The Bennetts British Superbike Championship builds to a mind numbing crescendo of speed and excitement as the three way shoot out for glory takes place at Brands Hatch this weekend(29th Sept - 1st Oct).
The key players as ever are defending champion Gregorio Lavilla, Ryuichi Kiyonari and Leon Haslam all of whom will be riding for the double points at stake in each of the two races, which will take place on the demanding grand prix circuit.
Only nine points separate first from third following a dramatic penultimate round at Silverstone which shook up the championship chase even further. Haslam had been leading the way before the Silverstone action began, but due to a crash in race one he slipped to third place in the title stakes, leaving his Airwaves Ducati team-mate Lavilla, the new leader, and HM Plant Honda's Kiyonari in second.
Race one at Brands will be action packed with all three out to take the win, and then consider any tactical riding or team orders for the second race.
Kiyonari is eager to take the British crown for his Honda team, he took a double win last time out, and that brings his tally to ten races – he goes into the final round knowing that if he equals his score of a dozen race victories like last year, then he will have achieved his objective. However, the 23 year old does not have good memories of racing the 2.6228 mile circuit, and in the corresponding round last season he only managed to bag a pair of fourth placings.
He will be doing his utmost to set that record straight, and also looking to his team-mate Karl Harris to get ahead of the two Airwaves bikes and deprived them of valuable points.
Both reigning champion Lavilla and Haslam have equal opportunities, as team manager Colin Wright explained the lack of team orders: “Both riders are eager to win, and frankly I'm not fussed either way as long as it is one of them and not Kiyo. That's all I'm saying,” he smiled.
Lavilla, the stylish Spanish rider, who is now a single point clear of Kiyonari, and a further eight ahead of team-mate Haslam, as he took a pair of second places at Silverstone is seeing some similarities with last season where he put in a strong second half flourish to clinch the crown.
“Then, I had a single point lead with two rounds to go, this time, I have a single point lead, with one round, but double points, to go – it is now a one round championship,” said Lavilla who can reflect on his winning ride in race one at Brands last year in the finale which sealed his title glory.
