with a 12th place in race two and 16th overall in the Championship standings a fantastic start to Luke's superbike season with more of the same to come at the next round at the incredibly fast Thruxton circuit in a few weeks time .

More news from race two

Ellison wins incident-filled race two

Ellison had got off to a flying start after moving up to the front row, leading the pack as they jostled for positions into Paddock Hill Bend ahead of pole-sitter Josh Brookes and race one winner Tommy Hill. Race one winner Hill was immediately on the attack, passing the HM Plant Honda of Brookes into Surtees on the opening lap.

Ellison became under increasing pressure from Hill throughout the race, but despite some attempts to take the lead Hill was forced to settle for second which puts him ahead in the title chase ahead of Thruxton.

There was drama throughout the field; the first to suffer was Ryuichi Kiyonari who suffered a technical problem with the ignition on the fourth lap which forced him out of the race. He was followed two laps later by Gary Mason who also suffered a technical problem leaving him with no points for the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team.

Tommy Bridewell was gunning for third place on the Quay Garage Honda; he was moving up through the pack and was running fourth, but on lap ten he was forced wide by Michael Laverty and he crashed out at Druids. The next riders to lose out on points in race two were Chris Walker and Dan Linfoot who tangled at Graham Hill Bend on the ninth lap with both crashing out of contention.

At the front it was Ellison from Hill and Brookes that were inseparable, but just one lap after Bridewell crashed at Druids, Brookes crashed the HM Plant Honda out of contention. Yukio Kagayama was another rider to crash out; he fell at Clearways on the 11^th lap ending his hopes of a strong result for the Worx Crescent Suzuki team.

Seeley had moved to third after Brookes' crash, giving the rookie and the Relentless Suzuki by TAS team their first podium in the Superbike class ahead of team-mate Michael Laverty in fourth.

Stuart Easton and Michael had a race-long battle for fifth, but the Swan Honda rider was able to hold on to keep the Ducati rider behind him as they crossed the line with Buildbase Kawasaki's John Laverty in seventh. Simon Andrews on the lone MSS Colchester Kawasaki was eighth ahead of Martin Jessopp and Jentin Racing BMW's Steve Brogan who broke through to the top ten on his debut in the Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo Championship

Luke Jones # 68 Qualifies 18th in his first ever British Superbike ride

King Kiyo reigns in qualifying

HM Plant Honda and Ryuichi Kiyonari have stole pole position in the opening Swan Combi Roll for Pole of the season at Brands Hatch, edging out Tommy Hill to second in a scintillating eight minute session.

It was a dramatic eight minute session as James Ellison on the Swan Honda failed to get out on track in the final shootout for pole following a technical problem at the end of Q2. He was forced to sit out and will start from tenth tomorrow, although it could be all change for race two, with the grid decided by fastest laps from race one.

Tommy Hill claimed second on the Worx Crescent Suzuki, with the remainder of the front row made up of BSB rookies in the shape of reigning National Superstock champion Alastair Seeley on the Relentless Suzuki by TAS alongside the first Motorpoint Yamaha of Dan Linfoot.

Steve Brogan secured the fastest Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo lap, in 16th overall on the Jentin Racing BMW ahead of Craig Fitzpatrick and David Johnson.

Luke Jones on the PR-Racing Yamaha made it through to qualifying 2 where he secured 18th place ahead of ex World Superbike rider Neil Hodgson in 22nd,in his first ever Superbike ride. Luke said " I have had very little experience on a superbike and to come here and qualify in front of a legend like Neil (hodgson) is fantastic and gives me a great boost for tomorrows two races"

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Roll for Pole top: ten after Q3:

Final free practice at Brands sees Luke Jones back in top ten.

King Kiyo conquers final free practice

Ryuichi Kiyonari set the pace at Brands Hatch this morning as the sun shone on Brands Hatch for the final free practice session for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship ahead of this afternoon's Swan Roll for Pole qualifying shootout.

It was a Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo rider that started the session fastest, with Steve Brogan putting the BMW straight to the top of the timesheets early on, before Kiyonari stole the top spot with just over 30 minutes remaining of the session.

Kiyonari continued to up his pace on the drying track, ending the session with a time of 50.182s. The Motorpoint Yamaha of Dan Linfoot also enjoyed a brief spell at the top with 25 minutes to go before ending the session third, but within a minute he was replaced by James Ellison on the Swan Honda.

Kiyo didn't leave it long though to return to the top, putting in is best lap with 15 minutes remaining and whilst the remainder of the pack swapped places several times the HM Plant Honda remained fastest.

Alastair Seeley moved to fourth on the Relentless Suzuki by TAS in the final five minutes ahead of Josh Brookes on the second of the HM Plant Honda and Adam Jenkinson on the Buildbase Kawasaki.

Luke Jones on the PR-Racing Yamaha finished the free practice session in a commendable eighth place with a time of 51.156 just ahead of former STP rider Chris Burns who finished fastest of the Mirror.co.uk BSB-Evo riders on the Splitlaith Aprilia

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, free practice four:

Rock on Tommy

Rock on Tommy!

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill topped the times in the third free practice session at Brands Hatch this afternoon as he battled it out with his namesake Tommy Bridewell to finish fastest at the end of the second day.

The session had started with Hill leading the way from HM Plant Honda's Ryuichi Kiyonari, but it was the second Japanese returnee Yukio Kagayama that then moved to the top with 17 minutes on the clock. However, just two minutes later it was Bridewell that had moved back fastest, where he stayed until the final minute when Hill stole the advantage.

Hill said: "I had a few issues that I knew we needed to work on so was in and out of the garage to try and get those sorted as soon as possible. I think we are there now and then tomorrow we can go out and really push it."

The Swan Honda of James Ellison stormed to second with two minutes remaining, but with another flyer from Bridewell he was relegated to third. The second Swan Honda of Stuart Easton was 15^th as he settled in to free practice.

Michael Laverty showed real improvement this afternoon to move fifth fastest ahead of Kagayama who dropped down the order in the closing stages of the session. Alastair Seeley was seventh fastest, despite topping the times with ten minutes of the session remaining, to finish just ahead of Dan Linfoot on the leading Motorpoint Yamaha. Josh Brookes was ninth for HM Plant Honda and Gary Mason clocked the tenth fastest time before crashing out uninjured in the final minute at Cooper Straight.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, free practice three:

1. Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 45.926s
2. Tommy Bridewell (Quay Garage Honda) +0.164s
3. James Ellison (Swan Honda) +0.191s
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +0.200s
5. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.250s
6. Yukio Kagayama (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.261s
7. Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +0.268s
8. Dan Linfoot (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.340s
9. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +0.362s
10. Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +0.544s

Bridewell and Quay Garage steal the show

Tommy Bridewell and the Quay Garage Honda topped a frantic second free practice session for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this afternoon, as the times tumbled as the conditions improved, with the top 16 riders covered by less than a second.

Ryuichi Kiyonari on the HM Plant Honda took the advantage early in the session, leading the times for the main part of the free practice as his rival closed in. Simon Andrews was getting close and the pair were in the main pack of riders on circuit but the MSS Colchester Kawasaki rider crashed out at Clearways.

Tommy Hill then edged ahead on the Worx Crescent Suzuki, but his spell at the top was short as Kiyo was back to the top of the times just a lap later. It was then Bridewell who enjoyed his first spell fastest on the Quay Garage Honda to give the team a boost on their move into the main class, where he remained until the end of the session.

Talking to the BSB website Bridewell said: "We made a lot of changes during the session and we started on a slightly wet setting on the forks because of the conditions. We had a good lap and came in for a new tyre as the one we had did around 60 - 70 laps. We then changed back to a dry setting and we hardened up the front as well, then the bike was about a hundred times better. There were a few slower riders that slowed me down but I kept my head down, did a run of laps and finished fastest. I think the track conditions will improve for this afternoon so I can't wait to get going again."

James Ellison on the first of the Swan Hondas left it until the dying moments of the session to move fourth fastest, edging out Josh Brookes on the second HM Plant Honda who was another rider who left it late to move up the timesheets to push Gary Mason back to sixth.

Yukio Kagayama had been running as high as second during the opening session, but he later dropped back to seventh ahead of yesterday's fastest rider Alastair Seeley in eighth. Steve Brogan was the fastest of the Mirror.co.uk BSB - Evo riders on the Jentin Racing BMW in eleventh.

James Edmeades on the Redline KTM crashed out at Cooper Straight and has sustained a soft tissue injury to his right knee and a injured left hand.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, free practice two:

Seeley steals top spot in opening practice

Relentless Suzuki by TAS rider Alastair Seeley had a dream debut in the opening free practice session for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this afternoon as he topped the times ahead of fellow Suzuki rider Tommy Hill.

Reigning National Superstock 1000 champion Seeley maintained his position at the top of the timesheets after Hill leaped up to the two top two in the final fifteen minutes of the session, but it wasn't enough to knock the 'Wizard' from the top. It wasn't a completely successful session though, as he tipped off at Druids in the final minutes but was able to get back out of the gravel and return to the pitlane.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, MCN Premiere, free practice one:

Luke Jones # 68 7th in this afternoons British Superbikes first free practice

STP supported rider Luke Jones # 68 aboard the PR-Racing Yamaha took a very creditable 7th place in the first free practice this afternoon at a wet Brands Hatch Indy Circuit ,just 1.2 seconds off quickest man Alistair seeley on the Relentless by Taz Suzuki. Luke also had the acclaim of being the first Yamaha home and is looking forward to Saturday's two practice sessions.

Ellison expects fairing-bashing start at Brands Hatch

James Ellison is gearing up for his return with the Swan Honda team this weekend (2/3/4/5 April) at Brands Hatch for the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship and is predicting a hectic race on the Indy circuit.

Ellison was runner-up last season to team-mate Leon Camier, and now back onboard the Honda he is determined to go one better. However, he admits it is not going to be an easy task to take the opening spoils at Brands Hatch when the rivalry starts again on Easter Monday.

Ellison said: "I am really looking forward to finally getting the season underway; I am excited but also nervous with anticipation at the same time. It is definitely going to be closer this year and there are a lot of us who genuinely believe we have what it takes to win the title. The Brands Hatch Indy circuit laps are frantic because they are so short which means that nobody can really get an advantage. I guarantee there will be some fairing bashing on Easter Monday!"

Get set for battle:Walker is back

Get set for battle: Walker is back!

It's the rematch every BSB fan has been waiting for: this weekend (2/3/4/5 May) at the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch, Chris Walker will renew his rivalry with former nemesis Neil Hodgson.

Walker has confirmed a late minute deal that will see him take his place on the grid on Easter Monday on a privately-run Suzuki GSX-R1000, thanks to top tuner Ray Stringer who has prepared the ex-Rutter GSX-R1000 TT.

The 2000 season is still widely regarded by fans as one of the best in BSB history as Walker and Hodgson fought it out round after round for the title, with some controversial clashes and immense on track battles.

Walker said: "I'm delighted to be on the grid again this year. Ray came along with the offer of this Suzuki at the very last minute and it was the perfect opportunity for me. We've missed out on testing but we will be getting more competitive as the season goes. There's a big chance we'll get a significant improvement in our machinery within a few rounds - but even with the bike we've got, we're not giving anything away."

STP to support local rider Luke Jones in British Superbikes 2010

Stp Racing are proud to be supporting Luke Jones and the PR Racing Yamaha Team this season .

Luke will be competing for the first time in the British Superbike Championship on the PR Racing Yamaha R1 .STP have taken the decision to take a year out of racing but will be helping a number of local riders this year,whilst planning to return to the Superbike grid in 2011.

"With STP Motorsport taking on the MV Agusta dealership for South Wales it seemed a wise decision to take a year out and swop racing for retailing for a while anyway,however racing is still a very large part of our business strategy and we are pleased to be supporting local rider Luke Jone who we have helped since his 125cc days,when he incidently won the British 125cc Championship ,his brother Dean sales manager for STP and still keen to race himself unselfishly stepped aside so that the family could concentrate on Lukes racing future,we believe Luke will do very well this year" said Jon Strike director of STP.

Kiyo set for BSB homecoming

Returning double BSB champion Ryuichi Kiyonari is aiming to get his title campaign off to a flying start at Brands Hatch this Easter weekend (2/3/4/5 April) when he returns to the championship with the HM Plant Honda team.

Kiyonari admits that he still has work to do on the first day of practice (Good Friday) as he continues to perfect the set-up for the Honda Fireblade, but the Japanese ace has fond memories of the Kent circuit having secured both his title victories there.

Kiyonari said: "I am feeling excited about Brands Hatch as I am really happy to be back racing in BSB. I have said it before but I am really happy about coming back to the HM Plant Honda team as I feel like I have come home. We have done lots of testing and the bike feels completely different to the one I rode when I won the championship in 2007. It has different engine characteristics, different suspension and also runs on Pirelli tyres.

"The Brands Hatch Indy circuit can be difficult as it is very close and the laps go fast so I think qualifying is going to be very important there. I really like Brands Hatch as there is always a big crowd and I have missed Paddock Hill Bend! The tests have gone well in Spain and Cadwell Park - the bike is getting better all the time. We still have some improvements to make, but we can do this at Brands Hatch as we have the extra session on Good Friday. I am ready for the comeback!"

Neill:Next weekend can\'t come soon enough

Neill: Next weekend can’t come soon enough

Relentless Suzuki by TAS team manager Phillip Neill believes that his team couldn't be better prepared for the start of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season, which kicks off this Easter Bank Holiday weekend (2/3/4/5 April) at Brands Hatch.

The team have successfully completed tests at Cartagena in Spain, which they followed up with a day at Cadwell Park earlier this week with Michael Laverty and Alastair Seeley posting competitive times on their GSX-R1000 Superbikes.

Neill said: "It's been a long winter but we are now very excited that the opening races are just over a week away. We have really pushed the boat out with meticulous preparation over the winter months, and for the first time ever we separated our BSB and international road racing build ups.

"It has proved a successful change, albeit a logistical nightmare at times, but the whole TAS Racing team is committed to the cause and I'm confident we will see the benefits throughout the year. We are happy both aesthetically and mechanically with our machinery and the Easter weekend cannot come soon enough for our riders."

Hill: \"You can\'t count anyone out at Brands Hatch\"

Hill: “You can’t count anyone out at Brands Hatch”

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill is fired up for the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this Easter weekend (2/3/4/5 April) and is determined to get his season off to a flying start at his home round.

Hill has been on the pace in recent pre-season tests as the Worx Crescent Suzuki team continue to develop their new electronic engine management system from Motec and is now keen to carry the momentum into the first round of the season.

Hill told the BSB website: "The season hasn't started yet but already I am feeling happy; our pre-season tests have gone well but testing is exactly that, so it is difficult to know what will happen when the lights go green. We have been up the front in the Spanish and UK tests that we have done so that has definitely given me a confidence boost so we head to Brands Hatch ready to win. It is my local track and I always get a lot of support there so I can't wait to get going.

"We need to be up there at the front every weekend; I am with a fantastic team this year so there is no reason why we shouldn't be, so things are looking good for me. There are so many riders that could win out there; I would say probably about eight, so it is going to be close for sure. That is what is going to make the races exciting; you can't count anyone out."

Brookes makes Cadwell Park Debut

Brookes makes Cadwell Park debut

There are less than ten days to go until the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship kicks off at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend (2/3/4/5 April) and today (Tuesday) some of the teams have been testing at Cadwell Park ahead of round one.

