For the Foggy Petronas squad, based in Burton-Upon-Trent,
Silverstone is a short cross-country hop away, and the tight nature of some parts of the track will be good news for Steve Martin and Craig Jones. Local boy Jones will have his first chance to impress in front of his home crowd and, after many years of UK competition, knows all the intimate secrets of the Silverstone track.
British fans, robbed of the chance to see Pierfrancesco Chili on track, due to injury, will nonetheless be able to get their programmes signed by the most experienced rider in SBK in the pre-race autograph sessions. Ebullient Italian Gianluca Nannelli once more replaces Chili, while former WSS rider Josh Brookes takes over the Bertocchi Kawasaki ride vacated by Franco Battaini.
Meanwhile, Silverstone will also host the second open paddock of the season, giving the public the maximum chance of meeting their favourite riders and getting a treasured autograph along the way. There will be two open paddock sessions, one on Thursday 25th May (from 2pm) and one on Saturday 27th May (from 12.30pm to 12.45pm).
On Thursday, in anticipation of the forthcoming World Cup football competition, key World Superbike riders will also don their national colours for the ‘Silverstone World Cup’. This crowd-pleasing contest is a 'beat the keeper' penalty competition, against the clock. The 'Silverstone World Cup' will take place in the middle of the circuit, close to the paddock.
Until the previous Monza round, 2005 World Supersport champion Sebastien Charpentier was in danger of providing a virtual whitewash in this normally highly competitive class - but it was not to be in Italy. Third for Charpentier, after a jump-start penalty and a further excursion up an escape road, seemingly left the way open for his biggest challenger so far, Yamaha Motor Germany rider Kevin Curtain.
