Leon Haslam is edging away in the charge for the Bennetts British Superbike title but as the young rider moves into the penultimate round at Silverstone he can take nothing for granted amid stiff competition.
Reigning champion Gregorio Lavilla is in a healthy second place, while Ryuichi Kiyonari, having tested at the Northamptonshire circuit is confident that he can put paid to the Airwaves Ducati challenge and try to get his title chase back on track.
Kiyonari has a mountain to climb this weekend as he goes into the races needing to peg back a 26 points deficit on Haslam, having crashed out of the previous race at Cadwell Park. That has left him on the back-foot, but Kiyonari can pack the power of his HM Plant Honda when it is needed most.
He has warmed up to the challenge during testing by bettering the lap record and also running faster than his own pole time from the previous year, both of which are factors that have boosted his confidence as he aims, in his third season of riding the series to be become the first Japanese rider to win the British title.
Haslam is determined that he will not achieve that and the number one plate will go to a British rider. The 22 year old is enjoying a rich and consistent run of form, he had a spill at the first race of the season, but since then he has only finished outside the top three once – however, it is only in the last month that he has tasted the winner's champagne, taking the victories in two of the last three races.
His consistency has put him ahead of his team-mate Lavilla, with the Spaniard also back in top form, having ridden through a mid-term lean spell in which he failed to score points in three out of six races. He is keen to retain his crown, and rode to his eighth victory of the season at Cadwell Park which shows he won't go without a fight.
Lavilla is 15 points down on Haslam, but apart from the points at stake at
Silverstone, they are well aware that the finale at Brands a fortnight later offers a double points reward. Now is the time for consistency, and time to gather up as many points as possible.
In the Airwaves camp, there are no team-orders between the riders, however they have been told to beat their Honda rivals, while in HM Plant squad Kiyonari could be looking for a little help from his team-mate Karl Harris, the former triple Supersport champion, who could deny the Ducati riders priceless points by running ahead of them.
Apart from the threat of the Sheffield rider, both Haslam and Lavilla need to be mindful of the hard riding teenage Ulsterman Jonathan Rea, aboard the
Red Bull Honda, who is long overdue maiden race winning glory in the championship, he could come between them and their points.
Former title holder Shane Byrne, having put in a series of fast laps during testing, should also be running up front on his Rizla Suzuki, and he will have the returning force of James Haydon, recovered from injuries sustained during the
Snetterton round, on the team's second bike. They need positive results as do the Stobart Motorsport Honda duo of Michael Laverty and Michael Rutter, while Tommy Hill, riding the Virgin Mobile Yamaha, has good memories of his ride at the circuit earlier in the year when he made his debut into the World series by claiming Superpole start.
Scott Smart returns from injury to head up the Vivaldi Suzuki challenge, alongside Ben Wilson and Ollie Bridewell, while the Hawk Kawasaki team will be looking for strong performances from Craig Coxhell, Dean Thomas and Peter Hickman. Keep an eye on the Hydrex Hondas of Glen Richards and Gary Mason also.
Chris Martin resumed his quest for the British Superbike Cup, aboard the PR Branson Honda, but will be under pressure from Marty Nutt, riding the NuttTravel.com Suzuki, Howie Mainwaring and Michael Howarth.