Josh Brookes made his circuit debut at Cadwell Park, having missed the round there last season, and clearly wasn't daunted by the famous 'Mountain' section as he got airborne on the HM Plant Honda earlier today.

Brookes went on to rack up 122 laps, he was joined on track by a host of main championship rivals including Swan Honda's James Ellison and Stuart Easton plus Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill and Relentless Suzuki's Michael Laverty and Alastair Seeley.

Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp also took the opportunity to clock up more mileage on the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati ahead of the Brands Hatch Easter opener.

Testing was interrupted when Stuart Easton crashed at Charlie's Corner. With a suspected leg injury the Scotsman was flown to Lincoln Hospital for further assessment and treatment. Prior to his accident Easton had been lapping in the 1m:29s bracket, closely matched by Alistair Seeley, experiencing Cadwell Park for the first time on a full-blown Superbike.

The new Splitlath Aprilia team made massive progress during the day with the RSV4; running with the Motec ECU rider Joe Burns believes the bike is running about 15bhp more than when they tested in Spain

BSB set for epic Easter clash at Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is gearing up for its first major event of the season this coming Easter weekend (2-4 April) when the famous Kent circuit hosts the first round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.

The Bank Holiday event is set to be one of the biggest on the 2010 calendar, featuring an impressive 18 races from nine different championships. It marks the much-anticipated return of former world champion Neil Hodgson and double BSB champion Ryuichi Kiyonari, as well as BSB race winner and crowd favourite Yukio Kagayama.

Neil Hodgson said: "I am really excited about my BSB return as it has been a dream of mine to come back since I last won the title in 2000. I can't wait to compete again where you can feel the atmosphere and the build up to the race. We have had good pre-season tests in Spain and I am as motivated now as I was ten years ago when I won the title, if not more. We are really ready to get the job done at Brands Hatch."

The returning heroes will take on the established BSB big-hitters from 2009, including Josh Brookes. The Australian has re-signed for the HM Plant Honda team and will be looking to build on a series of consecutive podiums at the end of last season. Lingfield racer Tommy Hill has shown front-running pace in pre-season testing and will be targeting wins on his Worx Crescent Suzuki at his local circuit, and the formidable Swan Hondas of James Ellison and Stuart Easton - last year's runners-up - will undoubtedly be in contention.

This season is set to be one of the most unpredictable in years, with nothing to split the main contenders in testing. More than 30 riders will be battling for wins in BSB, with a total of eight different manufacturers - Ducati are back this season with Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp on-board and KTM, Aprilia and BMW all making their debuts in the world's best domestic bike championship.

The four-day Easter extravaganza gets underway on Good Friday, with practice sessions for BSB and support championships followed by races from the MRO Superteen and the Ducati Desmo Due Championships. Admission on the Friday is just £8. The superb support package includes races from the Bonhams British Historic GP Championship for 500cc and 350cc Grand Prix machines from the 50s and early 60s, and the Swan Combi Challenge F2 Sidecars

Motorpoint Yamaha team set for launch

Former World Superbike Champion Neil Hodgson and team-mate Dan Linfoot will be officially launching the Motorpoint Yamaha British Superbike team at Motorpoint in Derby next weekend (26 March).

Hodgson, who has been tipped to be one of the main title contenders, is leading a two-pronged assault on the title by car supermarket giant Motorpoint, alongside Linfoot, who was one of the pace-setters in recent pre-season testing in Spain.

The pair will be riding the 2009 BSB championship-winning works R1s, which are almost identical to those that Leon Camier and James Ellison used to secure 22 race victories last season.

Team principal Rob McElnea said: "We are the only team who open up the doors and welcome our fans to come and see our team launch and we are proud of that. There is a real buzz about my team this year, we have completed a great winter testing programme and to have Neil Hodgson coming back and young Dan bristling with confidence it is definitely something worth sharing."

DJ signs for Magic Bullet Racing

Johnson signs for Magic Bullet Racing by Two Wheel Tuning

David Johnson will contest the all-new BSB Evo class after signing with the newly-formed Magic Bullet Racing by Two Wheel Tuning team alongside team-mate Michael Howarth.

The Hinckley-based Australian already has plenty of Superbike experience, and he is planning on using this to his benefit as he takes part in the all new Evo class on-board a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Johnson said: "It's a great package which the Magic Bullet Racing team has put together for me and it has all just fallen into place. I've been down to the work shop and it is impressive, my bike is good too, so I'll be going all out for the Superbike Evo title. It's great being on the same team as Howie, he is a real character and we will work well together both on and off the track. I'm really looking forward to it."

Dave Tyson, Race Director said: "I'm pleased to have signed the services of David so we are now fielding two talented riders in the Superbike Evo class. The Magic Bullet Racing team is determined to make its mark this season and with our current line up I'm sure we will do just that."

Magic Bullet Racing is also running Nikki Coates in the Metzeler Superstock 600 class and Dan Brill in the Metzeler National Superstock 1000cc

Bridewell setting top ten place

Bridewell setting top ten pace

Quay Garage Racing's Tommy Bridewell was back on track at Brands Hatch yesterday (Wednesday) with his ex-Gregorio Lavilla Fireblade. Bridewell, who has just returned from testing at the Guadix circuit in Spain last week, was able to set a fastest time of 46.8 seconds.

Bridewell said: "I'm pleased with how the day went and considering the traffic and track conditions at times, for us to consistently lap sub 47 seconds shows we're somewhere near the pace required. I'm not sure what everyone else was doing time wise but that's not important as it's the races that matter, and we just concentrated on getting a good set up.

"I only used two rear race tyres throughout the day and those times would have comfortably put us in the top ten at last year's pace but there's much more to come from both me and the bike. I don't see any reason why we can't be challenging for podiums this season."

The team who secured the 2009 Superbike Cup will be hoping for more podiums in 2010 having upgrade to the main championship.

Brogan & Cooper debut BMW at Brands Hatch

Brogan and Cooper debut BMW at Brands Hatch

The Jentin Racing BMW made its track debut at Brands Hatch this morning (Wednesday) with Steve Brogan and Richard Cooper getting their first opportunity to test the S1000RR.

Brogan and Cooper, who will be fighting for the BSB Evo and Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship titles respectively, got their shakedown test underway on the Indy circuit in preparation for the Easter Bank Holiday season-opener.

Brogan said: "It has been a shakedown test for me on the BMW Superstock bike as the Evo specification Superbike is not quite ready yet. The BMW feels awesome in every way; it feels so different to ride fast compared to what I have been used to with the Honda so it took me a few laps this morning to adapt.

"The BMW has all its power at the top of the rev range, whilst the Honda's power is low down on the revs. It was good to be back on a bike again after what seems like a long winter. The Jentin team have been working flat out with BMW to get everything ready as the deal came together so late. For me today has been awesome and I need to thank all the team at Jentin and BMW for doing such a fantastic job already."

Cooper said: "So far it is all smiles in our garage after what has been a long winter; I remember getting the date for the shakedown and it felt like an eternity to come round but it was definitely worth the wait. The BMW is so far every bit as good as I thought it would be and we already faster than we expected at this early stage. I do feel like there was a bit of a target on my back today as we are an unknown quantity but that gives me more motivation.

"My experiences riding BMWs previously has definitely helped me already as the engine characteristics are different compared to some of the other manufacturers. Myself and Steve have really worked together today to start to get the best from ourselves and the bikes. We have made a few tweaks here and there but the main priority has been getting the laps on the new bikes and we have done just that. The confidence is already there for round one and we can't wait to get started now at Brands Hatch."

Team Manager Bernie Toleman concluded: "The main objective for the day has been to get some good laps in as until today we hadn't turned a wheel on the new BMW. It has been our priority to get both riders working well with the team and their new respective crew chiefs and that is what we have achieved today. We have had no issues so for everyone who has been involved in the project it has been an enjoyable and productive day. We are extremely pleased with the progress and now we are ready to come back in two weeks' time for the opening round.

Riders Racing set for Brands Hatch

Rutter and Jessopp set for Brands Hatch

Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp completed their first major pre-season test at Cartagena and Guadix in Spain last week on the Riders Ducatis and are now making their final preparations for the season-opener at Brands Hatch.

The team were concentrating on developing their engine management strategies and were running updated 2009 engines at the test. However, they will have brand new 2010-spec engines ready for the first race at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend (2/3/4/5 April).

Rutter said: "I'm really happy with the tests. Having raced these bikes at the end of last year, I knew we had a good set-up with the Ducati chassis but with changes we've made to the engines over the winter we now have 10bhp more across the range so it was a case of re-mapping the electronics here and working on the traction control system. We had a range of maps to try and everything went to plan.

"I've been trying to get my head around being able to nail the throttle coming out of the corners and let the electronics take care of any big slides. After a career spent relying totally on feel, it's a very different method and takes times to adapt. We decided that the best way was to run a tyre which had lost the best of its grip. If we'd tried to do the same on new tyres, the extra grip might well have caused me problems. But after seven days of testing I'm finally getting used to it and looking forward to the first race.

Team-mate Jessopp was delighted to be back on a Ducati after two seasons in BSB on a four-cylinder; prior to that he raced the Italian V-twins in British Supersport.

He said: "It feels like I'm back home again. At least the four-cylinder bike I raced had the same basic Magneti Marelli electronics package, so I was already used to riding with a well-sorted traction control system. I remember how much learning it took to get used to the four-cylinder bike but it's taken no time at all to get back into riding a Ducati. I'm still braking too late and scrubbing too much speed but its coming. It's amazing how much more corner speed you can run on a Ducati."

Hobbs relentless for Superstock success

Relentless Suzuki will be defending their Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship title this season after it was confirmed that Dennis Hobbs will run on the familiar black and white GSX-R1000.

Hobbs has been plagued by injury over the past 12 months and has not ridden a bike since last May, but Relentless Suzuki team owner Philip Neill was more than happy to offer him a lifeline. TAS Racing will supply Hobbs with racing machinery and support during the season, but the English rider will continue with the day-to-day running of his own team.

Neill said: "It has been a last minute decision to help Dennis. It's a bit like the situation we found ourselves in last year with Alastair Seeley and look where that took us. I've always had the greatest of respect for Dennis, really since we battled against him in 2007 for the British Supersport title, which Michael Laverty eventually won for us. It was with reluctance that we were going to leave the Superstock series this year, especially as defending champions, but when Suzuki didn't have an official entry and Dennis didn't have a ride I just thought, why not.

"It's not a full-on ride. Our focus is one hundred percent on our BSB campaign and of course our NW200 and TT campaign with Cameron and Bruce. We will supply a bike and support, and I'm sure when Dennis gets up to speed he won't be too far away."

Hobbs' preferred racing number is 25, which could prove an omen for success during 2010, as Suzuki is currently celebrating twenty five years of their GSX-R sports bike range.

MotoGP stage set for National Superstock 1000 racers

Riders of the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship will share the stage with some of the world's greatest riders at the forthcoming AirAsia British Motorcycle Grand Prix at Silverstone on 18/19/20 June.

The Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship will support the UK round of MotoGP at the country's biggest biking event as racing heroes such as Valentino Rossi, Casey Stoner and Jorge Lorenzo battle for the 2010 title.

2010 features a highly-anticipated line up from eight manufacturers including the class debut entries from Aprilia and BMW and some of the UK's best riders including Steve Plater, Glen Richards, Karl Harris and John McGuinness.

The double-header Championship round will have prime race start times with the opening race getting underway on Saturday at 16:30, in what will be the first ever motorcycle race on the new 3.6-mile Silverstone Arena Grand Prix circuit, with the second race on Sunday at 15:45 immediately following the World Championship action.

The Championship will now be contested over 13 championship rounds at 12 events.

Guadix final day : The latest news

Guadix final day: The latest news

The test action at Guadix today (Thursday) was slow to start as many of the riders waited for the track temperature to improve this morning, but as conditions have improved the circuit has become frantic with activity.

The Worx Crescent Suzuki team have so far been busy in the garage as both Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama have been completing short sequences of laps before diving back into pitlane for further adjustments this morning. Hill has been targeting improvements on the electronics system after initially completing just a three-lap stint to get bedded in. Kagayama meanwhile admits that he has not been pushing this morning due to the temperature but has still been making progress with basic setting tweaks.

The MSS Colchester Kawasaki team have been the busiest of the teams on circuit, with Gary Mason lapping consistently as he gets dialled in with the new Kawasaki, admitting he needs to get as many laps in as possible on the final day so he can leave here ready for their next test at Brands Hatch. Simon Andrews on the second of the MSS Kawasakis has continued to focus on the team's new electronics package

Hill and Kagayama hone in on electronics

The Worx Crescent Suzuki team have had a hectic morning on circuit as the team continued to work on the new electronics package at Guadix in preparation for the start of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season.

Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama have both been in and out of the garage this morning as the team pressed on with solving the issues the team experienced this morning with the new electronics package.

Valentine said: "We have had a few niggly problems with the new electronics system this morning, but you always get teething problems and that is why we are testing so we can get these ironed out for the start of the season. We haven't been able to really go for many long runs so the times have been slower today but hopefully this afternoon we can iron these out and both Tommy and Yuki can get some longer runs in which will then bring the lap times."

Mason makes himself at home

Gary Mason is adapting fast to the MSS Colchester Kawasaki and despite having less track time in Spain than some of his main rivals he is feeling positive about the progress already made to the chassis.

Mason has been focusing his attention on finding a strong base setting and making changes to the chassis before moving on to the electronics, whilst team-mate Simon Andrews has been testing the new Magneti Marelli electronics package.

Mason told the BSB website: "We have tried a lot today and it has been really busy for us as unlike the other teams we haven't had the track time at Cartagena last week. For me this has been a great chance to learn the Kawasaki and its characteristics and also get to know the team as this is the first time we have worked together. It has been a good few days for me really.

"Today the main areas we have been working on are the geometry and chassis and Simon has focused on the electronics, but hopefully I will get on to that later. We have done work with the anti-wheelie and the front end of the MSS Colchester Kawasaki and that is now working well for me, so we have some more time today and then it is straight on to Brands Hatch next week."

Rutter\'s progress halted briefly

Rutter’s progress halted briefly

Michael Rutter's on track progress was halted briefly this morning after a technical problem with the engine of the Ducati 1098, however following a spell in the garage the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati is back out on circuit here at Guadix.

Rutter had been making positive steps forward this morning as the team continued to focus on traction control, with Martin Jessopp also completing a consistent number of laps just before the track action stopped for lunch.

Rutter said: "We have had a bit of an engine problem this morning; I managed to do around 20 laps on old tyres so that we had completed a race run and we have gone quicker today as we lapped with a best time of 1m:14.8s so I was quite pleased with that. We have some work to do before we can get back out there but I am not too concerned as it was a test engine with a lot of mileage on it. We will definitely be back out there this afternoon."

Guadix test : Final day reaches its climax

Guadix test: Final day reaches its climax

The countdown is now on to the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend (2/3/4/5 April) as the teams ended their pre-season testing in Spain today (Thursday).

HM Plant Honda had set the pace on the second day with Josh Brookes setting the standard with a 1m:13.6s but as the team returned to the UK the remaining teams upped the pace on the final day.

The Swan Honda team had a steady start to the final day but as the conditions improved in the afternoon both James Ellison and Stuart Easton targeted longer runs on track and consistently ran in the mid to low 1m:13s lap times.

Easton said: "It has been a successful test for us and I am really pleased with the work we have done both here at Guadix and from last week at Cartagena. We have refined the settings and we are now in a really good position before we start testing again later in the month. We have improved the bike so much from when we were here last year and my lap times were consistently coming. I did a good run of laps in the low 1m:13s so we have seen a big improvement. We have another test coming up at Cadwell Park and after doing some longer stints today I think we should be ready for a strong start at the first round at Brands Hatch."

