MCE British Superbike Championship
Brands Hatch, England
October 17, 2015
Race One Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Josh Brookes, Australia (Yamaha), 20 laps, Total Race Time 28:52.991, Best Lap Time 1:25.500
2. Shane Byrne, UK (Kawasaki), -2.583 seconds, 1:25.881
3. John Hopkins, USA (Ducati), -2.746, 1:26.143
4. Christian Iddon, UK (Suzuki), -4.033, 1:26.273
5. Lee Jackson, UK (BMW), -8.047, 1:26.373
6. James Ellison, UK (Kawasaki), -8.933, 1:26.460
7. Luke Mossey, UK (Kawasaki), -9.002, 1:26.406
8. Danny Buchan, UK (Kawasaki), -9.662, 1:26.419
9. Michael Laverty, UK (BMW), -10.105, 1:26.587
10. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic (Yamaha), -10.370, 1:26.491
11. Tommy Bridewell, UK (BMW), -16.775, 1:26.458
12. Peter Hickman, UK (BMW), -16.907, 1:26.795
13. Dan Linfoot, UK (Honda), -17.329, 1:26.526
14. Howie Mainwaring Smart, UK (Kawasaki), -17.444, 1:26.675
15. Billy McConnell, Australia (BMW), -22.559, 1:26.687
16. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW), -24.430, 1:26.907
17. Luke Stapleford, UK (Kawasaki), -31.032, 1:27.383
18. Robbin Harms, Denmark (Kawasaki), -31.743, 1:27.248
19. Josh Waters, Australia (Suzuki), -34.507, 1:27.468
20. Filip Backlund, Sweden (Kawasaki), -50.488, 1:28.090
21. John Ingram, UK (Kawasaki), -57.808, 1:28.468
22. Shaun Winfield, UK (Kawasaki), -59.625, 1:28.516
23. Jenny Tinmouth, UK (Honda), -79.793, 1:29.429
24. Rhalf Lo Turco, Brazil (Kawasaki), -1 lap, 1:30.886
25. Aaron Zanotti, UK (Yamaha), -1 lap, 1:30.392
26. Jack Kennedy, Ireland (Kawasaki), -8 laps, DNF, 1:26.732
27. James Westmoreland, UK (BMW), -10 laps, DNF, 1:27.959
28. Taylor Mackenzie, UK (Kawasaki), -14 laps, DNF, 1:28.160
29. Richard Cooper, UK (BMW), DNS
American James Rispoli, riding his Team Traction Control Yamaha YZF-R6, qualified second in British Supersport with a lap time of 1:28.114 Saturday at Brands Hatch. Luke Stapleford, the 2015 British Supersport Champion, qualified on pole position with a lap of 1:27.669 on his Triumph Daytona 675R. Stapleford went on to win seven-lap Race One, while Rispoli finished 3.503 seconds back in fourth. Rispoli crossed the finish line just 0.253 second behind runner-up Jake Dixon.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Brookes celebrates first MCE British Superbike title after Brands Hatch dogfight with Byrne
Results
Race one:
1: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +2.583s
3: John Hopkins (Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati) +2.746s
4: Christian Iddon (Bennetts Suzuki) +4.033s
5: Lee Jackson (Buildbase BMW) +8.047s
6: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +8.993s
Championship standings:
1: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 678
2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) 626
3: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 583
4: Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) 560
5: Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) 537
6: Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) 536
Report
Josh Brookes celebrated winning his first MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title by beating arch rival Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne in the opening race of the triple-header season finale at Brands Hatch. The Milwaukee Yamaha rider became the first Australian to win the title since Troy Bayliss in 1999.
The pair continued their season-long rivalry with an explosive start to the racing action as the pair traded blows at the front of the field in the quest for the first win of the weekend.
The Milwaukee Yamaha rider had a fight to hold off Byrne at the start and by the third lap the defending champion had scythed ahead with a decisive move down the inside at Surtees, knowing that he had to win to keep his title chase alive.
Brookes was not going to settle for second and was instantly on the counter attack, making a move back two laps later, but within two corners Byrne was back ahead as the pair continued their tense battle at the front.
