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Round 1 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit 21 April
Results
Race one:
Race two:
Championship standings:
Report
Shane “Shakey” Byrne kicked off his bid to take the MCE Insurance British Superbike crown for a record fourth time in stunning style as he held off the opposition to win both races in the opening round at his home circuit of Brands Hatch.
The Rapid Solicitors rider had bounced back after starting from the fifth row of the grid for the opening race after crashing in qualifying yesterday, but he was up for the challenge and remarkably was running seventh on the opening lap as Chris Walker aboard the Lloyds British GBmoto Kawasaki forged ahead at the front.
Byrne was carving through the pack though and soon had moved to second, closing down Walker at half distance when the race was halted after James Hillier’s Quattro Plant Kawasaki suffered a technical problem dropping oil on the track. On the re-start Walker led briefly before Byrne forced his way ahead to win by 1.615s whilst James Ellison aboard the second Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki ran solidly in third to give the team their first podium finishes in MCE BSB ahead of Gearlink Kawasaki’s Ben Wilson.
Byrne took charge from the start in race two, running ahead of his team-mate Stuart Easton with Walker in third and Ellison in fourth, whilst behind them Josh Brookes was powering his Milwaukee Yamaha into contention. The Aussie who had crashed three times in qualifying had also slid out in the opening race and he was keen to set the record straight.
Brookes was riding hard to be in third place at two thirds distance and attacking Ellison whilst Byrne continued to lead. However the Milwaukee Yamaha rider hadn’t given up on his chance of victory and Brookes passed Ellison to go second and then closed in on Byrne. On the final lap Byrne had the narrow edge to complete the double, taking his victory tally to 53 in the series and taking the lead in the overall standings.
Byrne said: “This is the perfect start to the championship for me and it really has been a great team effort and I am proud of the boys for the work they’ve done to turn the bike around after the crashes. I’m feeling a bit second hand after two crashes but winning is a wonderful drug, although I’m ready for a day or two off now before Oulton Park!”
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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Round 1 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit 20-21 April
Results
Datatag Extreme qualifying:
Report
Josh Brookes claimed his first MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship pole position with Milwaukee Yamaha at Brands Hatch today with a bullish performance as he bounced back from three crashes to snatch the top spot from triple champion Ryuichi Kiyonari ahead of tomorrow’s two races.
The Aussie escaped unscathed after crashing three times during a wet and frantic Datatag Extreme qualifying session which caught out a number of riders, including local favourite and three times former champion Shane Byrne who will start from the fifth row of the grid for the opening race.
Brookes crashed out in the first part of qualifying, but he made it back to his pit garage for the team to repair his Milwaukee Yamaha. However within minutes of returning to the action, he was dramatically down again, but the team repaired the bike and he was soon back on circuit.
Their efforts were rewarded by Brookes who bounced back superbly, putting in a lap to take the 20th pole start of his MCE BSB career, only to high-side off moments later and he reflected: “Three crashes, but I still have pole position. It was so slippery out there and I guess I’ve had the highs and the lows. It was heart in the mouth stuff but we will be ready for the races tomorrow.”
Starting alongside Brookes is Japanese rider Ryuichi Kiyonari who makes his debut with Buildbase BMW. He was denied his first pole start in four years by a split second while on a fully International front row American John Hopkins set the third best time on his debut with Tyco Suzuki.
Chris Walker on the Lloyds British GBmoto Kawasaki, James Westmoreland on the second Buildbase BMW and Richard Cooper on the Anvil Hire TAG Racing Kawasaki start from the second row ahead of Gearlink Kawasaki’s Ben Wilson, Bathams BMW’s Michael Rutter and Keith Farmer on the PR Racing Kawasaki.
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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Round 1 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit 19-21 April BROOKES CLOSES ON LAP RECORD AS 19 RIDERS COVERED BY LESS THAN A SECOND Results
Free practice two:
Report
Australian Josh Brookes closed in on the Brands Hatch Indy circuit lap record as he headed off the challenges of local hero Shane “Shakey” Byrne in free practice for the Easter Monday opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.
The Aussie had made significant changes across the two sessions to his Milwaukee Yamaha and in the frantic afternoon session he was able to fire in a series of consistent laps, the best of which a 45.506s was just 0.0046s adrift of the lap record set in 2007 by Gregorio Lavilla.
Brookes said: “I’m really pleased with how the afternoon has gone and we have had some good benefits across the day. The changes we have made have been good value for money in terms of paying off. I’ve been able to do good lap times on longer runs on an old tyre and I feel good about that. They say that Shakey is the Master of Brands Hatch but I am ready to give him a run for his money now. We are ready for anything and today’s final laps nicely put a bow on the end of the sessions.”
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Byrne is firmly in the frame to add to his record haul of 51 race victories having been duelling for the top spot on the time sheets throughout the session with Brookes as just 0.171s separated them. However the pack are all in close contention with just 0.977s covering the top 19 riders at the end of the second session.