Ellison said: "We have really made some good progress out here in Spain and today we have managed to test so many different settings; we definitely are leaving here feeling happy. The Swan Honda seems to really fit me and I am feeling comfortable on track. We have been able to get some consistent laps together and the times have just been coming. It has been great working with the team again and they have done a fantastic job, we are now looking forward to getting back out on track again in the next few weeks."

The Worx Crescent Suzuki team had been working through various changes to the electronics following some teething problems on the final day, but with many of the other teams finishing earlier Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama were formation flying as they put in their best laps of the day in the final stages.

Simon Andrews and Gary Mason had their second full day on circuit, with Andrews dramatically improving his lap time on the last day after adjusting to the new electronics package, whilst Mason adapted to the Kawasaki and targeted chassis settings. The MSS Colchester Kawasaki team are now preparing for their next test at Brands Hatch next Wednesday.

Guadix is go !

Guadix is go!

The pitlane has re-opened at Guadix for the opening day of testing now the track has finally cleared following the snowfall last night, with the teams preparing to get testing underway this afternoon.

The teams have been playing the waiting game until now, but the conditions have improved and some of the main title contenders are now gearing up to get back on circuit for the first time at the Spanish track.

HM Plant Honda, Swan Honda, MSS Colchester Kawasaki and Worx Crescent Suzuki are amongst those eager to leave the pitlane this afternoon. Motorpoint Yamaha meanwhile have been setting up in Cartagena ready for tomorrow morning.

For all the latest news from the Spanish tests keep checking back to the official BSB website. The Gallery section will also be updated with all the latest images from the test.

Tuxworth talks 2010 changes

Honda Racing UK manager Neil Tuxworth is feeling confident that the team can leave Guadix in a leading position as they focus their efforts on the new electronic package ahead of the start of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season.

Former champion Ryuichi Kiyonari was one of the first riders on track this morning, with Josh Brookes exiting the pitlane shortly after his team-mate. Kiyonari admitted that the track conditions were difficult this morning due to the cold conditions but he was confident that this afternoon he would be able to take advantage of the track time.

Tuxworth said: "The main concentration has been for us our new electronics package, so the focus today remains on that and a lot of work is currently being done on engine braking and traction control which have been a main priority. The package we have is different to previous years in that we have moved away from the HRC package, which was static and we could make no real changes to. Now we have wide parameters and that gives us so much more scope to work with, which at he moment is obviously taking time but will hopefully mean we can adjust more.

"The other main change to the HM Plant Honda for this year is we have moved from Showa to Ohlins, but we haven't focused as much on this yet as the electronics has been the main priority. We now have a lot of different options and this can only be good for the team. Kiyo and Josh have both been making progress and Steve Plater has also been adapting well to the Superstock Honda and the Metzler tyres rather than the Pirellis he was using last year."

Andrews : Crash won\'t halt progress

Simon Andrews didn't get his day of testing off to the start he would have liked after crashing the MSS Colchester Kawasaki at low speed this morning.

Andrews had completed a handful of laps this morning when he ran on into the gravel trap and tipped off. He was able to push the bike back to the pitlane and was later back out on track. The team are now hoping to slash their lap times this afternoon as Andrews will be turning the electronics on for the first time today.

Andrews said: "The lap times haven't been there this morning as this is the first real go out on circuit, but we have been doing low 1:16s, which is around three seconds off the pace but we are not too worried as we feel the times will come very soon. I had a small crash this morning but nothing major, I just tipped off.

"At the moment we are just getting up to speed but this afternoon we will be making changes to the chassis and the geometry plus we will be turning the electronics on as we haven't used them this morning. We have lots to work through this afternoon so I am feeling confident."

Kagayama predicts a riot !

Kagayama predicts a riot!

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama admits he didn't push hard on track at Guadix this morning but is aiming to up the ante as the track temperature increases this afternoon.

The Worx Crescent Suzuki team have been focusing on the chassis and electronics to build on the momentum from Cartagena where they set the early pace. Currently team-mate Tommy Hill has been the fastest of the two riders, lapping in the 1m:14s barrier, whilst Kagayama has been running consistently in the low 1m:15s lap times. The unofficial lap record is held by former BSB rider Leon Haslam from 2008 with a time of 1m:12.4s.

Kagayama said: "This morning the track temperature was very cold, only around 7 or 8 degrees so for sure that wasn't working so well with the tyre temperature and we weren't able to push for times. This morning we had to be very careful on track but now we are going back out and the temperature is higher, around 20 degrees so we should be able to push harder and have confidence to do the lap times.

"We need to improve the times but also be careful not to crash as we are developing the race bike today and not racing. It is difficult sometimes and you forget but his afternoon I think we will make more progress and the speed will improve. We have a lot of running in still to do with the new electronics and some new brake discs and then we can try some setting changes. I am happy so far, but this afternoon I am hoping we can do much more."

Hill bounces back fastest

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill currently is the fastest rider on track at Guadix, but the team's progress was halted briefly by a technical problem, causing the session to be red flagged.

Hill was one of the first riders to dip into the 1m:14s lap times this afternoon as the track temperature rose but he was forced to push the bike back to pitlane. Hill has been out on track and clearly undeterred has once again set the pace with an unofficial lap time of 1m:13.9s; the only rider to have lapped under the 1m:14 bracket.

For all the latest news from the Spanish tests keep checking back to the official BSB website. The Gallery section will also be updated with all the latest images from the test.

Bridewell makes Quay Garage Honda debut

Tommy Bridewell got his first chance to test the Quay Garage Honda today (Wednesday) at Guadix as the team used the single day as a shakedown test before returning to the UK.

Bridewell hadn't ridden the Honda before today having ridden the Suzuki last season but after a hundred laps he already feels confident that he can mix it near the front of the pack as the team prepare for the next test at Brands Hatch in a weeks' time.

Bridewell told the BSB website: "It has been great to get back out on a bike again today as it has been a long winter and it has been a big jump to the new Quay Garage Honda but it is just an amazing bit of kit. I really think that we can get some good results this year, even after just the shakedown laps today.

"It has been a busy day for us and we have probably done around a hundred laps, just giving me the chance to adjust to it and getting my head down to be honest. Overall it has been a good start for me and we have another test planned at Brands Hatch in the next few weeks so that will give us a good indication of where we are at."

Ellison and Easton : Inseparable at Guardix

Ellison and Easton: Inseparable at Guadix

The Swan Honda's of James Ellison and Stuart Easton were virtually inseparable today (Wednesday) at Guadix, with both riders running a similar pace and both inside the unofficial top five.

The times tumbled today as the conditions improved on track as Ellison slashed his best lap time down to an unofficial time of 1m:14.1s and believes that if the conditions are similar tomorrow he will be able to improve this time, whilst Easton was just a tenth behind with a 1m:14.2s lap.

Ellison said: "Today has been important for us as we obviously lost the time yesterday morning due to the snow. It has been cold today but we have definitely taken steps forward and we haven't been pushing for the lap times but they have been coming quite naturally. The aim of the day has been the engine management system again and just building on what we have learnt from the days we had at Cartagena; it's a case of getting dialled in. The suspension has been working well here so we have only made tweaks to that today so that is really good. I think today's improvements will put us in a place tomorrow where if the conditions are good we can get the lap times."

Easton said: "We have been lucky today that the conditions have been better to really maximise the time we had on track. We have been testing various setting changes, including a new K-Tech rear shock, which has shown real improvement when you are on the throttle in the corners. The priority other than that has still been working on the engine braking control but I feel we have made some good steps forward with that now. We may not have set the fastest lap times but that hasn't been our priority and we are definitely in the ball park of the other riders so that doesn't worry me as the important thing is what happens in a few weeks' time at Brands Hatch."

Rutter : Getting the Ducati dialled in

Rutter: Getting the Ducati dialled in

Michael Rutter admits he needs to focus on the traction control system of the Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati after a constructive day on track at Guadix today (Wednesday).

Rutter and Martin Jessopp completed over a hundred laps between them on the Ducati 1098s, but the 'Blade' admits that he needs to focus his efforts on the traction control in order to up the pace on the final day.

Rutter told the BSB website: "The test so far has not been too bad and I feel like we are getting somewhere despite having lots to work on. We did lose a lot of time yesterday but we were lucky today. I just need to get my head round the traction control as I need to be opening the throttle earlier and using it more to my advantage.

"Today hasn't been about lap times for us and to be honest we haven't done times as quick as some of the other riders but we did around 60 laps today on old tyres and we have been getting there with the settings even if it seems a long process. It is great to be back out on the Ducati again and hopefully we can get some more mileage in tomorrow."

Hill gears up for final day

Tommy Hill is gearing up for the final day on track tomorrow (Thursday) following another strong test today for the Worx Crescent Suzuki team, finishing the penultimate day second fastest on track at Guadix.

Hill had set the early pace on track this morning, but his best lap of 1m:13.9s was narrowly edged out by HM Plant Honda's Josh Brookes late this afternoon. However Hill is feeling confident that he is able to find more from the Worx Crescent Suzuki tomorrow before heading home to the UK.

Hill told the BSB website: "The Worx Crescent Suzuki has been working mega today and we have just really been working on the chassis with the improvements we made at Cartagena last week. We have been working hard with the new electronics package too and also bedded in some new wheels.

"In terms of lap times I think I was second or third overall as I know Josh was really fast today, but my best lap time was a 1m:13.9s and I was pretty happy with that. We have definitely got through a lot of the work we had planned and I am feeling really positive; we still have another day before we move on to testing in the UK so it is all looking good."

Brookes plants Honda fastest at Guadix

HM Plant Honda's Josh Brookes set the fastest time on the penultimate day of testing in Guadix today (Wednesday), waiting until late in the afternoon to edge out Tommy Hill on the Worx Crescent Suzuki.

This was the last day on track for the HM Plant Honda team before they return to the UK and Brookes set the pace this afternoon after conditions improved with a best unofficial lap time of 1m:13.6s. Brookes and team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari both admit they are now feeling more comfortable with the new with Ohlins suspension and Motec ECU control systems after their time in Spain as they return to the UK for further testing.

Speaking after the test Brookes said: "It has been a pretty successful day for me overall. We did lose out yesterday unfortunately due to the weather but we have made some really steady progress today and I am now definitely feeling more confident about the first round at Brands Hatch. We still have a few areas that we can work on when we are back testing in the UK, like the suspension and fuelling but we are leaving here happy with the work we have done."

Former double champion Kiyonari was also feeling positive on the final day of testing with the HM Plant Honda team: "This morning the track was cold and so it was very slippery so we were very careful. I am feeling happy after our tests in Spain as we have lots of good data that we can work with before Brands Hatch. I wanted to have been faster but the conditions haven't been so good and we had a lot of settings to test and that was very important. I am now looking forward to some more tests in the UK and improving ready for Brands Hatch."

Motorpoint Yamaha move to Cartagena

The Motorpoint Yamaha team have returned to Cartagena following the bad weather at Guadix this morning, with Neil Hodgson and Dan Linfoot preparing to get back on circuit tomorrow.

Snow halted testing at Guadix this morning and the Motorpoint Yamaha team decided the best option was to return to Cartagena for the final two days of Spanish pre-season testing before they return to the UK later this week. The team had taken advantage of the four-day test at the circuit last week to get dialled in to the 2009 championship-winning Yamahas, with both riders unofficially dipping into the 1m:34s lap times.

Talking to the BSB website Hodgson said: "We woke up this morning to snow and we wasn't sure how long it would take to clear so the team decided the best option was to return to Cartagena and try and carry on where we left off on Sunday. We have arrived back at the circuit now, so we are going to get everything set-up then prepare to get back on track tomorrow (Wednesday) morning."

Linfoot added: "It was a nightmare for us this morning as we have made real progress in Cartagena and I was looking forward to the test at Guadix as I hadn't ridden the track before. We now hopefully have a further two days here before we come back so I want to be able to push harder and really go for it. We don't have much planned for the rest of the day, but I am pleased to say there is no snow here and I am going to get out and cycle a few laps of the track tonight to get in some extra early practice!"

Meanwhile in Guadix the snow is clearing and the forecast is looking more positive for tomorrow

It\'s snow at Guadix

It’s snow go at Guadix

The opening day of the second major Spanish pre-season BSB test at Guadix has been delayed due to snowfall overnight.

The teams woke up this morning to find the track covered in snow as they prepared to get the first of the three day test underway this morning. Teams including Relentless Suzuki, Swan Honda, HM Plant Honda, MSS Colchester Kawasaki and Worx Crescent Suzuki now have to play the waiting game until the conditions improve.

Speaking earlier today Relentless Suzuki's Michael Laverty said: "We woke up to snow here this morning so testing today could be limited to coffee variations rather than chassis ones!"

For all the latest news from the Spanish tests keep checking back to the official BSB website. The Gallery section will also be updated with all the latest images from the test.

HM Plant Honda building for Guadix

The HM Plant Honda team has completed their opening Spanish pre-season test at Cartagena, with both Josh Brookes and Ryuichi Kiyonari making steady progress on the final day as they strived to close in on their championship rivals.

Brookes was able to improve his times in the final sessions of the test to run laps in the 1m:35s as the team continued to make steps forward with the electronics system. Returning champion Kiyonari was undeterred by a small crash and believes the developments made at Cartagena will put them in a strong position for the next test at Guadix on Tuesday.

Brookes said: "It has been a bit of a tough day as we haven't been able to match the lap times of some of the other riders so it has been a bit frustrating, but I know that we have been making progress. The tests aren't necessarily about setting the fastest lap times, but that is what you need to target and until we are able to match the pace I won't be satisfied. We have had a lot to work on and the team have been busy in the garage; this afternoon we made some big steps forward and I was able to do 1m:35.0s laps consistently so that was good.

"I felt much happier this afternoon and it has to be about consistency which was what we achieved towards the end of the day now we have made progress with the electronics and just general settings. I now feel we are ready to move on the Guadix and carry the momentum so we can finish the test satisfied we have done everything possible in preparation for the start of the season."

Kiyonari said: "I have been working steadily with the team as it is important to make progress every day. We have lots to work through and this takes time so we have been very busy on track and in the garage. I had a small crash this afternoon where the track was a bit slippery and maybe a bit dirty from the rain, but there was little damage and I was able to get back out. I haven't set fast lap times today as we have been working on the engine, but I think I can find some more pace at Guadix and really improve at our next test."

Kagayama leads the pack to Guadix

Worx Crescent Suzuki have ended the Cartagena test in Spain fastest as Yukio Kagayama upped the pace on the final day slashing over a second off the previous best time today, lapping at a scintillating 1m:33.51s.

The second Worx Crescent Suzuki of team-mate Tommy Hill was clocked only two-hundredths of a second behind, with the pair formation flying towards the end of the final day.

Team manager Jack Valentine said: "We're very, very pleased with today's outcome. We had only planned for three days' testing here but considering the high workload and the teething issues we've experienced we felt the extra day would help prepare the team better for the next test at Guadix, starting Tuesday.

"Yukio's had his work cut out these last few days, but today he was able to put in 42 laps - nearly equal to what he did over the entire three previous days. This brought him up to Tommy's pace and it was a real pleasure to see the pair of them all-but sharing the best lap time. But just as importantly those lap times weren't one-offs for either of them, they were able to lap consistently at this very fast pace.

