Just days after his perfect double victory at the
Brands Hatch season opener, Gregorio Lavilla heads for the super-fast
Thruxton circuit expecting more of the same.
The Spaniard powered to a winning double at the Hampshire circuit last year and will settle for nothing less in 2007, after fending off a strong challenge from two 'young-guns' of British racing to rule the opening round.
"I like Thruxton - it suits my style and I find it easy to go fast there," said Lavilla. "When my bike works well, we are ready to fight with anyone."
Leon Camier and Jonathan Rea each took a second and a third place at Brands on Bank Holiday Monday to establish their credentials for a title bid amid what looks like being one of the most competitive ever Bennetts BSB entries.
"I wanted solid points in the opening round, and maybe could have won the second race, but I knew that you can’t win the title in the first round but you can lose it. Now, at Thruxton I can go for it," warned Rea.
Those thoughts are echoed by Camier, also 20 years old and now living near to the circuit, at Wimborne Minster. "I didn’t expect to be leading, but I know what I am capable of and am learning all of the time, understanding my bike."
Camier and Rea are joint second, ahead of Leon Haslam, last year’s runner-up who is eager for better than his sixth and fourth places in the season opener while Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda riders Tom Sykes and former champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne are running strongly.
Add in the challenges of the Rizla Suzukis in the hands of former four times runner-up Chris Walker and British Supersport champion Cal Crutchlow together with the experience of MSS Kawasaki's Michael Rutter and the races promise to be thrillers.
Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha riders Tommy Hill and James Haydon need to re-group in the second round, as does reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari who scored forgettable eighth and eleventh places at Brands.
James Buckingham, the opening round double winner in the British Superbike Cup, will be looking for more of the same as he rides the Quay Garage Honda at the circuit nearest to his Ilfracombe home.
Around the Superbikes action there is a full supporting programme with the second rounds of the Maxxis British Supersport Championship, the British 125GP Championship, the Metzeler Racetec National Superstock Championship and Cup and the Virgin Media Cup.
Practice and qualifying at Thruxton is on Friday and Saturday with all of the races on Sunday 15 April.