Czech Republic rider Jakub Smrz aboard the Millsport Ducati set the third best lap with a time, a split second up on Flying Scot Stuart Easton, who is back in the top flight on the back of winning last year’s Motorpoint British Supersport title.
RAF Reserves Honda’s Simon Andrews set the ninth fastest time as five different manufacturers featured in the top ten ahead of Martin Jessopp on the RidersRacing BMW.
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com |
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Round 1 Brands Hatch Indy Circuit 18-21 April
Results
Friday test session:
Report
A determined Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne got his assault for a record-breaking fourth MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title off to the best possible start at his home round of Brands Hatch, edging out Australian Josh Brookes in the closing stages of the opening test session.
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Byrne, still smarting on missing out on the title in the final round of last season, was instantly on the pace throughout a closely fought session as he prepares for Easter Monday’s races in which he intends to extend his record of 51 race wins.
Byrne closed towards the record with a best lap of 45.785s, but the local hero was not totally satisfied and expects more as the weekend continues. He explained: “Generally speaking when I get on the bike I go out and enjoy it and go faster, but for some reason today it just didn’t click. We had things to try and we achieved that, but that said I am happy enough but there is still plenty of room for improvement.”
He had outpaced Brookes who switched to the Milwaukee Yamaha team during the winter by 0.125s. The Australian had been the early pace-setter in the session but was forced to relinquish the position in the final stages.
Brookes is also expecting improvements ahead of the opening two races, he said: “We made changes to improve the bike, but, that also meant we made sacrifices in some areas and now we have to compromise. As a whole to come in P2 to Shakey is less than satisfactory, but having done 34 laps on the same tyre, in hindsight, I should be happy.”
Flying Scot Stuart Easton, back in the top class as Byrne’s team-mate, fresh from winning last year’s Motorpoint British Supersport crown, set the third fastest time ahead of Chris Walker on the Lloyds British GB Moto Kawasaki.
Ryuichi Kiyonari, also bidding to take the MCE BSB title for a fourth time, settled quickly into a rhythm with the Buildbase BMW, to set the fifth fastest time, a split second up on the returning American John Hopkins. The Tyco Suzuki rider is aiming to avenge missing out on the crown by just 0.006s to Tommy Hill back in 2011.
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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MCE BRITISH SUPERBIKES AND ITV EXTEND BROADCAST AGREEMENT INTO 2018 SEASON
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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MOTORPOINT BRITISH SUPERSPORT CONTENDERS SET FOR SEASON OPENER
Seeley is targeting another title after switching to the 2013 championship-winning Mar-Train Yamaha team and is eager to launch his campaign with victories at the Kent circuit after a positive pre-season testing programme.
Seeley said: “I think we proved at the recent test that we have the pace at Mar-Train Racing for the season ahead. I’m up for it and so are the team; it’s just a matter of getting in amongst the rest of boys now and get stuck in at Brands Hatch. Our goal is obviously to win the championship, but I don’t let the pressure affect me as I’ve been in this position before. As long as we all give our best during the season there’s nothing more anyone can ask. It’s time now to do the talking on the track. I can’t wait to get started this weekend and I know the rest of the team are up for it.”
Gearlink Kawasaki are ready to take on their Mar-Train Yamaha rivals with a new line-up for 2014 of Glen Irwin and reigning Superstock 600 champion Luke Hedger, with the team determined to go one better after narrowly missing out on the title last season.
Former title-winners Smiths Racing Triumph though had to relinquish their title crown last season and with consistent race victors Billy McConnell and Graeme Gowland the team are confident they can wrestle the title back.
The 2014 season sees the Prodigy’s Keith Flint make their British Championship debut and Team Traction Control line up for the opening round with American James Rispoli keen to make an impression whilst Steve Mercer lines up in the new Evo class.
Luke Mossey and Luke Stapleford in the Profile/Techcare Racing team have proved they intend on being in contention from the start of the season with the pair setting an impressive pace in pre-season testing and Daniel Cooper will also be ready to put on a show for the Tsingtao WK Kawasaki team.
Tyco Suzuki are another former title-winning team and having retained Taylor Mackenzie will be targeting his first podium in the Championship this weekend at Brands Hatch.
Appleyard Macadam Racing Yamaha’s Jake Dixon and Bjorn Estment plus 777RR Motorsports Finnish contender Juha Kallio and Luke Jones are also aiming for a strong start to their seasons.
The Evo class is set to be equally closely fought with riders including David Allingham, Tim Hastings, Sam Coventry and Josh Corner all set to be in contention.
The Motorpoint British Supersport Championship races will both be broadcast live and in HD this season on British Eurosport.
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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32 Riders will line up for the Brands Hatch round.