"So we're really happy with the progress made. We've come here with a team that's much bigger than we had last year and we've come with new kit in the form of the Öhlins suspension and Motec engine management. The bikes, the riders and the team are really starting to gel - we've achieved everything we set out to do."

Unofficial overall top ten test times from Cartagena:

Linfoot makes leaps forward in Spain

Motorpoint Yamaha's Dan Linfoot has dipped into the 1m:34s lap times in Cartagena, Spain on the final day of testing before the teams move on to Guadix at the start of next week.

Linfoot and Hodgson have been riding the 2009 championship-winning Yamahas for the first time in Cartagena and both riders have made steady progress, with an unofficial time of 1m:34.7s from Linfoot and Hodgson improving to 1m:35.8s on the penultimate day.

Speaking to the BSB website this morning Linfoot said: "This has been a really good test for me so far and I am really gelling with the new Yamahas. This morning we managed to get a few laps in before it rained, but the track has dried up now so hopefully this afternoon we can click it up a few tenths again.

"The new kit that we have from GSE (Racing) has made a real difference; the electronics and engine braking are so different and I feel like I have learnt how to ride them quite quickly and I have adapted easier than I thought. I haven't been doing the 34 second laps consistently, but I have been there or thereabouts and for me it is a real confidence boost to be in the mix with some of the other riders, especially as they are all of such high calibre.

"I know that this is just testing though so I'm keeping my feet firmly on the ground and Rob is making sure I keep focused, but so far it has been amazing. I really can't wait to get back on for the next session and then move on to Guadix!"

Tunstall: Evo versus Superbike

Tom Tunstall admits that the decision of which class to race in next season has been made more difficult after a positive test with the Doodson Motorsport Honda team in Cartagena running in both full Superbike and Evo specification guises.

Tunstall completed laps on both specification machinery and believes that the laps times won't be worlds apart at some of the circuits this season, which makes his choice more difficult. However with further track time scheduled in Guadix next week Tunstall is eager to see if a different circuit will produce similar results.

Tunstall told the BSB website: "It has been a really useful experience for the whole team out here in Cartagena as we have been able to use the track time to test both the Superbike and Evo specification bike. We had a slight problem with the radiator on the main Superbike so we never had the chance to string some fast laps together on new tyres, but I was really impressed with the Evo bike as that lapped just 0.4 seconds slower than the Superbike.

"If anything the test here has made the decision to run in Superbike or Superbike Evo more difficult as the pace was not that different at a circuit where you don't need to be on the throttle all the time. This means at places like Cadwell Park, Mallory Park or Knockhill the lap times will be really close between the full Superbikes and the Evo bikes.

"We are now packing up and moving on to Guadix as that circuit has different characteristics so it will hopefully make the decision easier for us. Overall we have really been pleased with the times we have done on both bikes and my lap times on the Superbike were quicker than I have done here in previous years so that is definitely positive."

Successful test for Swan Honda at Cartagena

The Swan Honda team has been boosted by the progress made at their first major pre-season test at the Spanish circuit of Cartagena this week with both James Ellison and Stuart Easton lapping just outside the unofficial lap record.

The four-day test got underway earlier this week with both riders initially using the track time as a shakedown for the Swan Honda before turning their attention to finding a strong base setting before the team move on to Guadix on Tuesday.

Ellison (1m:34.5s) said: "It has been a great few days for me and it has been awesome getting back out on track on the Swan Honda. We had a long list of settings we wanted to try before we arrived and I am pleased to say that we have managed to cover everything. On the final day we have made some changes to the rear links and some minor tweaks to the electronics, but it is only fine tuning as we have managed to make some really good progress. I did my fastest lap of the test in the final session so that just shows the improvements are paying off."

Easton (1m:34.8s) said: "I am leaving this test happy with what we have been able to achieve and the progress we have made with the Swan Honda. We didn't have ideal conditions on the final day with some light rain in the morning, but other than that it has been a really positive few days for us. We now feel that we have the engine braking control working how we need it to, which was one of our main areas to focus on, so we are pleased with that development. I am now just eager to get back out on track next week so myself and PJ (Pete Jennings) can maintain our level of progress."

Team Manager Shaun Muir concluded: "We have had a mountain of work to get through and we are exactly where we need to be with respect to the development of the electronics. We've purposely not chased times and whatever the boys have done has come easily. All in all we are in good shape going to Guadix."

Neill : We know we have the pace

Neill: We know we have the pace

Relentless Suzuki team manager Phillip Neill believes that Michael Laverty has already made an impression on his return to the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at the team's pre-season test in Cartagena Spain, as one of the fastest riders on track.

Neill admits he has been impressed by the team's early performance on track with Laverty and team-mate reigning Superstock 1000 champion Alastair Seeley consistently lapping at a strong race pace over the past four days. The team have been working alongside their road race squad of Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey today as Laverty maintained his impressive pace to be one of the fastest riders on track with an unofficial best lap time of 1m:34.3s whilst Seeley also dipped into the 34s late this afternoon.

The Superbike pair have completed around 170 laps at Cartagena despite missing the morning session today and now the team are set for a one-day test at Guadix next week.

Talking exclusively to the BSB website Neill said: "The test has gone fantastically well, we couldn't have asked for any more from both Michael and Alastair and I couldn't be happier. There has been a lot of talk on lap times and all I can say is that Tommy (Hill), James (Ellison) and Michael have all been doing similar times and pretty equal throughout the test.

"I am over the moon with the progress the team have made out here the past few days. Michael had a small crash yesterday but we had very little damage and it hasn't caused any problems. Michael has impressed me with his consistency; today he set eight laps consistently in the low 34s and that wasn't on soft rubber either. The main thing is consistency and both riders have proved that they can run the times lap after lap.

"I am also very impressed with how Alastair has settled in on the Superbike and I am very excited by his performance so far. Michael and Alastair didn't go out this morning as our road race team were on track, but they didn't lose anything as the track was wet during those sessions but dried this afternoon for the final two. That was when Michael did his best lap time and he has so far proved why he should be back in BSB.

"We have been able to nail the electronics and traction control and now we just have to do some further work on weight transfer as Alastair is very light so we have to focus on that with him. The engines have run like clockwork and the K-Tech suspension has also worked well for Michael, although Alastair will not run that until the next test back home.

"I couldn't be happier now as we pack up and head to Guadix, knowing that we have two consistent riders who have made some real progress here at Cartagena."

Cartagena latest:Ellison sets the pace

Cartagena latest: Ellison sets the pace

Swan Honda's James Ellison is currently the fastest rider on track unofficially in Cartagena on the penultimate day of testing at the Spanish circuit.

The unofficial times have been tight at the top with Michael Laverty and Tommy Hill the pace setters on the second day, but with the teams making steady progress Ellison set an unofficial flying lap of 1m:34.8s, just outside the unofficial lap record of former BSB rider Leon Haslam on the Stiggy Honda in 2008 of 1m:34.01s.

Talking to the BSB website earlier this afternoon Ellison said: "We have improved my lap times today by 0.6s despite it being cold and windy so I have to say I am happy with that. The improvement has come from the different settings we have been working on with the traction control over the past three days so the hard work is clearly paying off.

"It has been a day of connecting the dots from the data that we have gathered and the aim has been to be consistent with the times and that is what we have achieved. We have made real progress with the traction control to stop the bike wheeling and have been steady away with some other slight setting tweaks which will improve our times too."

Swan Honda team-mate Stuart Easton added: "I have been really working hard again today with my crew chief PJ (Pete Jennings) and after the first two days we have definitely come a long way. The only real issue we had today was with the throttle connection but we have made some real improvement with the engine braking control.

"We have really focused on the throttle connection and the chassis and overall I am happy with the lap times although they aren't as fast as some of the others. It has been another good day and we are just hoping we get another good day tomorrow to set us up for Guadix."

Yuki crashes but is ready to bounce back

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama is eager to bounce back in the team's final day of their Cartagena test tomorrow (Sunday) after suffering a high-side in the closing session of the day.

Tommy Hill unofficially broke the lap record and set the fastest time so far, whilst Yuki was only tenths of a second behind his team-mate at the end of the day despite experiencing problems with the new engine management system. The Japanese ace crashed out in the final session today when he high-sided the Worx Crescent Suzuki, but fortunately escaped injury.

Kagayama said: "It hasn't been easy for me with the problems we've had, but on my side of the garage we've still made good progress and the speed is there. We've focused on working through many different settings. We need to try many settings as there are many circuits in the season, so we need to have many ideas and lots of answers so that we can always be fast. So overall we have made good progress, but still more work to do!"

Team Manager Jack Valentine though is feeling positive about their progress in Spain: "Testing is a serious business and it's not at all straight forward. It's been fairly cold here and it's been a job for the riders to find grip, so to get the lap times they have is excellent progress. As well, this test has been organised in sessions - rather than an open pit lane - and this has given the team a good taster of the kind of approach we'll need to take in race-qualifying under the new one-bike rule. So far, all is good."

Laverty and Seeley relentless in Spain

The Relentless Suzuki team continued to push forward on the third day of pre-season testing in Cartagena, Spain today (Saturday), with Michael Laverty boosted by the progress made after setting the early pace yesterday.

Laverty had been focusing on the electronics and despite a small crash yesterday was able to set a fastest time of 1m:35.1s, with the times today in the mid 35s as the team targeted consistent laps at race pace. Seeley meanwhile has adjusted to the Superbike and admits that his lap times have shown improvement following the developments made to the electronics and chassis. Both riders have now finished for the day whilst the team's road race line-up of Bruce Anstey and Cameron Donald complete the final session of the day.

Laverty said: "The conditions haven't been as good today and we have only ran one set of tyres in the sessions, but I have still been able to do lap times in the mid 35s which was reasonable race pace. My best lap was still the 1m:35.1s from yesterday and we looked like we could have gone quicker but I had a small crash where I just slid off at the end of the final session.

"We have been working hard on the electronics and we seem to have resolved the wheel spin that we were experiencing on the first day. We have tested variations of how we can make the power delivery smoother and I now am happier with the way the Relentless Suzuki is moving around underneath me. I am confident though that we have already made good progress and I feel that when we get to Guadix on Tuesday we will be able to up the pace again."

Seeley said: "It has been a good test so far for me and a chance to really get used to the full Superbike. I have never been to the circuit before so the first day was just getting used to being back out there and learning the track, but I have made some good progress and I have been about 0.6 seconds off the best time Michael did, which for the first test is not so bad. I haven't been going for the laps but I have been consistent with my times and that is the main thing. We had initially been struggling a bit with grip, but as we made changes to the chassis and the electronics we have seen a real improvement."

Splitlaith Aprilia: The bike is awesome

Splitlath Aprilia: The bike is awesome

Splitlath Aprilia team owner John Dimbylow has admitted that their days on track at the Cartagena pre-season have gone better than expected, with brothers Chris and Joe Burns getting to grips with their Evo-spec RSV4s.

The Burns brothers have been using the test as a shake-down before completing extra days in the UK before the Easter season opener at Brands Hatch, with Dimbylow already impressed by the chassis of their new machines.

John Dimbylow said: "We had quite a slow start to the test as the frame on the RSV4 is all adjustable so the first day was a bit difficult. However on the second day we made lots of progress; the team were working hard and the improvements were evident and now the Aprilia is running fantastically. Today has been incredible and we have been consistent with the times, consistently in the 1m37s laps.

"We even had a start simulation today and initially we were a bit worried and we hadn't tried a standing start but despite having no launch control the guys got off to a flyer and made it to the first corner ahead.

"Overall I have to say that it has been worth every minute coming out here and the team have worked well together to get us to this point. We are all extremely pleased with the progress and tomorrow both Chris and Joe are going to play with the settings before we head back to the UK to complete our test schedule."

Hill ends day three fastest

Tommy Hill and the Worx Crescent Suzuki team ended the penultimate day of testing in Cartagena, Spain by setting the unofficial fastest lap time.

Hill set a time of 1m:34.5s to edge out James Ellison who had also dipped in the 34s earlier today. Hill and the team were able to set consistent lap times despite working on a range of changes during the time he set his personal best time of the test.

Hill told the BSB website: "It has been a really good day for me again and the Worx Crescent Suzuki has been working like a dream; it's definitely a bike we can race rather than just set the odd fast lap on which is the main thing. I did a sequence of five laps in the mid-to high 34s, which is all under the lap record so we were happy with that.

"We have had a big list of things to work through and the team have provided me with all the tools to do it. Today we have worked on everything from the chassis and geometry to links and electronics and have still been able to produce the times which is encouraging. We still have tomorrow before we move on to Guadix so hopefully we can pick up where we left off in the morning."

BSB Cartagena test notoe: Day two

BSB Cartagena test notes: Day two

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title contenders were back out in force today (Friday) at Cartagena on the second day of pre-season testing in Spain.

The conditions were slightly cooler compared to yesterday, but this didn't stop the progress of many of the key players as they continued to prepare for the opening round of the season at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend (2/3/4/5 April).

The BSB website and MCN caught up with some of the riders at the end of the second day:

Swan Honda's James Ellison: "We have had day two now and we have mainly been progressing with the work we did yesterday on the electronics and traction control. We obviously have a good starting point as we have Stuart's data from last year and so we have been working through a few ideas on how we can the best from the Swan Honda and then go out for just a few laps at a time to see how it reacts. We have then been back in the garage as the team check through the data so we can see what works and what doesn't. I feel good on the bike and it already feels like we have a strong base to work with. The Honda really suits my riding style, much more than the Yamaha and the new K-Tech suspension has already given me more confidence in the front so I can really push in the corners."

Swan Honda's Stuart Easton: "We have been chipping away again today and we are continuing to make good progress. Last year the bike was good, especially towards the end of the season but we have taken a step back here whilst we continue the development work on various elements in order to make two steps forward. This is takes a while but it has to be done and we have plenty of track time here in Spain which gives us the opportunity to do it. We have strong chassis data from last year to compare what we have done the past two days and we have made good progress with the new electronic system."

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill: "I had a small crash today; I was going to go inside Stuart (Easton) because it looked like he'd out-braked himself but then he suddenly turned in. I grabbed a load of front brake and then the rear went light and came around on me and I was down. Apart from that I'm really happy with the times (best unofficial time 1m:35.1s). The conditions have deteriorated today but my lap times have been consistent and I've been able to string a succession of low 1.35s today."

Swan Honda breaks cover at cartagena

Swan Honda breaks cover at Cartagena

James Ellison and Stuart Easton had their first chance to get to grips with the Swan Honda at Cartagena today (Thursday) as the team's testing schedule kicked off in Spain.

Both riders made the most of the first day as a shakedown test to work on basic set-up with Easton focusing on the electronic system whilst Ellison readjusted to the Honda on his return to the team.

Ellison said: "It was great to get the first day of testing underway and get back out on the Swan Honda. The team has worked really well today and it is like being back with the family again and it's like I have never been away. We have been in and out of pitlane all day getting the bike to feel like mine again and I have been working on the gearing as it is so different from the Yamaha. We made a few slight changes to positioning but for me it was valuable time back on the Honda. It is definitely all smiles here tonight."

Easton said: "We had a plan of what we needed to work on today and we have surpassed that so it bodes well for the next three days here at Cartagena. We have mainly focused on the new electronic kit and I have to say that it already feels better than I was expecting. We haven't been clocking up the laps today but have solved a few teething problems that you always have at the first test. Tomorrow we plan to work further on the electronics as this is vital but after day one we are heading in the right direction."

Spanish test day one:The rivalry starts now !