By lap eight Brookes made another play for the lead and he claimed the lead at Stirlings but again Byrne came back strong with a stunning move around the outside at Clearways. The Australian fought back though and a move on the twelfth lap at Stirlings gave the Milwaukee Yamaha rider the edge and he forcefully set the pace to edge a gap to claim the victory, taking his twelfth victory of the campaign and with it the crown.
American John Hopkins enjoyed his first podium of the season as he took third on the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati ahead of Bennetts Suzuki’s Christian Iddon while Lee Jackson on the Buildbase BMW snatched fifth place from JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison.
The MCE BSB season concludes tomorrow (Sunday 18 October) with the final two MCE BSB races and a further five support races before the champions are crowned and the spectators are invited onto the track to enjoy the end of season celebrations.
For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)
Race one: 1st
Champion: 678 points
“It’s amazing. For me I feel like that kid that grew up in Bringelly, a country town west of Sydney, and went to Bringelly Public School, and rode a dirt bike around in a field, and did it for fun, and then one day it was a race, and another race, and then it turned into a career. To be sat here next to Shakey and John Hopkins and be taking the British Championship is something that people have said over the years you’d never do and never get close to. I’ve always had some unknown desire since young age to pursue motorbikes as a career, so it’s not something I can put in words, but it’s something I feel and it feels great.
“Early this year I went to the German Championship, rode the IDM and during the race, I ended up third, I was in a battle with some other guys and I just thought, this is easy compared to racing against Shakey Byrne. When you race against a guy like this week in week out, it just toughens you up and it really is a challenge and every time you think that you’ve got an advantage, he puts something into the mix that makes you eat your words. I wasn’t at all surprised to see him come past.
“At the start of the race I did some good laps which on the dash looked like pretty good lap times and I could still hear this bike signing in my ears – it was Shakey right behind – and one lap he just sprung out from what seemed like nowhere and got past me. I tried a bunch of times to get back by, but I just didn’t seem to have the speed or the form in the early part of the race to keep that position and he kept fighting back, which again is what you would completely expect from Shakey.
“By the mid part of the race, I felt like I could maintain the speed and get into a rhythm where I felt like I had an advantage, and I thought, I’ve got to pass, put a hard lap in, and try and make a gap and then keep doing strong laps – that’s the only way to fight him off. It sounds like he’s a dragon or something! Once I got in front I really tried hard, I risked a lot, but I gained a lot, so I’m really pleased.”
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki)
Race 1: 2nd
Second in the standings: 626 points
“This season, things haven’t really gone quite to plan. We had a plan from the word go, and I kind of threw that into disarray by crashing on the first day of pre-season testing, so we’ve been a little bit on the back foot but the race here today was the only one that could keep the championship alive. It was always going to be a bit of a long shot, because the competitiveness of Josh and the Yamaha is just another level at the moment.
“I knew I had to just do absolutely everything I could to try and stay in front, and when I got in front, I tried to go really fast without going too fast, hoping that you get the odd end of year hero that jumps on the podium and will do anything to get that podium. I just thought that if I got a few more guys in the mix, maybe we could take some points off Josh, but everytime he came past me, I just shut my eyes and let the brakes off. A few times it worked, but then one time he got past and went 1.1 quicker than me that lap and what can you do?
“I tried my absolute hardest all the way to the end and I promised the team I’d give 110%, did everything to keep the championship alive, and these championships don’t come on the back of Kellog’s Frosties packets – you have to earn them and Josh certainly earned it this year. There’s no disputing the fact he’s won however many races it’s been, been on the podium as many times as he’s been, you can’t not deserve a championship after all that.
“I’ve won seven races this year so far and was hoping to win a couple maybe this weekend. Generally speaking, the performance I’ve put in this year would generally be good enough for a championship, but those guys took it to another level and thoroughly deserve the championship. We will see what we can do tomorrow to end the season on a high.”
More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha:
BROOKES CLAIMS FIRST MCE BSB TITLE WITH MILWAUKEE YAMAHA
Josh Brookes and the Milwaukee Yamaha team have celebrated winning the 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, the first for the Australian, the next generation YZF-R1 and the second for the SMR team.
In the opening race Brookes fired from the pole position into the lead and after some intense battles with Shane Byrne throughout the first half of the race, he then imperiously held the lead to the finish, edging out an advantage to win the first of the three races by 2.583s despite plenty of celebrations across the line.
