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World Superbike Brits return to Silverstone this weekend

Tom Sykes

Tom Sykes

James Holland

- Five Brit riders’ give their thoughts ahead of their home race

- Meet the Brits on Thursday during the free ‘Paddock Show’

The FIM Superbike World Championship heads to Silverstone this weekend (03 – 05 August) and Britain’s five home-grown World Superbike riders are counting down the days until they go head-to-head with some of the best riders in the world, in front of a passionate, partisan crowd.

Ahead of the race action there will be a free autograph session in the Silverstone Wing Paddock on Thursday (02 August). The ‘Paddock Show’, providing fans with an opportunity to get up close and personal with their World Superbike heroes, will be open from 14:00hrs to anyone with a Saturday, Sunday or Weekend ticket, including families making the most of Silverstone’s kids go free policy* (for children aged 15 and under).

With plenty of overtaking guaranteed, Silverstone’s fast and flowing Grand Prix Circuit is loved by the riders. Britain’s five World Superbike riders have been offering their thoughts ahead of their home race:

Tom Sykes
Tom Sykes

Photo by: James M. Holland

Tom Sykes (aged 26; born in Huddersfield): having made the podium in both races at the last round, Sykes heads to Silverstone third overall and is the highest placed Brit in the championship. Looking ahead to his home race, the Kawasaki Racing Team rider said: “For me it is great to be coming back to race at Silverstone, even more so as it is less than 40 miles from my house and there is a good coffee shop en-route. It also helps that we are coming here off the back of a solid weekend in Brno where we seemed to find some benefits in our setting on the ZX10-R. Of course we have achieved this with a lot of hard work from myself, Kawasaki, all of the team and also extra help from Provec, Motocard and LeoVince. Hopefully we can carry this momentum forward for the rest of the season and especially here in front of my home crowd at Silverstone. In this case I will be even more satisfied.”

Jonathan Rea
Jonathan Rea

Photo by: James M. Holland

Jonathan Rea (aged 25; born in Larne, N. Ireland): Rea, who missed out on his home race last year due to injury, already has two wins under his belt this season and will be looking for a podium finish at Silverstone. The Honda World Superbike Team rider said: "There's something extra special about racing in front of your home crowd, so I'm really looking forward to riding at Silverstone. I was honoured to be invited to the opening of The Wing last year and spent some time with some of the greatest names in the history of motor sport, which was a really humbling experience.

“Unfortunately, I wasn't able to race at Silverstone later in the season because of injury and, although I was there to support the team, it was a frustrating weekend for me. There's still a lot to fight for in this year's championship and the Honda CBR is a much better package than the one we had last year. I've had some good success at Silverstone in the past - it's a fast and flowing circuit, which suits me and the bike, and we took a couple of podiums in 2010 so I can't wait for the weekend."

Leon Haslam
Leon Haslam

Photo by: James M. Holland

Leon Haslam (aged 29; born in Smalley): Haslam is currently sixth in the championship, having ridden his way to five podium finishes. His results, combined with those of fellow BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Marco Malandri, have propelled BMW to pole position in the manufacturer standings. The S 1000 RR rider said: “I’m really looking forward to Silverstone; it’s always special to race in front of your home crowd. We’ve had a few issues, a couple of poor weekends and I’ve been racing at circuits that I haven’t been that good at in the past; so I’m glad that’s all behind me and we’re going into Silverstone, my home race. Hopefully we’ll get back to winning ways. I really enjoy Silverstone as a track. My dad has a race school there and, for me, it’s a great venue to have a good, close race.”

Chaz Davies (aged 25; born in Knighton): Davies has made a promising debut in World Superbikes with his ParkinGO MTC Racing team, clinching a podium finish in Aragon. Speaking ahead of the weekend, he said: "I'm looking forward to Silverstone. I feel that the race is well timed in the calendar for me, because I'm just starting to grasp Superbike racing. We've come a long way in the last four races in terms of experience in WSBK, so I hope to use everything I've learnt to best effect at Silverstone and put on a show for the home crowd. I have a lot of friends and family coming which is always good for a few tenths of a second!"

Leon Camier (aged 25; born in Ashford): now in his fourth year of World Superbikes, Camier is looking forward to his third year of racing on Silverstone’s world famous Grand Prix circuit. The Fixi Crescent Suzuki rider said: “It’s always great fun to compete at your home race, but I don’t feel any extra pressure at Silverstone. I want to do well at all races, so racing at home is no different in that sense. John qualified the Suzuki on pole position last year, so we know the bike goes well there and it would be good to be on the front row - like I was last year. I can hear the fans on the warm-up and cooling down laps, but once the race is on, I am so concentrated that I don’t hear a thing. I’m hoping for some good weather, a good crowd and some good results.”

In addition to the two World Superbike races on Sunday (05 August), there are a host of support races to look forward to. While away from the track, fans can look forward to plenty of off-track entertainment.

Source: Silverstone Circuit

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