Spanish test day one: The rivalry starts now!

The 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship officially got underway under the sun of Cartagena, Spain today (Thursday) as some of the main championship contenders were out on track for the opening day of testing.

Teams including Motorpoint Yamaha, Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati, Worx Crescent Suzuki, Swan Honda and Relentless Suzuki took to the circuit for the first time as the four-day test got underway where the competition and rivalry was renewed for 2010. They will also be joined on track tomorrow by HM Plant Honda.

Motorpoint Yamaha's Neil Hodgson: "Today has just been really good for me; we had ideal conditions and the Motorpoint Yamaha feels good. I haven't been to the circuit for about ten years so I had to try and remember the way round but then it was all good! As unbelievable as it sounds my aim today was to change nothing with the bike and just spend the day riding and that was exactly what I did. We used two sets of tyres and all I focused on was the way I was riding the Yamaha and how it was different from the bikes I have ridden previously. We have eight days of track time so this was the best possible start for me and it would be stupid to go out crazy on day one. I have been adapting the way I ride today to make the bike suit me and it definitely has worked as I have seen real progress throughout the day; the key for me is keep the RPM low and not rev it so hard. It was weird to start with but it is working and that shows potential."

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Tommy Hill: "It has been a really good day and we have already worked through a lot of the setting changes we needed to get done today. The conditions have been ideal here, unlike Portugal, so we are treating this as our first real test. We have been working on the basic set-up and we have changed to Ohlins suspension for this year so we have been getting to grips with that and the new Motec ECU system. We have been on the case with the chassis and I think everyone seems pretty equal out here at the moment. The lap times have been good and we are only 0.2 or 0.3 off the lap record here so that shows the pace, even though it is only the first day. They weren't one off laps either, we were able to string the times together consistently and that is the main thing."

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Yukio Kagayama: "It was my first time at this track so I have spent time learning the corners and the best lines. It has been good to be back on the bike and we are working really well as a team now and I think we are moving on and this is positive for me and the mechanics. The important thing for me, and the priority here, is to get a base setting that makes me fast for the start of the season. I am very happy with day one and we can only get faster!"

Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati's Michael Rutter: "It has been a matter today of just going out there and riding the Ducati again. It was great being back out on track and we just needed to get some mileage on the bikes as they have been completely rebuilt for this year, so we ran the same tyres all day and just kept banging in the laps. I am happy with what we have done today and now we can look at playing with the traction settings tomorrow, which is something we didn't really get the chance to do at the end of last year. By the time testing is over we will have a bike that is miles better than what we raced at the end of the 2009 season."

Relentless Suzuki by TAS' Michael Laverty said: "Today has made me a happy rider; to be out on the bike again and it feels so much better than the bike I rode back with the team when I raced in BSB in 2008. This was our first day on the bike and so it has just been a shakedown for me but I already feel comfortable and the lap times were respectable during the four sessions we had today and the times were coming quite easily. We know the direction we need to go with the settings and that is mainly focussed on the chassis and changing the weight balance to suit my style, with more weight on the rear I think we will see an immediate improvement. We also need to work on the traction control as today we were experiencing wheel spin, so once we have that working effectively it will be reflected in the times."

Swan Honda gearing up for Spanish pre-season test

The Swan Honda team are preparing for their main pre-season test ahead of the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as the countdown to the start of the season continues.

James Ellison and Stuart Easton will get their first opportunity to ride the Swan Honda later this week when the team's pre-season test schedule kicks off with four-days on track at Cartagena followed by a further three days at Guadix next week.

Ellison said: "I am really excited about testing now, it seems to have been a long wait but it will be worth it. This is the first time for us to test the Swan Honda and we are going to use the four days at Cartagena as a bit of a shakedown before we get serious at Guadix next week. We can find a good base setting in the first few days and then we can really make a break and get serious with the times. I have been to the workshop and I have seen how hard the team have been working to be prepared for this test so now I am looking forward to getting out there and getting this show on the road."

Easton said: "I am feeling really positive about the start of the season. I already have a good feeling with the Swan Honda as I have ridden it for a year and we made some really good progress at the end of 2009. I think the Spanish tests at Cartagena and Guadix will help me to progress even further with set-up and overall this can only put us in a stronger position ahead of the start of the season. We have a good idea on what we need to achieve whilst we are in Spain and we want to leave there ready to win at Brands Hatch."

BSB riders set for first clash of 2010

The countdown to the start of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship really gets underway later this week when the main pre-season tests kick off in Spain.

This will be the first time this year that some of the main contenders will share the track to begin their key preparations ahead of the Easter opening round at Brands Hatch. The tests kick off with four days at Cartagena followed by a further three days next week at Quadix. Teams including HM Plant Honda, Swan Honda, Worx Crescent Suzuki, Relentless Suzuki, MSS Kawasaki and Motorpoint Yamaha will all be out in force and you can follow all the latest news on the official BSB website.

One of the main contenders eager to get out on track is former champion Neil Hodgson who believes this will be the first time he can really knuckle down and target times on the Motorpoint Yamaha.

Hodgson said: "This will be my first real test on the Motorpoint Yamaha as previously we had limited track time and it was more of a shakedown for me and the team to work together for the first time. I know that we have a busy schedule whilst we are in Spain and lots of different settings to work through and this is where all the riders will definitely push each other for the times. We want to go out, get comfortable and then go for consistent lap times so we leave Spain ready for Brands Hatch."

Champion Iddon switches Supermoto for BSB

Christian Iddon will make a full-time switch to circuit racing in 2010 when he makes his debut in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship with the sorrymate.com SMT Honda team.

The 25-year-old reigning British Supermoto champion has several British titles to his name and has already raced in both World and European Championships. He is now keen to prove himself in road racing after competing at selected rounds of the KTM RC8 Cup and the final round of the 2009 Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship at Oulton Park where he immediatley impressed by finishing in sixth place against tough competition.

Iddon told the BSB website: "I feel that the time is right now for me to move to circuit racing as I really wanted a new challenge and I think BSB will be. I have won nine British Supermoto titles and although I didn't win the world title I believe I am ready to try something new. Last season I had my first chance to try track racing and did some events in the KTM one-make series and also the final National Superstock Championship round. I knew the depth of the field in Superstock and the quality of the riders would give me a chance to test myself and I have to admit that I had set myself expectations for that race and I managed to surpass them.

"I have never been too worried about throwing myself in at the deep end in races and I feel that it pushes you more as a rider. I have only done ten events in road racing so of all the BSB riders on the grid I probably have the least experience, but that doesn't faze me and all I can do is go out and give it my all. I have the backing of the team and also my sponsors so I want to put on a good show for them. We will have limited pre-season testing before the Brands Hatch round but I am definitely looking forward to getting out there and developing myself as a rider. I am confident in my race experience; all I need to do from now on is to try to convert the skills I have learned from Supermoto on to the Superbike.

"I am under no illusions as to how difficult this season is going to be. I know that some of the best riders in the world are lining up on the grid and it will be an absolute honour to be on track with them. I have so much to learn and it's not long before the season opener so I think it is going to have to be baby steps to begin with and I hope that by round three we should know a more about the pace we have.

"I am really grateful to Sorrymate.com and SMT for this incredible opportunity. They have put a lot of trust in me for this year and it is great to see a team of such stature giving me this chance. Having ridden with them twice before in the Superstock 600 and 1000 Championships I am fully aware just how professional the effort is and I have absolute confidence in the team I have around me. I have my own personal expectations and I don't really want to say what they are, but I have spent the last five years competing in World Championship competition so I'm used to the very top level of racing and I think that will come in very useful."

Sorrymate.com SMT Honda will also be supporting Kenny Gilbertson in the Metzeler National 1000 Superstock Championship.

Ultimate Racing complete pre-season test

Ultimate Racing Yamaha's Peter Hickman completed a successful pre-season test at Cartagena and the team are now making the final preparations ahead of the opening round of the championship on Brands Hatch on Easter weekend.

The team were on track for four-days and after learning the track Hickman was soon eager to try some new parts on the number one bike the next day despite the changing conditions. The team now believe they have a competitive base setting and were pleased with the progress made during their time on track and are now making some final developments in time for the opening round.

Hickman said: ''The test went very well at Cartagena and the bike is handling really well now as we made quite a few changes and they have definitely helped. One of our biggest problems last year was with tyre life but we have now made a step forward. Our next step is to try and continue to develop the engine, but now we have the handling we want we are able to focus on that as the next step. A big thank you to Rob Butt from R.Butt Logistics LTD and Darren Jones from Louthbikes.com for their help this week, plus my dad, Dave. All I can say now is roll on Brands Hatch!''

Zanotti Launches Evo attack

Zanotti launches Evo attack

Aaron Zanotti will return to the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this season and is aiming for Evo title glory with the Red Viper Spike Suzuki team.

The newly-formed team has joined forces with Ady Butterworth of Red Viper Racing to attack the championship with Suzuki's GSXR1000 and are set for an intensive test programme prior to the opening round.

Zanotti said: "I'm really pleased to be in BSB again and excited at the prospect of having a really competitive bike in the Evo class. There are a lot of unknowns with three new makes spicing things up but I'm hoping to make my mark in the first ever Evo season. I'm glad to be back on a Suzuki this year having had a lot of success on them in the past when I finished runner-up in the Superstock class in 2006."

Team Owner Neil (Spike) Bamford said: "The introduction of Evo has been a godsend for us. We have been able to build a bike for Aaron on a sensible budget that could be capable of winning races. Although we don't really know how the Aprilia, BMW and KTM are going to perform on the track in Evo guise, we believe Suzuki's GSXR1000 K10 will be the strongest package overall.

"We're all delighted to have Ady Butterworth with us this year as Team Manager as he and Aaron have worked together really well in the past and his knowledge and enthusiasm are invaluable. We are expecting both the main championship and Evo championship to produce some close racing this year, and provide a great viewing spectacle for BSB fans."

Chris and Joe in Aprilia Evo campaign

Burns brothers launch Aprilia powered BSB Evo campaign

Splitlath Motorsport have launched a two-pronged assault in the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship confirming that brothers Chris and Joe Burns will line up on the Superbike grid on a pair of Aprilia RSV4s to battle for the Evo title.

The team are the third new manufacturer to enter BSB this season following the announcements that BMW and KTM. Team Owner John Dimbylow believes the pair will be in a strong position when the season kicks off at Brands Hatch as the team continue with their pre-season preparations.

Chris Burns said: "I am looking forward to being back on the BSB grid and I really believe that the new Evo rules will suit the Aprilia. It is an unknown quantity as it has not raced in BSB before, but neither has BMW or KTM, however with the new regulations we really believe it can be competitive and can challenge for strong results in Evo. John has put together a great package and on paper we have all the ingredients to fight for the first Evo title. I am now looking forward to getting testing underway and assessing where we are at so that we can arrive at Brands Hatch ready to go."

Joe Burns said: "It is a big jump for me to go from the Superstock class straight into BSB but I look at it as a challenge and it is definitely one I am looking forward to. There is so much more to a Superbike, but I know that we can develop the new Aprilia and I definitely want to be finishing in the top five in Evo, but I think as the year goes on and we get more time on the bike that we should be targeting the top three. I have been working and training hard in preparation for the coming season and I know this is a big opportunity for me. We will have to see what happens at Brands Hatch and go from there but I am feeling excited about racing in BSB Evo on the Aprilia with the Spitlath Motorsport team."

Team Owner John Dimbylow concluded: "We intended on running the Aprilias in the Superstock class but we have entered BSB Evo as we really believe that it is the future. There is a lot to get together as we have started completely from scratch and this is an extremely busy time for everyone involved. The beauty of the Aprilia is that it is a race bike with lights and we can make various changes at each round to help with the development.

"We are very excited that we have also been able to run a two-man team, especially to have Chris and Joe together as there is always rivalry between team-mates but sibling rivalry is always stronger than that. I think they will really push each other and this in turn will develop them both and the new Aprilia. We have testing planned for March and then we will be all set for Brands Hatch and hoping to get the season off to the best possible start. We need to thank everyone involved with the team including Silkolene and JT Sprockets and now we look forward to a consistent season."

BMW set for BSB debut in 2010

Iconic German manufacturer BMW will be represented for the first time in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this year in both the BSB Evo and Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship classes.

BMW enters BSB for the first time following their debut season in the World Superbike Championship in 2009, officially supporting the Jentin Racing team who have previously helped to launch the careers of riders like James Ellison and Simon Andrews. The Jentin Racing BMW squad will run two riders onboard the BMW S1000 RR, with Steve Brogan aiming for the inaugural Evo title whilst Richard Cooper will be seeking championship glory in the Superstock class.

Brogan said: "I have raced in BSB before but this is my first real opportunity to be out there for the whole season working with a competitive team and on a bike that is capable of scoring strong results. You can see how Troy Corser has impressed with the BMW in World Superbikes with the bike almost standard and Richard Cooper has also had some really good performances when he has raced BMWs before so I am feeling confident. My aim is obviously to win the Evo title but I also want to mix it with as many of the top riders as possible and fight for positions overall. I really think that there will be some circuits that we can go for the top ten, even if we are running in to Evo-specification.

"It is a nice feeling for me to be back in BSB after racing in Superstock the past few seasons and I know that I really need to up my game now, this is a big year for me to prove myself and I know that people will be watching the progress we make with the BMW. I want to be out there racing against the main Superbike riders as BSB is where I need to be. I will definitely be giving it my best and although we haven't started testing yet I really believe we are going to be fighting for that first Evo title."

Team Manager Bernie Toleman concluded: "Our plans to run in the BSB Evo class for 2010 all came together quite quickly and I couldn't be more pleased with the team we have now. I have worked with Steve before and we have seen how determined he is to win so I am expecting good results and for him to be fighting for the Evo title.

"I have been aware of Richard and his career and truly believe he is a star of the future; he has a strong association with BMW and his performances speak for themselves. It is a really exciting project for us to be running in both the Evo and Superstock classes and we are going to approach them both in the same way as for us they are both as important as each other. This is the first time our team has had a direct link with a manufacturer and with BMW being such an iconic brand we intend on doing them justice during the season."

Three new manufacturers join BSB for 2010

The 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship will feature three new manufacturers when the season gets underway on Easter weekend at Brands Hatch. Entries from Aprilia, BMW and KTM now mean that a staggering eight manufacturers will be represented.

There will also be a two-pronged Aprilia assault in the inaugural BSB Evolution (Evo) class with Splitlath Motorsport confirming that brothers Chris and Joe Burns will line up on the Superbike grid on a pair of Aprilia RSV4s.

Splitlath Aprilia Team Owner John Dimbylow said: "We have entered BSB Evo as we really believe that it is the future. The beauty of the Aprilia is that it is a race bike with lights and we can make various changes at each round to help with the development. We are very excited that we have also been able to run a two-man team, especially to have Chris and Joe together. I think they will really push each other and this in turn will develop them both and the new Aprilia. We have testing planned for March and then we will be all set for Brands Hatch and hoping to get the season off to the best possible start. We are now looking forward to a consistent debut season."

German manufacturer BMW enters BSB for the first time following their debut season in the World Superbike Championship in 2009, officially supporting the Jentin Racing team. The Jentin Racing BMW squad will run a two rider team onboard the BMW S1000 RR with Steve Brogan aiming for the Evo title whilst Richard Cooper will be seeking championship glory in the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship.