Jakub Smrz finished tenth on the second of the Milwaukee Yamahas after securing a front row qualifying start for the team.
Brookes said: “It’s amazing. For me I feel like that kid that grew up in Bringelly, a country town west of Sydney, and went to Bringelly Public School, and rode a dirt bike around in a field, and did it for fun, and then one day it was a race, and another race, and then it turned into a career. To be sat here next to Shakey and John Hopkins and be taking the British Championship is something that people have said over the years you’d never do and never get close to. I’ve always had some unknown desire since young age to pursue motorbikes as a career, so it’s not something I can put in words, but it’s something I feel and it feels great.
“Early this year I went to the German Championship, rode the IDM and during the race, I ended up third, I was in a battle with some other guys and I just thought, this is easy compared to racing against Shakey Byrne. When you race against a guy like this week in week out, it just toughens you up and it really is a challenge and every time you think that you’ve got an advantage, he puts something into the mix that makes you eat your words. I wasn’t at all surprised to see him come past. At the start of the race I did some good laps which on the dash looked like pretty good lap times and I could still hear this bike signing in my ears – it was Shakey right behind – and one lap he just sprung out from what seemed like nowhere and got past me. I tried a bunch of times to get back by, but I just didn’t seem to have the speed or the form in the early part of the race to keep that position and he kept fighting back, which again is what you would completely expect from Shakey.
“By the mid part of the race, I felt like I could maintain the speed and get into a rhythm where I felt like I had an advantage, and I thought, I’ve got to pass, put a hard lap in, and try and make a gap and then keep doing strong laps – that’s the only way to fight him off. It sounds like he’s a dragon or something! Once I got in front I really tried hard, I risked a lot, but I gained a lot, so I’m really pleased.”
Smrz said: “Qualifying went really well considering I had a one year break from the Brands Hatch GP track and just one dry session today. At the beginning of the last qualifying session it started to rain a little bit and it was all about one lap and that went great!
“The race today was just about a poor start where I had good reaction at the start – it was clean but slow. Within last year on bike where was technically not possible to start well I am already stressed before start to have a good one. Practice starts are good but in race starts I’m too careful. I will try to do it different and more aggressive because we have very good race pace and it’s shame not to use it to have a good result in races. Big congratulations to Milwaukee Yamaha and Josh to win championship!”
The final two races of the MCE BSB season take place tomorrow at Brands Hatch. Brookes starts the second race of the weekend from the pole position with Smrz in tenth position.
More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Press Office:
BENNETTS SUZUKI’S IDDON 4TH IN BRANDS BSB OPENER
Christian Iddon took fourth place in the opening British Superbike race at the final round at the Brands Hatch ‘Triple-Header’ weekend today, narrowly missing-out on a podium finish.
Iddon qualified fourth onboard his Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000 and made a good start from the head of the second row. He moved his way past Danny Buchan and onto the back of the fight for the podium.
For 20 laps of the Brands Hatch GP circuit, Iddon pressured John Hopkins for third place, but was unable to make a pass and took his second successive fourth place finish.
Christian Iddon:
“It’s another good result and it’s good to be near the front again. I didn’t have a great feeling from the tyres initially, which is unlike us, but I hung in there in fourth and the feeling got better as the race went on. I was behind ‘Hopper’ and I was faster in some areas but we lost out in a couple, but in the end I couldn’t get into a position to make a pass. I’m happy all in all, it’s helped us keep our momentum up and I’ll keep doing my best. We have a few things to work on for tomorrow, but today we’ve made another step with the bike and there’s even more we can do with it. Just got to keep working.”
Josh Waters endured a difficult opening race to the weekend, finishing outside of the points in 19th place after running-on at Surtees.
Josh Waters:
“It was a hard race today. We were fighting to try and get some points but I ran-off track at Turn Four and that really ruined our race. It’s been difficult to get a good set-up. We’ve struggled with it all season and the weather hasn’t helped our cause so far this weekend. But we’ll try something new and hopefully improve things tomorrow.”
