The chase for the UK's premier motorcycle racing crown begins on the demanding
Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit on Sunday 6 April, amid what looks like being a duel for supremacy between the sport’s 'young-guns'.
Heading the new all-Pirelli line-up is Leon Haslam. He has taken over the HM Plant Honda ride from twice champion Ryuichi Kiyonari and having finished second and third in the past seasons for Airwaves Ducati is determined that this will be his year.
"The talking stops now, it is down to what happens on the track," said the 24 year old Derbyshire rider. "The new bike is awesome. We have done several days of testing and there is still more development work to be done, but now I just want to get out there racing on a circuit that is great to ride."
Haslam reckons he will settle for nothing but the title: "I want to win, I have the package to do it, and I won’t settle for anything less than the championship title."
He will not have things his own way. The opposition is the best, starting with his team-mate, former British Supersport Champion Cal Crutchlow, who turned down a career as a professional footballer to concentrate on his racing.
2007 rookie of the year Tom Sykes looks to be on the pace aboard his new Rizla Suzuki and also faces an inter-team scrap for supremacy in the shape of twice Japanese Superbike Championship who makes his British racing debut at the event.
Leon Camier, now fully recovered from the leg injuries sustained in a horror accident last August, has settled well into riding the all-new Ducati 1098R, riding in Airwaves Ducati colours alongside former champion and Brands specialist Shane Byrne.
Byrne won the title back in 2003, then riding Ducati, and enjoyed one of the milestone moments of his career at the Kent circuit that year when he took a winning double, as a wild-card rider, in the World Superbike meeting.
Byrne means business, and that could spell problems for the rest, although he could be tested by the experienced Michael Rutter, riding a similar bike, but in his new North West 200 livery.
Stuart Easton and Aussie Billy McConnell head up the MSS Discovery Kawasaki challenge while Karl Harris, another former Supersport champion campaigns the Rob Mac Racing Yamaha amid the 30 strong starting grid.
Tristan Palmer, the winner of last years Superbike Cup, moves into the main championship this time around, remaining with the Tena for Men Honda team, with Michael Howarth, back in action after injury, heads their bid to retain the cup which is now backed by the Daily Star.
Tom Tunstall riding the Hardinge Ice Valley Honda should be pushing him hard, as will local hero Steve Mercer riding the Bob Farnham Tuning/Sondel Yamaha.
Around the two 20 lap Superbike races on a big sporting programme there is the opening rounds of the Fuchs-Silkolene Supersport Championship; the Metzeler National 600 and 1000 Superstock Championships, Relentless British 125GP Championship and the all new Henderson R1 Cup.