Jentin Racing BMW Team Manager Bernie Toleman said: "I couldn't be more pleased with the team we have for 2010. We have seen how determined Steve is to win so I am expecting him to be fighting for the Evo title. I have been aware of Richard and his career and truly believe he is a star of the future, he has a strong association with BMW and his performances speak for themselves. It is a really exciting project for us to be running in both the Evo and Superstock classes and we are going to approach them both in the same way, as for us they are both as important as each other. This is the first time our team has had a direct link with a manufacturer and with BMW being such an iconic brand we intend on doing them justice during the season."

KTM also recently announced their entry into the championship with Redline KTM progressing to the BSB Evo class with James Edmeades on the KTM RC8.

Redline KTM Team Owner Tim Walker said: "This is an exciting time for everyone involved in this project. Redline Motorcycles has been a KTM dealer for 18 years and racing has always been my passion so to enter the Evo class for this year is great news for us all. We don't doubt that this is a big project but we have been racing in the KTM one-make series for the past two seasons so to move to a different class is a natural progression. It is important to maintain the promotion of the KTM brand in BSB and maximise it to its full potential."

Flying Finn primed for BSB Evo assault

Pauli Pekkanen from Finland will make the step up to the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this season after confirming he will be entering the Evo class, making him the ninth contender entered to fight for the inaugural title.

Pekkanen finished runner-up in last year's one-make KTM RC8 Super Cup series and has a range of experience having competed in the European Superstock Championship in addition to battling previously for the Finish Supersport Championship title. He is now eager to get testing at the start of next month in preparation for the new season and is under no illusions about the challenge ahead.

Pekkanen told the BSB website: "It is an exciting time for me as this season I will be riding a new bike, in a new championship so this is a big challenge for me personally. The Suzuki will feel so much different to the KTM I rode last season, but I think it will be a good progression for me and we have some pre-season testing planned so we will have got to grips with the bike before the opening round.

"I had been assessing my options for this season but to race in BSB Evo is definitely the better career path for me, and to be part of the championship will give me more exposure and I will learn more from the experience. I have wanted to run in BSB Evo since it was announced and we are pleased that we have finally been able to confirm our plans for the 2010 season."

New MV first ride

There’s a new 186bhp 998cc in-line-four-cylinder engine, chassis and electronics package, which includes an eight-stage traction control, switchable ‘Sport’ and ‘Rain’ power maps and variable-length intake trumpets.

The old model, which came in 998cc F4 1000 R 312 and 1078cc F4 1078 RR 312 guises, was always fast around a track, thanks to its massively powerful engine, but wasn’t the most pleasant motorcycle to ride.

It had a really cramped riding position, stiff controls and carried lots of weight compared to its superbike competition.

But I’ve got high hopes for the new F4. MV has made their new-generation Brutale much friendlier to ride – almost Honda like – so this bodes well for the new F4.

Also, they say it’s around 10kg lighter than the old model, so it should be easier to get around the track and less tiring to ride on the road too

Michael signs for Magic Bullet

Howarth signs for Magic Bullet Two Wheel Racing

Michael Howarth will be gunning for success in the Evo class of the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship after signing with the Magic Bullet Two Wheel Racing team.

Howarth will be spearheading the team's effort aboard a GSX-R1000 Suzuki and is thrilled at the prospect of taking part in an all new class with a newly established team.

Howarth said: "The team is really proactive and I think the new Evo class will suit me. We are due to test soon at Oulton Park as I've never ridden a Suzuki before, but I know if I pull my finger out I can go really well. I can't wait to get racing."

The team will also be entering the Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship with Ulster Superbike Champion David Haire leading the assault on the title. Haire will be joined by Dan Brill, with Nikki Coates competing in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 Championship.

Team Owner Dave Tyson, said: "Obviously every team sets out to win and we are no exception, we are determined to be challenging for the honours from the very start. Magic Bullet Two Wheel Racing wants to develop young talent in Britain and with the set-up we have we feel we can do that. We have a defined route for them to take from Junior Superstock 600cc, to 1000cc Superstock class and then on to the Evo class. We'd like to think a rider can come to us and over a number of season progress to where he wants to be. I'd like to see Magic Bullet Two Wheel Racing providing the foundations of many successful race careers."

MAR back in BSB

Hungarian Superstock champion joins MAR Kawasaki

The reigning Hungarian Superstock champion Dávid Juhász will be making his debut in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this season after signing for the MAR Kawasaki squad to compete for the first Evo title.

Malcolm Ashley's team have been working hard during the winter to secure Juhász ahead of the new season, with the 17-year-old BSB rookie eager to make an impression in his debut season with the team. He has previously raced in championships including the GSX-R European Cup where he finished fifth and joins BSB following a season in the Alpe Adria Superstock 1000 Championship where he secured several race wins and set three new lap records.

Juhász said: "I am happy to be part of the best domestic championship in the world and to have the opportunity to race in the Evo class on the fantastic Kawasaki ZX10R. I hope to do the best job I can on track and I am also going to enjoy visiting the UK once again as I like England very much. I am proud to represent Hungary at this level of competition and acknowledge that I will be racing against the great riders from England and around the world. I would like to wish them all the best, and a safe season and I look forward to the first race at Brands Hatch."

Ashley said: "Today is a proud day for MAR and our sponsors as we will be fielding the first Hungarian in the British Superbike Championship. David has a bright future, as he has already achieved many wins, lap records and so on at only 17 years old. He is the Hungarian Superstock champion and also owns the 'outright lap record' of the Hungaroring beating the existing lap record held by a certain Gabor Talmacsi! The skills David already has for sliding the bike on the exit and running the turns hard will be put to good use now in the fantastic new Evo class where electronic aids are no longer permitted. We now hope for a successful season in BSB."

McElnea Launches Evo team with Johanson

McElnea launches Evo team with Johansson

Rob McElnea has today confirmed that he will be running a team in the new BSB Evo class alongside his main championship team of Neil Hodgson and Dan Linfoot after signing young Swedish rider Hampus Johansson.

Johansson has previously competed in the European Superstock Championship, but the BSB rookie has now made the switch to the world's best domestic bike race championship and is now eager to begin testing next month alongside Hodgson and Linfoot from the Motorpoint Yamaha team ahead of his debut at Brands Hatch on Easter weekend.

Johansson said: "This is a real exciting time for me; to be able to join Rob's team with the new Evo bike and be ready at the start of this new series is going to be fun. This is only my fourth season on road racing so this is a very fast learning curve. I know the British Championship is probably the fastest domestic series in the world; the current World Supersport Champion and the majority of the front row of World Superbike riders have come from the BSB so it has to be good for me! It will be tough to learn all the tracks and the new bike but we are all looking forward to the challenge."

Team Owner McElnea concluded: "This is a very exciting new project; the Evo class is something we wanted to get involved with, not just for the development opportunity but more for us to be able to encourage new young riders. To be able to bring over a young Swedish rider is a real coup for us and the series. The British Championship continue to be the breeding ground for our new riders and Hampus sees this new Evo class as a huge opportunity for him."

Hill and Kagayama complete Portugal test

Hill and Kagayama complete Portuguese test

The Worx Crescent Suzuki team have been back on track in Portimao this weekend, with both Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama getting their first opportunity of the year to test.

The three-day shakedown with both riders gave the team the chance to test new parts ahead of the key pre-season test in Spain next month and despite changing conditions Team Manager Jack Valentine believes the squad have left Portugal in a stronger position.

Valentine told the BSB website: "The three-day shakedown on track in Portugal has been a real benefit to the team despite not having ideal conditions on each of the three days. However it has been a positive weekend for us as we have been able to test new parts and solve some issues that will save us time. Now we can come out strong at the next test in Spain and really up the pace. It has also been an opportunity for all the team to work together for the first time and we can leave this test in a better position. We can now head back to the UK with some ideas and make changes in time for the next tests in Cartagena and Quadix next month."

Testing Talk:Hill and Kagayama

Testing talk: Hill and Kagayama

Worx Crescent Suzuki riders Tommy Hill and Yukio Kagayama are both pleased with the progress made during a three-day test at the Portuguese Portimao circuit and are now setting their sights high for the team's next test in Spain.

The test was blighted by rain on the first and third days but both Hill and Kagayama were still able to focus on testing the new suspension and electronics packages on the 2010 Suzuki GSX-R1000. The pair worked on a base setting for the new Öhlins suspension and the updated Motec electronics package for this year and are now feeling confident ahead of the Spanish test next month.

Hill said: "We've completed a lot of preparatory work that we had to get out of the way, putting together some good base settings with the suspension and electronics. We've also been trying some different clutches and different engine braking systems, it's been busy. Now I'm looking forward to Cartagena and meeting up with the rest of the riders."

Kagayama added: "I'm very happy to be back with the team and this has been helpful as a lead-up to the test at Cartagena. There are many parts which are specific to the Crescent Suzuki, different to my bike from last year, so it's been helpful coming here to get a feel for the bike. Now I go back to Japan for a short time before coming back with my family and we're really looking forward to a year living in England."

Tunstall back on the BSB grid

Tunstall joins growing BSB grid

Tom Tunstall is the latest rider to confirm his place on the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship grid, with the former Cup contender returning to the series with the backing of Doodson Motorsport.

Tunstall finished fourth in the 2009 BSB Cup Championship, but now with a year of development work with the team and two forthcoming pre-season tests in Spain and further test scheduled for the UK, he believes that 2010 could prove to be his strongest season to date.

Tunstall said: "We're very pleased that the Doodson Broking Group is stepping up to be title sponsor, part of their continued commitment to motorcycle sport. We're looking to repay them with our efforts both on and off the track. We made some great progress with the new CBR1000RR and I'm happy to have the consistency with the bike. We've now got a year's worth of data and along with some further developments we should hit the ground running. It feels like it's been a long winter but I'm thrilled to get things confirmed and to be back on the Superbike grid.

"As we already have our Superbike-spec engine which has been developed over winter, it makes sense to also try a stock engine to give a reference for the EVO spec. We'll then be able to evaluate our options for 2010 and make an educated decision on which route suits our team."

Doodson Managing Director Neil Clayton commented: "It is great to be involved with Tom again in 2010 and taking over the title sponsorship of the team further demonstrates our commitment to invest back into motorsport. Our commitment to invest in the sport continues and you will see our brand in more and more places. We see Tom as a great ambassador for the company and we hope the results for the team in 2010 reflect all the hard work of the team over the past year."

Edmeades and KTM for EVO debut

Edmeades and KTM eager for Evo debut

The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship will have a new manufacturer on the grid for this season, with the Redline KTM team today confirming that James Edmeades will be competing for the first Evo title.

Redline Motorcycles have supported Edmeades for the past two seasons in the KTM one-make series, finishing fifth in last season's KTM RC8 Super Cup and sixth in the KTM Super Duke battle in 2008. The team are now working hard to prepare for the opening round at Brands Hatch with several days of testing planned before the Easter season opener.

Edmeades told the BSB website: "We ran KTMs in the RC8 Super Cup last year and during the season KTM saw how the team worked and with the one-make series not running in 2010 they wanted to continue to be part of BSB. The new Evo class is a great opportunity to promote both KTM and Redline Motorcycles and we will have a competitive bike to fight for the first Evo title. We have followed KTM's efforts in the IDM Championship and so when we were looking at this year and what to do next Evo was the obvious choice.

"We have several tests planned before the start of the season and obviously BSB has more track time than I am used to from racing in the RC8 series so I am confident we can get it right and be competitive at every event. It is an exciting time for the whole team and we want to make an impression in the first year of the Evo class."

Team Owner Tim Walker concluded: "For sure this is an exciting time for everyone involved in this project; myself the team, KTM and of course James. Redline Motorcycles has been a KTM dealer for 18 years and racing has always been my passion so to enter the Evo class for this year is great news for us all. We don't doubt that this is a big project but we have been racing in the KTM one-make series' for the past two seasons so to move to a different class is a natural progression. It is important to maintain the promotion of the KTM brand in BSB and maximise it to its full potential."

Tuxworth says:-

Tuxworth: The Voice of Experience

Honda UK Racing Manager Neil Tuxworth is one of the most experienced personnel in the BSB paddock, with a career that has included various forms of racing before making the step into team management. He has now been leading Honda race teams for 20 years, guiding them to both World and British Superbike titles.

Honda teams under the leadership of Tuxworth have taken three World Superbike titles with John Kocinski in 1997 and Colin Edwards in 2000 and 2002, before he returned to the UK to manage the Honda UK BSB team. The title-winning success continued in both the Superbike and Supersport classes, first in Supersport with Karl Harris in 2003 and 2004 and followed by two consecutive BSB titles in 2006 and 2007 with Ryuichi Kiyonari.

The role of team manager came after his own varied racing career that has spanned everything from road racing, motocross, sand racing, ice racing and speedway, making him one of the most diversely-experienced managers in the BSB paddock and well-qualified to assess the new BSB rule changes.

Tuxworth believes that the rule changes introduced for the 2010 season may be different from what the fans are used to, but the evolvement will create new fans of the championship and maintain its position as the leading domestic championship.

Tuxworth said: "Having been involved in motorcycle sport for 45 years, change is not something I find easy to accept. I really believed that the single tyre rule which was first implemented in the World Superbike series was a big mistake - but how wrong I was. Now both BSB and MotoGP have also implemented the single tyre rule and virtually everyone agrees this has been a big success which has benefitted our sport for the teams, riders and fans.

"The world is a constantly changing place and as the BSB Championship is the best national Superbike series in the world, it is right that the series should lead the way and initiate changes to try and maintain freshness in our racing for the benefit of everyone involved, especially the people who support and watch our sport.

"The new proposed points scoring and qualifying systems are an interesting move away from the traditional way motorcycle racing is operated, but it has been arrived at by open consultations with the manufacturers and teams involved and Honda (UK) Racing supports the implementation of this new format. I am certain this will add a new dimension to our sport and it certainly has already created a lot of interest, both positive or negative.

"Change can be hard to understand or accept and it can be easy to stay with something that seems to work well, but change is needed to keep the BSB series at the top of its class and maintain renewed appeal for current and new fans."

Team Managers back BSB changes

Teams and Manufacturers back BSB changes

The rule changes ahead of the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season have been backed by both teams and manufacturers alike, and key personnel from the paddock have spoken about their enthusiasm for the new format.

Motorpoint Yamaha Team Manager Rob McElnea believes the changes add a new dimension for fans, creating a winning formula for an epic year of racing. He also expects the new format to attract new sponsors and fans whilst generating further media coverage as the championship is guaranteed to go down to the wire.

McElnea said: "Once again it is the BSB championship that leads and others follow! We were the pioneers of the 1000cc engine change, stood our ground with the twin cylinder ruling and were the first with the new F1-type qualifying spectacle. For 2010 the BSB promoter, teams and manufacturers have not only looked at how the costs can be kept in control with a one bike rule, but also how the show will look and perform to our audiences. An audience that is not just our existing race fans but also our sponsors and potentially new fans who follow from their armchairs. The new points system adds a new dimension for everyone to get behind; if the TV and media have something new to shout about and potentially a championship going down to the wire for the fans, we are once again on to a winner."

Sales and Marketing Manager for Kawasaki Motors UK, Michael Johnstone also feels that the radical approach will keep BSB at the forefront of other domestic championships whilst creating a new spectacle for fans.

Johnstone added: "The new points system, whilst creating significant debate, will ensure that the championship has a new level of sporting drama every weekend and remains highly competitive until the last round in October. The change to qualifying for race two also provides further drama during race day that will be of benefit to fans and highlight rider performances previously un-noticed. We believe that these important changes demonstrate the innovative approach that the series organisers apply to every element of BSB, ensuring that it remains the most competitive domestic race series in the world. We look forward to Brands Hatch and the opportunity to push for the Showdown from race one!"

