HM Plant Honda rider targets victory at Brands Hatch

Haslam: "Forget Oulton Park - bring on Brands Hatch"


Leon Haslam is looking ahead to this weekend's Bennetts British Superbike Championship event at Brands Hatch and is more determined than ever to take his first win of the season, after the incident with Tom Sykes saw him disqualified from race two at Oulton Park yesterday.

Haslam, who had finished race one on the podium, was battling for the lead with Rizla Suzuki's Sykes when the pair collided at Hislops chicane. Haslam was able to rejoin and finish fourth on the track, but Sykes tumbled out and was unable to rejoin.

Haslam said: "I'm leaving Oulton Park pretty frustrated really, as we could have won both races and certainly the first. In race one I caught Shakey and should really have passed him when I caught him and pulled away. Instead I stayed with him for a while and he nicked the win. At least second is my first podium of the year."

"In the second race we had an incident with another rider and I've been disqualified and that's all I want to say about that race to be honest. All we can do now is look forward to Brands Hatch where at least it's less than a week before I can get out there and get some better results."

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, race two, amended results:

1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati)
2. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) +4.247s
3. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) +8.027s
4. Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +1 lap
5. Stuart Easton (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +1 lap
6. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) +1 lap
7. Simon Andrews (Jentin Racing/Lloyds British Yamaha) +1 lap
8. Scott Smart (Hawk Kawasaki) +1 lap
9. Atsushi Watanabe (Rizla Suzuki) +1 lap
10. Billy McConnell (MSS Discovery Kawasaki) +1 lap

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings

1. Shane Byrne (Airwaves Ducati) 95
2. Leon Camier (Airwaves Ducati) 56
3. Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda) 55
=. Michael Rutter (North West 200 Ducati) 55
5. James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) 46