BSB 2011 – Round Five – Knockhill
Hill takes pole as both Byrne and Brooke take tumbles
British Superbike Qualifying Knockhill
1. Tommy Hill [Yamaha] 52.867sec
2. John Hopkins [Suzuki] 53.045
3. Gary Mason [Kawasaki] 53.592
4. Michael Rutter [Ducati] 53.766
5. Jon Kirkham [Suzuki] 53.836
6. Josh Brookes [Suzuki] 53.863
7. Glen Richards [Honda] 54.466
8. James Westmoreland [Yamaha] 54.596
British Supersport Race 1 Result [18 laps]
1. Sam Warren [Yamaha]
2. Alastair Seeley [Suzuki]+3.323sec
3. Ben Wilson [Kawasaki] 10.014
4. Luke Stapleford [Kawasaki] 10.077
5. Luke Mossey [Triumph] 13.678
6. Daniel Cooper [Triumph] +16.282
Report
Tommy Hill kept his cool in difficult damp conditions at Knockhill to claim pole start for the first of the two races of the fifth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.
The Swan Yamaha rider headed off the threat of former MotoGP rider John Hopkins in a dramatic finale to qualifying in which the series leading Shane Byrne and Josh Brookes both slid off without injury.
Hill, virtually clear of the shoulder injury that put him on the back-foot in the title stakes, is determined to use this Scottish pole to good effect to put his title challenge firmly back on track and he commented: “we’ve had a good start, but now we need to finish the weekend off, getting out and getting stuck in to these races.”
His pole setting lap came in 52.867secs and Hill reflected: “I felt comfortable although it was a bit of a gamble and it was a case of staying composed and doing the job though there were a few worrying moments when several riders were looking at slick tyres. Now we need to focus on wins and points.”
Hill and Hopkins will be looking to capitalise on Byrne’s demise at the Chicane, the former two times British champion sliding off his HM Plant Honda without injury, but facing an uphill struggle in the races as he starts from the third row of the grid.
Hopkins is currently second in the points, 15 down on Byrne, and is keen to enjoy the cuedos of leading the standings even though the main focus for all of the riders is to secure positions in the top six ahead of the end of season Showdown for the title.
Hopkins who closed his Samsung Crescent Suzuki within 0.178secs praised the work of his team: “Qualifying was good and in these conditions it is about how much you risk pushing that bit too hard and risk crashing. You are riding on the edge but when you get it right, it is fun. Wet or dry, they have the bike awesome for me – it would have been nice to have taken pole but it is the races that matter. We get the points then.”
Gary Mason put his MSS Colchester Kawasaki onto the front row ahead of Michael Rutter on the Rapid Solicitors Bathams Ducati. Lining up behind them was Jon Kirkham, riding the second Samsung Crescent Suzuki, and Josh Brookes who remained sixth fastest despite sliding off his Relentless Suzuki at Butchers.
Glen Richards, the fastest of the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class riders, set the seventh best time ahead of Motorpoint Yamaha’s James Westmoreland. Byrne headed the third row from Loris Baz who had tumbled at the chicane in the second session. Michael Laverty and the three times British champion Ryuichi Kiyonari were alongside.
Simon Andrews and Graeme Gowland who were second and third fastest in the BSB-EVO class start from the fourth row while Alex Lowes whose spectacular highside stopped the second part of the qualifying session will start his MSS Colchester Kawasaki from the fifth row in company with series debutant Jake Zemke aboard the WFR Honda.
– Relentless Suzuki Report
Alastair Seeley took his fifth podium of the season at Knockhill during Saturday’s 18-lap British Supersport race in wet conditions, coming home in second place. His British Superbike team-mate Josh Brookes put his Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing GSX-R1000 on the second row for tomorrow’s opening Superbike race, after qualifying in sixth place in the final Q3 session, despite a late crash.
In the Supersport race Seeley aggressively took the holeshot to avoid the spray and led for eight laps, but in the latter stages he decided discretion was the better part of valour, bringing his Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing machine home on two wheels for 20 valuable championship points. In doing so he closes the gap marginally in the title race.