Worx Crescent Suzuki Team Manager Jack Valentine emphasised the importance of the cohesive relationship between the teams, manufacturers and series organiser.

Valentine said: "We welcome the format changes wholeheartedly. What this demonstrates is the desire that exists as a whole to evolve and improve despite the tough economic climate. Once more, BSB leads the way and this comes from the cohesive relationship that exists between the teams, manufacturers and MSVR. The real winners this season will be the fans and spectators, as the changes are sure to bring real excitement and spectacle back to the series. With the races building up to, and then followed by the Showdown, we now have the tools to not only entertain bike fans, but attract and engage with fans of sport in general. This can only be positive for the future of the series and motorcycle sport."

Swan Honda Team Manager Shaun Muir highlighted his own recent experience of having to franticly search for a replacement title sponsor following the withdrawl of long-term backers Hydrex.

Muir concluded: "This is a difficult time for teams in every motorsport series and we are all fishing in the same pond. As an example our new title sponsor Swan had several, very different sponsorship and marketing paths to consider, so it is all about giving a greater return and putting on a better show than our competition, which is not just other motorsports but the wider sporting world."

Ellison signs for Swan Honda

Ellison fired up after signing for Swan Honda

Swan Honda has today confirmed their completed line-up for the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship with James Ellison joining Stuart Easton to form one of the strongest teams on the grid in a bid to secure a maiden BSB title. The completed line-up was unveiled in front of thousands of fans at the MCN London Motorcycle Show.

Ellison returns to the team focused and determined after finishing runner-up in 2009 following weeks of uncertainty over his BSB return when he was left without a ride. However, Swan Honda seized the chance to re-sign the Kendal rider who last rode for the team during the 2008 season. Ellison was the most consistent title contender in 2009 and was the only rider to score points in each of the 26 races taking 14 podium finishes, with four of those race victories.

Ellison said: "I'm so grateful to Shaun Muir and SMR for giving me the opportunity to race in BSB this year. I know the whole Swan Honda team have pulled out all the stops to give me this chance to fight for the title. It's been a very difficult winter not knowing if I would be racing, as I was left in a really difficult position at the end of 2009. I knew that if I had any chance of winning the championship it was with this team, so my first phone call was to Shaun when I was left without a ride.

"The team was strong when I was with them in 2008, but they have moved on so much since then. This is all down to their work ethic and solid team structure, which is exactly what I need to go one better in the championship this year. I class the team as family and I know the Honda like the back of my hand, so I'm confident we will be strong out of the gates and I am really looking forward to working with my old crew chief Mick Shanley again. I want to thank my fans, friends, family and my wife Sarah for standing by me and always believing in me; I promise I won't let you down this year!"

Team Owner Shaun Muir concluded: "To say I am delighted to have James back on board is an understatement. We were disappointed to lose him at the end of 2008, but James is determined and passionate about his racing and took his best opportunity at that time. He left us on good terms and for that reason have held him in high regard. He brings a real hunger and desire to challenge for the title and I have no doubts that Stuart and James will bring the best out of each other. The whole team have worked together for a number of years now and this is the first year where there is a real competition in our own garage, something that is vital in challenging for a championship. I am sure that it is going to be a great first year for Swan Honda.

PR Racing Yamaha sign BSB rookie Luke Jones

PR Racing Yamaha sign BSB rookie Jones

Former National Superstock 600 title contender Luke Jones will make the leap up to the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship this season after signing for the PR Racing M/C and Moore Yamaha squad this week.

Jones joins the Liverpool-based squad following a second year in the Junior Superstock class; ending the season join second in the championship with a tally that included two race wins and several podium finishes. The 21-year old from Hereford is also a former British 125GP champion and he is now looking to impress in the elite class.

Jones said: "I am delighted to be given this opportunity to race in the Superbike class. I know it's going to be a steep learning curve, but both myself and the team have realistic goals and I am definitely up for the challenge. It's been a long winter in the gym and I can't wait to start testing. I'm determined to make a mark in the championship, as well as looking forward to working with such a great team of people, who also share my raw enthusiasm for racing, I'm sure we can achieve great results in 2010."

PR Racing team partner, Julian Mosquera, said: "We are delighted to once again be able to bring through and develop young talent into BSB. With Luke's winning pedigree John (Jameson) and I are sure he will do well and establish himself as a name the BSB fans look out for over the coming years. I believe his riding style and professional attitude will suit him well to the Yamaha R1 and our team structure."

Hodgson: At home on the Isle of Man

Former champion Neil Hodgson is preparing for his return to the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, with the Motorpoint Yamaha ace currently at home on the Isle of Man as he awaits the countdown to the team's next test in Spain.

2000 BSB champion Hodgson brings you an exclusive video diary from back home in Douglas and gives you his inside thoughts on road racing, the season ahead and exactly what he has been up to so far this year.

BSB TV can be found on the bottom of the website's official homepage. Don't forget to keep checking back to BSB TV for more updates from some of the main title contenders ahead of the 2010 season

Fitzpatrick progresses from Supersport to BSB Evo

Craig Fitzpatrick has added his name to the growing list of riders in this year's MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, with the former British Supersport Cup champion set for his first full season in BSB after stepping up to the new Evo class with the Close Print Finance Honda team.

Fitzpatrick believes the time is right to progress to BSB following three seasons in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship, which included his Cup title win in 2007. He made his BSB debut last year with a one-off ride for the Lloyds British Yamaha team at Cadwell Park, but he last raced a 1000cc machine in 2006 when he competed in the National Superstock 1000 Championship, finishing the season fourth in 2006, but is looking forward to making the switch as he prepares for the team's forthcoming tests in Spain.

Fitzpatrick told the BSB website: "It is definitely a big challenge for me to join the Superbike grid and I am really looking forward to getting out there in the Evo class. It will be a big learning year for me after the seasons in Supersport and Superstock and I haven't been out on a 1000 for a couple of years now. It is a completely new bike for me and we need to get the most from the experience. I haven't got any real goals yet as I haven't ridden the new bike but I think I can adapt quickly and I had a run out on a Superbike with Jentin last year at Cadwell Park so I know what to expect.

"I will be helping to work on the bikes myself too so it is a big challenge in all aspects, from getting to the track to the races, but the Evo class means that I can make the step. I am heading to Portimao in a couple of weeks' time to have a ride on a Superbike then we have some tests planned in Spain ahead of Brands Hatch so we are prepared for round one. I need to thank our title sponsor Close Print Finance for their support of the move into the Superbike class as without them this opportunity just wouldn't be possible. I also need to thank BLDS, Slingshot Racing, Bowie Construction and Race Developments."

BSB set to intensify in 2010 with new rule changes

The British Superbike Championship, promoted by MotorSport Vision, is the most successful motor sport championship in the UK, attracting bigger crowds and TV audiences than any other national series. During 2009, 368,000 people attended BSB events across the country and 8,000,000 fans watched 310 hours of television on the live Eurosport and delayed ITV coverage.

For 2010 MSV is now going to increase the appeal of BSB even more with some exciting rule changes designed to keep fans captivated right to the very end of the championship with a dramatic title battle finale.

The new regulations have been arrived at after careful consultation by MSV with both the BSB manufacturers and teams to gather all key opinions and were then submitted to the governing body, MCRCB, for approval.

The central concept of the new rule is that there should be a crescendo of competition towards the end of the championship to minimise the chances of anyone securing the title before the final event of the year. It was also critical that the method of achieving this should be absolutely fair to all competitors and simple to understand.

A new format and points scoring system will virtually guarantee that the title will go down to the wire and create a new, thrilling spectacle for television and trackside audiences.

The championship will be divided into two parts. The first nine events form the Main Season, with the standard points scoring format of 25 for a win, then 20, 16, 13, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 awarded for each of the nineteen races from the nine events.

From their total points at the end of the Main Season, all riders then drop their two worst scores, which must be from events they have at least qualified for.

From this points order, the first six riders in the championship standings will be elevated to a new base level and become the Title Fighters for the final three events and seven races of the championship.

Each Title Fighter will start The Showdown with 500 points, plus additional points for each podium position they have obtained in the Main Season; 3 for a win, 2 for a second, and 1 for a third. These are termed Podium Credits. For example, a rider placed in the top six of the standings at the end of the Main Season who scored three wins, two seconds and a third would start The Showdown phase with 514 points.

The standard points scoring format from the Main Season then continues for The Showdown, with all points scores from the final seven races counting.

All riders outside of the Title Fighters continue to race for the BSB Riders' Cup, continuing to add to their points total from the end of the Main Season. This also applies to the new BSB EVO class.

BSB qualifying takes on a new look too. The popular, Formula 1 "knockout" style Swan Combi Roll for Pole remains, but this now just sets the grid for BSB Race 1. All riders first take to the track for Q1 over 20 minutes. The field is then whittled down to 20 riders in Q2 over 12 minutes, and then the final 8 minutes shoot-out for pole position by the top 10 riders in Q3.

The Race 2 grid will now be established by the order of the riders best lap times set during Race 1. This will give a greater reward to riders making a charge through the field, perhaps as a result of a bad qualifying performance or a bad start. Significantly all the riders will be on race rubber, rather than softer tyres that favour certain qualifying specialists.

The new qualifying regulations are sensitive to riders who unfortunately suffer a crash or mechanical failure before the end of the first lap in Race 1. Their bad fortune is not compounded further as the rider can line up for Race 2 in their Race 1 starting grid position plus 8 "penalty places", emphasising the necessity for a good initial qualifying position. As an example if the rider in pole position for Race 1 crashed on the first lap and was unable to continue, he would start Race 2 from position 9 on the third row of the grid.

At a three race BSB meeting the procedure follows on to the best lap times set in Race 2 establishing the grid for Race 3. Similarly those riders who don't complete a single lap in Race 2 get to start Race 3 in their Race 2 starting position plus 8 "penalty places."

BSB race weekends now take on exciting, additional elements that will create new talking points and test the tactical skills of the riders and the teams. Drama is assured from the first qualifying session at the first event until the chequered flag falls on the final lap of the final round

Swan ignite Superbike partnership with SMR

Swan ignite Superbike partnership with Shaun Muir Racing

Shaun Muir Racing (SMR) has today announced that Swan, manufacturer of the UK's number one best selling filter and rolling papers, has become the new title sponsor for the team in the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.

Swan Honda will be targeting a maiden British Superbike Championship title this season with Stuart Easton and a second rider who is yet to be confirmed aboard the Honda Fireblade.

Easton returns for a second consecutive season with the team after finishing third in the overall 2009 standings and is eager to battle for the title. He firmly established himself as the leading Honda rider last year with a total of 14 podium finishes, including a memorable maiden win for both himself and the Guisborough-based team at Croft.

Easton said: "It is great news for me to remain with the team for a second consecutive season and after such a positive end to 2009 I am definitely going to be pushing harder than ever this year. We proved how competitive we were last season and we are only going to come back stronger, with an improved package and even more determined to fight for the championship. I want to get the best results I possibly can as I want to win the championship for myself, the team and our new sponsor Swan. I know we have a good starting point for our first pre-season test and we have the speed and consistency to succeed. We will definitely be arriving at Brands Hatch ready to go out and win."

Shaun Muir, Team Owner said: "We have had a roller coaster few months, and finally agreeing the partnership with a high profile and iconic brand such as Swan is fantastic news for our team. Stuart was our number one target for this year and fully deserves his chance with us for a second term. We have identified the areas with the current bike where we can make major improvements and hope to give both our riders a much improved package from that which we finished the 2009 season with. We hope to soon complete the signing of our second rider and confirm Swan Honda as serious title challengers for the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship."

John Catania, Managing Director of Republic Technologies UK, said: "We are thrilled to work with Shaun Muir Racing as the new title sponsor for the team in the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship. Swan Honda look set for a gripping and exhilarating season following a strong finish last year and we are delighted to be the title sponsors of this talented team. After two years of sponsorship of the BSB through our Swan Combi brand, we are excited to announce this additional partnership."

Ellison playing the waiting game

Ellison’s download: Playing the waiting game

James Ellison is hoping that his rigorous training regime during the winter months will not be in vain as he faces a race against time to secure a ride ahead of the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship on Easter weekend (3/4/5 April) at Brands Hatch.

Ellison has been spending the majority of his time in Texas training with reigning World Superbike champion Ben Spies as he targets a BSB return, with a demanding routine that includes 100-mile cycle rides, hours of core strength training and up to ten-mile runs.

Ellison told the BSB website: "There is nothing really that exciting to report at the moment; I have just been spending a lot of time in the saddle riding the bike outside and indoors on the trainer when the weather decides to take a turn for the worse. The weather here is like nowhere I've been before, you can get sunburn one day and frostbite the next - it's crazy.

"If I'm not pedalling, running or doing some form of exercise I'll be sending emails trying to sort things out for this season. I can tell you I'm definitely ready to get back on a motorbike again. I hate being away from them for this long as it feels like I've lost a limb! At the moment I'm so looking forward to getting out on my enduro bike that is kindly loaned to me by J and L Motorcycles when I get back to the UK and also doing a spot of mountain biking with The Kendal Massive (TKM).

"I'm also hoping my persistence this winter will have paid off and I can give my fans the news they have been waiting for. I have some meetings to attend back home this next coming month which will decide the fate of this upcoming season so hopefully my next blog will be more exciting, ha-ha!

"It looks like it will be a really strong field this year so I'd hate to miss out on the challenge, so fingers crossed ya'll!"

Mamola set for UK debut

Mamola set for UK race debut

Dakota Mamola, the 15-year old son of multiple Grand Prix race winner Randy will make his debut in the British 125GP Championship this season.

Dakota joins the KRP team that that is oozing Grand Prix pedigree with his team mate Taylor Mackenzie the son of another former factory GP rider and 3-times BSB Champion Niall. The team is also supported by last year's 125cc World Championship runner-up Bradley Smith.

Team Manager Mark Keen said: "It is fantastic news for the Championship and racing as a whole that Dakota joins us this season. He has a famous family name, but he brings with him his own talent, focus and passion. He's just a good kid."

Bradley Smith said: "Dakota Mamola joining the KRP team means a lot to me. I am nervous because we have become good friends, but more than anything I am excited because Dakota has great talent and now we're part of the Mamola history. How exciting is that?"

MASON; In training but ready to hit the track

Mason: In training but ready to hit the track!

Gary Mason admits he is desperate to start testing with the MSS Colchester Kawasaki team after signing for the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season at the end of last year.

Reigning BSB Cup champion Mason joins Simon Andrews in the official Kawasaki UK team but has been enjoying the winter break, despite the cold weather restricting his training to the gym! However, recently-engaged Mason is keen to prove himself starting at the opening round of the championship at Brands Hatch following MSS Colchester Kawasaki's impressive 2009 season.

Mason told the BSB website: "Well unlike my new team-mate I didn't bother travelling to France for snow as we had plenty of it around my way to keep me entertained! I wasn't able to go skiing or snowboarding but I did manage to build a snowman, which was great for my training as it worked my upper body strength!

"On a serious note I tried two runs outside when we had the snow and nearly high-sided as I ran down my drive, so I have decided to do my training in the gym, at least for now anyway. I have been working on my cardio with long steady runs and core strength ready for the new season and the other big news is that I got engaged over the Christmas break to my girlfriend Rachel. Hopefully we will be testing soon, with any luck in the sunshine as I am desperate for some vitamin D, where I can ride the Kawasaki for the first time."