Martin Halsall – Team Owner:
“Fourth place for Christian is a great result to start the weekend with, but what was even more important was that we had the pace for the full 20 laps and he was in the podium hunt for the whole race. The weekend started a bit slowly but the team found something for qualifying and Christian put in a great lap to head-up the second row. It was a long race around here but we were right there for the full race distance which shows how much progress we’ve made this season and how competitive the GSX-R1000 package still is, and we’re still getting more-and-more out of it. We’ve got two more races to chase that podium finish, so we’ll see where we can improve and go again tomorrow.”
More, from a press release issued by JG Speedfit Kawasaki:
STRONG START TO BRANDS HATCH FOR THE JG SPEEDFIT KAWASAKI DUO
17 October 2015 – Although the first of three races did not go to plan for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team, with a decision to run the harder compound rear tyre not going the way the team expected, it has been a strong start regardless with James Ellison topping practice and Luke Stapleford regularly running top ten pace.
With the iconic Brands Hatch circuit in Kent playing host to the final round of the 2015 MCE British Superbike Championship, the JG Speedfit Kawasaki duo of James Ellison and Luke Stapleford enjoyed a strong start. With rain falling throughout the opening day of practice, James elected not to head out in the first practice session whilst Luke took to the 2.4 mile circuit for his first wet laps aboard the ZX-10R Superbike. With conditions remaining damp for second free practice, James finished the first day in fourth with Luke sixteenth.
Although conditions dried up for Saturday, it remained cold throughout the day. An impressive final practice session saw James top the timesheets with Luke continuing to impress on only his second round aboard a Superbike by finishing in seventh. Qualifying saw both riders ease through Q1, with Stapleford eventually securing 14th on the grid for the opening race. Despite progressing through the final session and capable of challenging for the front row, with rain falling around the circuit James did not want to risk a crash, securing seventh place on the grid.
With overcast conditions ahead of the Saturday afternoon race, and conditions remaining cold, both James and Luke opted to use the harder Pirelli rear tyre for the race. Launching from his seventh place start, James immediately moved into sixth however with the front runners utilising the softer compound he wasn’t able to run the same lap times. Slipping back to eighth, the difference between the two compounds unfortunately was not as much as the team had hoped and James took the chequered flag in sixth. It was a similar story for Luke, who secured 17th in only his third Superbike race.
The JG Speedfit Kawasaki team will be back in action tomorrow at Brands Hatch for the final two races of the 2015 MCE British Superbike Championship.
A disappointed James Ellison said “That wasn’t a great race. After Silverstone we were in two minds whether to run the softer or the harder compound. We ran an SC1 here last year and were able to secure a close second place whilst in the race earlier this year we used the softer SC0 and got third but our times naturally dropped off a little towards the end. We thought if we could run with the front guys during the opening half of today’s race then the tyre would come to us and we would be able to push at the front.
Unfortunately the times didn’t change as much as we had hoped and we couldn’t challenge the top three. It was something we had to try and we know which direction to go tomorrow. We’ve shown we can run podium pace though and I’m confident tomorrow will see us finish on the box!”
With five races over the weekend, Luke Stapleford added “It’s a busy weekend again! The riding isn’t actually proving too difficult and I’m enjoying riding both the Supersport and the JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10R. With the weather yesterday, it meant both sessions were pretty much a write off but in today’s dry practice we had a great showing and I did think we had the pace to make Q3 during qualifying, but it wasn’t to be! I’m still really pleased though.
That race didn’t quite go to plan, we thought the harder tyre would be the right choice with the colder conditions but unfortunately the difference between the two compounds wasn’t as much as we predicted. I’m looking forward to tomorrow though, we have great pace and I’m confident we can get two good races under our belt.”
JG Speedfit Kawasaki Team Manager Mike Kane added, “Although the results might not have gone quite how we predicted in that race, the weekend as a whole has been very strong. Luke continues to stand out in only his second weekend on a Superbike and is moving further and further up the timesheets – incredibly impressive given those around him have been riding them all season. The team are working really well and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can do tomorrow.
James continues to do what he does best, running at the front during practice and definitely having the pace for the front row during qualifying but just unfortunately he got caught out with the weather. The race didn’t quite go as we planned, in hindsight we should have gone with a SC0 but we were still able to get a good result. We know what we need to do for tomorrow and I’m confident we’ll see James return to the podium.”
To learn more about the team, visit www.gbmoto.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram
To find out more about the JG Speedfit brand, you can visit www.jgspeedfit.com