Josh Brookes – British Superbike
“Crashes aside it’s a fairly improved weekend with my best qualifying of the year, which was my plan this weekend. Qualifying this year has been one of my weak areas for whatever reason, and it may have been even better today if I hadn’t crashed, but you’ve got to keep trying. We’ll just have to see what tomorrow brings. If it’s dry it’s going to be a really strange situation as we’ve ridden all weekend so far in the wet. It could be fun out there tomorrow.”
Alastair Seeley – British Supersport
“I got a good start, took the holeshot, then watched my boards, but I could hear Sam behind me. He was quicker in a few areas but I was able to close him down in others and he nearly crashed when we got caught up in back markers. I started to think, ‘do I go for it here or sit back and take the points’ as I knew Ben Wilson was behind me. So in the end, in these conditions, it was safer to settle for points and wait for tomorrow.”
Philip Neill – Team Manager
“Alastair showed his maturity today with another great ride on the new GSX-R600. He did all he could at the start of the race to make a break but Sam Warren was determined to get his debut victory today and fair play to the lad. On the positive side Alastair has closed the gap in the championship, albeit marginally, and he still has tomorrow to see if he can get that Knockhill victory.
“Josh made progress today and showed his determination by fighting his way into the Q3 session, and at one stage looked a good bet for a top three spot. Unfortunately he got caught out right at the end, not only slipping back to P6 but also crashing quite heavily. He’s not injured thankfully, but frustratingly, the boys have been left with quite a bit of work to do to get the bike ready for tomorrow. Hopefully we can be fighting for podium honours – I certainly think we deserve it.”
– Crescent Suzuki Report
Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki rider John Hopkins will start tomorrow’s fifth round of the 2011 British Superbikes Championship from the front row.
The American narrowly missed taking Pole Position at the rain-swept Knockhill circuit in Fife, placing second fastest in qualifying today. His team-mate Jon Kirkham will start from the second row in P5, having himself narrowly missed joining Hopkins on the front row.
John Hopkins: “We’re very well placed for tomorrow’s races. We’ve had an all-wet weekend so far, but my bike has been competitive throughout and with the adjustments my crew chief and mechanics have been making, the bike has only become better, finding more grip, and making better acceleration.
“The qualifying sessions were very difficult with a mix of wet and dry and any time you have to push to the limit in these conditions, it’s going to be difficult. I played safe in the earlier sessions by staying with wet tyres when others went for intermediates and for me that paid off. I was very close to getting Pole in that final session but I had Tommy Hill in my tow and he was able to use that to his advantage, stealing the Pole.
“But I’m happy. We’re front row and we’ve good settings for the wet and – because we tested here two weeks ago – the dry. We’re in really good shape. I’m looking forward to the races.”
Jon Kirkham: “That was a fraught qualifier. I rode Q1 on wets setting seventh fastest early on but came in as it dried, looking to change tyres, then saw my time plummeting down the table as others took advantage of the drying track. With a red-flag incident as well, I literally squeaked through. So I started Q2 on intermediates, but couldn’t get a clear quick lap in, then we got a red flag when I was in 14th. Fortunately I got out again and made seventh fastest. In Q3 I was struggling for rear grip and the slides meant I was again around seventh, but I managed a clean last lap and pulled up to fifth. Much happier!
“So we’ll be looking to try one more setting tomorrow morning in warm-up to see if we can’t improve rear grip. But I’m feeling comfortable with the set-up and I’m hoping I can convert this into two top-fives come tomorrow.”
Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “Another good build up to the races. This is Hopper’s third front row qualifier – all on tracks he’s never raced before. That’s an amazing feat. He had a good practice build-up except for a slight snag in free practice three. So the bike and rider are 100% ready – as Hopper demonstrated in qualifying.
“JK has done a brilliant job in qualifying in P5, barely 0.1-seconds off the front row. He struggled with tyre choices in the first two sessions but got his head down in Q3. To grab P5 was excellent and sets him up for some good performances tomorrow.
“We’re told we’re over the worst of the weather, but that could make for a bit of a lottery tomorrow if we’ve got a drying track; we’d almost prefer for it to stay all wet. But saying that, our test here a fortnight ago gave us a chance to work on dry settings and we set some good times in that test, so we’re confident we’ve covered all the angles.”