Gary Johnson joins Aim Racing in Evo challenge

Gary Johnson and Dennis Hobbs aiming high

AIM Racing are set for a Suzuki-powered double championship chase this year with Alistair Flanagan's team signing experienced road racer Gary Johnson to line up in the new BSB Evo class whilst Dennis Hobbs will be targeting the National Superstock 1000 Championship title.

Johnson joins the team who have previously had success in the past with riders including Sean Emmett, Stuart Easton, John McGuinness and most recently Steve Plater in 2008. Now the Scottish team are gearing up to make an impact on their return in both classes with Johnson combining track and road races and Hobbs returning after his 2009 season was cut short through injury.

Johnson said: "It is a great opportunity for me to race in the new Evo class and combine it with my three road race events. It is definitely exciting and I am going to attack it from the start and be completely open-minded on what to expect. As it is a new class it should be pretty equal so I know that the competition will be stiff. It is a completely new venture with the Evo class and things are shaping up well so we won't be able to judge the competition until we are on track.

"For me I want to get good results for the team in the first year of the Evo class but it is also a great chance for me to get the track time and develop the bike. In terms of BSB we all have our fingers crossed for a good season and I think we have as good a chance as anyone to go out there and have a good shot at the first Evo title."

Team owner Alistair Flanagan said: "This is a great chance for teams who have limited outside sponsorship as such to still be able to compete at the highest level in the UK as we are assured of great coverage for not a lot of outlay, and it will be a competitive, level playing field with the introduction of a MoTeC ECU which is controlled and monitored."

King Kenny back in BSB Evo class

Gilbertson shoots for BSB Evo title with new team

Kenny Gilbertson returns for a second season in BSB and is pinning his hopes on securing the inaugural BSB Evo title after signing for Magic Bullet Two Wheel Racing in association with Two Wheel Tuning who will be making their debut in the class.

Gilbertson completed his maiden season in the BSB Cup in 2009 after seasons in the Superstock class and is excited about spearheading the challenge for the Evo crown with the newly established team.

Gilbertson said: "I'm excited to be on board with Magic Bullet Racing and Dave Tyson of Two Wheel Tuning. Evo is the class to be in as it is part of British Superbikes and with the rules changing as it progresses into 2011 it's ideal. As it is a new class it is a clean slate for everyone and this is my first time with Magic Bullet Racing, so it is a learning curve for us all. I want to be consistent and we have plenty of testing planned to find our feet before the season starts. I want to be challenging for podiums and solid results every weekend. Also as Evo runs within Superbike I want to finish as high up the main results as possible."

Heneghan:I grabbed Evo chance with both hands.

Heneghan: I grabbed Evo chance with both hands

Steve Heneghan admits he grabbed the opportunity to race in the new BSB Evo class with both hands, with the Quattro Plant Honda team stepping up from the National Superstock 1000 Championship for 2010.

Heneghan believes that with the technical support of one of the top BSB teams in the paddock they will be in a prime position to challenge for the inaugural Evo title after competing in the Superstock class.

Heneghan told the BSB website: "When the opportunity to ride in the Superbike class came about, I grabbed it with both hands. In the Superstock 1000 class for the past few seasons our small private team struggled to develop the bike to a competitive level. For 2010 we have secured a new machine with technical support from a well-known Superbike team and this should help us achieve our goals this season.

"The Evo Class is an exciting prospect and a steep learning curve, but Quattro Plant are the hardest working team in the paddock! I've only ever ridden Superbikes at the NW200 and TT, so I'm really looking forward to this!"

Bridewell:Boxing,Sweden and crashing

Bridewell: Boxing, Sweden and crashing

Tommy Bridewell has been cramming as many activities as possible into the winter break, with Quay Garage Racing's new signing doing everything from boxing to motocross racing since the end of the 2009 season.

Bridewell's impressive performances last season in the BSB Cup prompted the reigning Cup champions to sign him to contest the main title this year and he has been working hard over the past few weeks as he bids to make a strong impression in the new season.

Bridewell told the BSB website: "I have been doing a lot of boxing over this winter and I have really been enjoying it. I am now looking to have my first fight in February which hopefully will be fun! I have been training flat out in the gym too and out on the roads either on the push bike or running. I am training hard as I am booked to do the Bath Half Marathon at the start of March which will be hard work due to it being an up-and-down hill course.

"I am always trying to get out motocrossing as much as possible but due to the rubbish weather at the moment it's not been possible to do it that often. I was able to go racing though two weeks ago and I managed to get second overall but I did come home with a broken bike and slight concussion due to a massive high-side; I ended up back in the pits on my ass - all great fun though!

"Christmas was good to have some time off work as I have recently become a car dealer so I have been buying and selling all sorts so if you do know anyone who wants a tidy little motor tell them to get in touch!

"I have also recently got back from Sweden as my friend is into his supercross in America and asked if I would go and mechanic for him on his bike; that was good fun! So there you go, I have been keeping quite busy!"

Howie Mainwaring to join MSS superstock team

MSS Colchester Kawasaki and Mainwaring set for Superstock

MSS Colchester Kawasaki have signed Howie Mainwaring to showcase the production Kawasaki ZX-10R in the fiercely competitive Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship.

Mainwaring has previously raced in the British Superbike and Superstock series and the team believe he will be a front-runner with a good level of support against some of the toughest competition in several seasons, including John McGuinness, Glen Richards and Steve Plater plus entries from Aprilia and BMW.

Mainwaring said: "I am really looking forward to the 2010 season with MSS Colchester Kawasaki and I feel that I have a fantastic opportunity with such a professional team and package. I love the Kawasaki ZX-10R having rode one last season with several top 6 finishes and equalling the fastest lap of the race at Thruxton. I genuinely feel I can be a championship contender despite the level of the series this season and testing starts soon, so I can't wait to get started!"

The MSS Colchester Kawasaki Superstock effort will run alongside the blue riband Superbike development meaning Howie will benefit from testing and R+D from the famed performance house.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Owner, Nick Morgan added: "It's great to be competing in Superstock, we know the ZX-10R is a quality machine straight out of the crate with good power and we think Howie is ready for the challenge. He's been around for a while but this could be his big break and he knows it."

Laverty Back with Relentless Suzuki

Laverty goes back to black with Relentless Suzuki

Michael Laverty will be back on the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship grid in the familiar colours of Relentless Suzuki after sealing a deal to return to the team this year.

The news of Laverty's arrival boosts the team's line-up with the 2007 British Supersport champion joining reigning National Superstock 1000 champion Alastair Seeley as the pair vie for Suzuki's first BSB crown since 2004. Laverty believes that the Relentless Suzuki team have already upped their game from the last time he raced in BSB in 2008 after appearances at a test and the Sunflower Trophy race in 2009.

Laverty told the BSB website: "I am really happy to be back in BSB with the Relentless Suzuki team and I really think we can have a great season. I have raced all of the boys before apart from Yukio (Kagayama) and Josh (Brookes) and I honestly believe that there is no clear favourite for the title and we have the chance to shine.

"I had a bit of a strange year in 2009, starting in America with a few rounds and then ended up the year riding for various teams in the World Supersport Championship but it was the wrong time to go to the States but that is water under the bridge now. I have to admit though when I tested the Relentless Suzuki with the team during last year at Kirkistown I wished I had stayed!

"I know that the team have made some real steps forward over last year and I come back to familiar territory, knowing the tracks and the whole of the TAS team. I believe that the Relentless Suzuki has stepped up a notch from when I last raced it in BSB in 2008 and with factory parts we have a really strong package to fight for the title."

Ellison keeps up training in Texas

Ellison keeps up the Texas training

Whilst James Ellison is yet to confirm his plans for the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season last year's runner-up has been training hard in Texas with World Superbike champion Ben Spies.

The colder conditions are not just here in the UK as temperatures have plummeted stateside too, but Ellison has been maintaining his intense training regime and has been boosted by the competition from Spies.

Ellison said: "I've been training in the cold every day and it doesn't look like its going to change any time soon; so much for getting better training weather in Texas! The one good thing is that it doesn't really rain over here so at least I'm outside most of the time and not stuck in the gym staring at a wall for hours on end.

"Earlier this week I had a real good five-hour group cycle with Ben Spies, our mate Randy and a few locals where we covered just under 90 miles in 2 degrees! It was fun but painful with the wind-chill. I do most of my training on my own so it's great to get out with a few people, especially ones that can push you the whole time. Ben actually finished third in only his second ever 'Cat 1' race last weekend so it's definitely strong company to be cycling with. I have also braved the cold for my 'two a day' session of a 50 minute run then two hours on the bike straight after. Everything on the fitness side of things is going well; I just need to confirm a ride but I'm positive things will work out."

MSS Colchester upgrade to World Superbike electronics

MSS Colchester Kawasaki upgrade to WSB electronics system

MSS Colchester Kawasaki are upping their game ahead of the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season, with the addition of the latest specification WSB 'state of the art' Magneti Marelli electronics package.

Team owner Nick Morgan visited Paul Bird Motorsports' Kawasaki World Superbike team to collect the electronics systems, which the squad believes will help them bridge the gap to the other factory-backed teams. The system has been extensively developed by the team's engineers Phil Borley and Stuart Bland, which gives the MSS team a development short-cut with the new equipment.

The Magneti Marelli 'Marvel' system handles all on-board electronics to tackle both data collection and system management, with a myriad of data-logging and fine tuning options available. The MSS Colchester team now intend to utilize their new tools as well as special swingarms and chassis upgrades with extensive dyno and track development over the winter.

The official Kawasaki UK British Superbike entry recently announced their 2010 rider line-up of Simon Andrews and Gary Mason, both of which are excited to be using the new system.

MSS Colchester Kawasaki Team Owner, Nick Morgan said: "From a technical point of view we're so excited to be using the latest spec World Superbike electronics and as motivation we know we now have the best kit available, so there's no excuses! I can't thank Birdy and his team enough for giving us such amazing hardware, especially as they have put in huge development time over the course of the year. The kit is straight off Broc Parkes machine which he used so effectively at Brands Hatch, so we know it works well there and that's where we race!"

Michael\'s plans for 2010

By David Miller

Likeable British Superbike man Michael Howarth reckons his plans for the 2010 season are coming together well and he just needs to find a final sponsor to decide on where he will ride.

The professional Northerner, who looks nothing like Vernon Kaye, has two options for the upcoming season but isn't, as yet, in a position to reveal what they are.

"I've got two solid options for this year and both are looking very promising but I do need that final bit of cash to take up either of them," said Howarth, speaking to bikesportnews.com this morning.

"I can say that I will be staying in the British Superbike class but I don't know yet whether it will be in the main class or in the new Evo category but I want to be able to run high in the points in either."

Stuart Higgs answers your Evo questions

Over the Christmas period, bsn.com was still receiving questions trying to qualify exactly what the rules for this year's new BSB Evo Superbike are, and what they allow and don't, so we passed them on to Series Director Stuart Higgs for something to do on New Year's Day:

Bsn.com: Can you qualify exactly what specification engines will be?
SH: The engine specifications are as the current Superstock regulations, you cannot modify any components with the exception of the cam sprockets and clutch springs.

Does that include blueprinting?
Blueprinting is the process of building the engines exactly to spec. There are variations in parts – hence a tolerance figure in the homologation documents – but you cannot modify any parts even to move around inside those tolerance figures.

You would need to strip several motors if you wish to handpick perfect parts. With modern manufacturing it is quite amazing the consistency of parts. What you can change though are shims and bearing clearances to make sure that the engine is built perfectly.

Won’t teams who have access to homologation specials, like the Ducati 1098R, have an unfair advantage?
The manufacturers have all had to build a lot more bikes in recent years to stop the proliferation of homologation specials. The European and our Superstock Championships have all demonstrated that any manufacturer can win.

How about slipper clutches?
The clutch rules remain as the Superstock rules. The Clutch must remain as homologated with the exception that you can change springs and plates provided that you retain the same number of each as standard.

This allows you to control slip, feel and use stronger friction material if necessary. All the homologated bikes come as standard with a slipper clutch and they all work well.

Are Power Commanders and the like now outlawed?
Yes, all forms of electronic control other than the ‘Control Spec ECU’ are outlawed and in fact there is no need for them as the ECU will have more adjustment than is available with most aftermarket add-ons. There are no control electronics include throttle actuators, air bleeds, traction control boxes, ignition interrupters and more.

There is some confusion over the spec ECU? Some people are saying it is a kit ECU. What is the difference?
The confusion comes from world of mouth! There will be only one ECU that can be used in the Superbike EVO class and that will have a fixed firmware – which is like a computer’s operating system.

You will be able to adjust many of the settings to ensure your bike runs perfectly. The ECU will come with a configuration that will work the standard sensor arrangements.

Who will be making the spec ECU and how much will it cost teams to use?
As this is a large championship the ECU supply contract went to tender in the same manner as for the control tyres. We had a surprising number of manufacturers apply, including some very big names and Motec came out on top.

The ECU will be capable of running much more advanced strategies if it is needed in the future however in 2010 traction control, launch control and anti-wheelie will all be banned and there will be no facility in the ECU to use them.

The EVO class is about bringing a lot of the rider skills back to the race, we want to see tyres spinning and bike wheelying, much of this is achieved by simplifying the Electronics which also has the benefit of massive cost savings. As for the cost that could be a pleasant surprise to many teams and will be less than buying new ‘Kit’ parts every season.

How do you stop people altering the ECU to change the engine characteristics?
The ECU parameters can be changed to alter the engine characteristics. You will be able to alter the ignition timing, fuelling and many other parameters. These are all easy to understand. The electronics get massively more labour intensive as soon as you allow the strategies that the EVO class specifically bans. With control ECUs it is very easy to police and check each team during scrutineering.

What about traction control? Some stock roadbikes now come with it already installed?
Many roadbikes come with basic forms of TC now. These systems bear almost no relation to the systems used in racing where the ECUs cost more than a whole road bike or six.

In fact, the systems in use at the front of the grid cost more than midfield teams’ entire annual budgets. With kit ECUs there is also no way to police just what is inside them, it is possible to hide a much more expensive and powerful ECU in another box after all! It also means that factory teams will still have factory programming in their electronics putting the technology once again out of reach of smaller teams.

Will everyone use the same dashboards?
The teams have the freedom to choose whatever dash they want. Motec will be offering one.

Will all the bikes have the same rev limit?
The rev limit will be fixed at 500rpm above the homologated machine. The European Superstock Championship has no rev limit and there are very few issues. We want the life of the engines to be extended hence fixing a limit.

What will the weight limits be? And what happens to those weight limits if Ducatis are racing?
The weight limits are as the current superbike rules, 162kg for four cylinder machines and 168kg for twins, however it can be reviewed. There was an idea to have a higher limit for the EVO bikes but that actually handicaps the EVO machines against the FIM-spec machines. If there are any amendments to weights it will be on a model basis not an engine configuration basis. So if the Suzuki has weight added the same doesn’t apply to all four-cylinder machines.

Are there any restrictions on suspension or brake components?
Yes but they are the same as the current Superbike rules. The chassis components will have been used over the last several seasons and setting up a chassis is a well-known science. It make no sense to differ in some points with the Superbike rules. Partial changes would also cause confusion.

What about adjustable swing-arm pivots?
Yes – see above.

Higgs added: "The rules have been produced with full consultation of each manufacturer and a team from each manufacturer. Other teams in all classes have also been consulted and this was considered to be the best balance. Not every point is perfect for every team but a good balance has been struck