The 2014 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship kicks off in Kent this Easter weekend (18-21 April) as the talking stops and the racing starts. A capacity 32 riders representing seven nationalities and six manufacturers will line up for the season opener at Brands Hatch. For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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E-LITES EXTEND MCE BRITISH SUPERBIKES PARTNERSHIP
E-Lites, the UK’s favourite Electronic Cigarette, have extended their partnership with the MCE British Superbike Championship following a successful 2013 season with the UK’s biggest motorsport series.
The E-Lites partnership will include trackside and event branding as well as a range of other on-site and premium marketing rights. Spectators at MCE BSB rounds will be able to use E-Lites throughout the venues, so smokers can enjoy an alternative to smoking without the risk of missing any of the on-track action.
The E-Lites brand will also feature on the track in the Motorpoint British Supersport Evo Championship, continuing their partnership with Tim Hastings and the Team E-Lites Kawasaki team. The Scottish rider had a successful campaign in 2013 and is ready to build on the experiences of last season which included two podium finishes.
The MCE BSB Championship features at venues across the UK, visiting legendary circuits including Brands Hatch, Donington Park and Silverstone in addition to the annual Assen event in the Netherlands. The first race will take place at Brands Hatch over Easter weekend and will feature with an extended British Eurosport broadcast for the 2014 season and free to air highlights on ITV4.
Trevor Field, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of E-Lites, said: “We are delighted to team up with British Superbikes for another season. Last year was an exciting one for developing E-Lites partnerships, and our work with BSB and our riders was one of the highlights. The fans and staff at MCE British Superbikes are always in excellent form and we’re looking forward to spending another year working alongside them.”
Stuart Higgs, MCE British Superbike Championship Series Director concluded: “I am delighted that we have extended our partnership with E-Lites as our 2013 ground-breaking joint venture was the first time a smoking related product returned to motorsport sponsorship since 2005. We have developed a fantastic working relationship with the brand and I’m sure our partnership will continue to strengthen throughout the year. We will continue to promote the benefits of switching to E-Lites, a non-tobacco related product, to our global audience.”
For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com
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The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship (BSB) continues to assert itself as the greatest domestic bike series in the world, and a producer of some of the sport's hottest properties.
The MCE BSB bikes average more than 180bhp and are capable of reaching 200mph. If you haven't witnessed the atmosphere first hand, the explosive acceleration off the line or the riders rubbing elbows at incredible speeds - then you really should!
MCE BSB has a huge following of fans who follow the championship around the UK, and that is a testament to the teams and riders who push themselves and their bikes to the limit, whilst never forgetting that they're racing to entertain the massive crowds at the circuits.
MotorSport Vision (MSV) acquired the organisational and commercial rights to BSB in 2008, and the series has benefitted massively from the company's expertise and careful judgement. MCE BSB is now a globally recognised brand, broadcast live throughout Europe and Asia, with some of the world's best riders and most prestigious manufacturers. And, above all, it's possibly the most thrilling spectator sport on the planet!
The most dramatic motorsport in the world!
MCE BSB is famed for its close, dramatic racing. A control tyre (Pirelli) and tightly managed regulations ensures the grid is evenly matched with battles throughout the field. Riders battle wheel to wheel at speeds of up to 200mph and frequently lose control as they push to the limit. A MCE BSB bike will lap the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit in around 86 seconds - that's 6 seconds faster than a British Touring Car.
The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship has announced a superb line-up, which includes 30 season-long entries and 21 individual teams representing six different manufacturers.
Fresh new look for MCE BSB in 2014
The 2014 season has seen the biggest shake-up of teams and rider combinations in years, yet the strength in depth is as impressive as ever and will feature nine MCE BSB race winners and two triple champions: Shane Byrne and Ryuichi Kiyonari. Byrne remains with Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki and the most successful rider in the championship history is desperate to claim an unprecedented fourth crown after narrowly missing out to Alex Lowes at the final round last year. The team have strengthened their line up with reigning Motorpoint British Supersport champion Stuart Easton, who has made a remarkable comeback from devastating injuries sustained at the North West 200 in 2011.
Ready to challenge Byrne is returning Californian mega star John Hopkins. The former MotoGP frontrunner was part of the closest MCE BSB title race in history in 2011 and lost out to Tommy Hill by just 0.006 seconds in the final race. He has unfinished business in the championship and is targetting the title with Tyco Suzuki. Former champions Milwaukee Yamaha meanwhile have secured the services of two-time MCE BSB runner-up Josh Brookes and upcoming Brit Tommy Bridewell, and both riders looked supremely quick during their pre-season test programme in Spain.
New and fresh line ups for 2014 include Lloyds British GBmoto Racing Kawasaki, who have signed 2009 runner-up James Ellison and fans' favourite Chris 'Stalker' Walker for their campaign, whilst triple champion Ryuichi Kiyonari made a surprise move to the Buildbase BMW team during the winter, alongside Showdown contender James Westmoreland. Record-breaking TT race winner Ian Hutchinson is ready to prove his mettle on the short circuits with the new FFX Yamaha team, whilst Harry Hartley becomes the youngest ever MCE BSB contender at the age of just 17.