British Superbike News

Sylvain Guintoli 2009

Last weekend the British Superbike Championship took place at Donington Park for round 2 with the Airwaves Yamaha team taking the victory in both.

As the bikes were on the out lap for the first of the afternoon’s British Superbike races, the Worx Crescent Suzuki rider Sylvain Guintoli was hit by Josh Brookes on the HM Plant Honda after his brakes failed at the Melbourne Loop.

Guintoli has broken his right fibula and tibia and is expected to be out for at least ten weeks.  The team announced today that Michael Rutter will be the replacement rider for this weekend at Thruxton. Josh Brookes has meanwhile been given a one race ban suspended for three British Superbike Championsip meetings for the collision.

Brookes is devastated by the racing accident and has said;

“My greatest apologies go out to Sylvain, I have been in a similar condition myself in similar circumstances so I understand he must be devastated.  I wish his best recovery as he did nothing wrong, he is just the victim of a crappy series of events.  I can only defend myself.  I have said what happened from my position, and 10 years road race experience.  I stand by my words so thanks to those who support me.”

Race One

As the bikes lined up on the grid for the first race it was James Ellison on the Airwaves Yamaha went into the lead followed by Chris Walker on the Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha.

Stuart Easton on the Hydrex Honda was in third ahead of the solo HM Plant Honda rider Glen Richards in fourth and Simon Andrews on the MSS Colchester Kawasaki in fifth.

After qualifying in pole position, Leon Camier was soon back on form as he first passed Richards and then Easton before taking Chris Walker on the following lap as Andrews also passed Easton to take fourth place.

With only 16 laps left to run, Camier passed his team-mate, gradually increasing the gap to finish almost 4 seconds ahead of Ellison and Easton.

Andrews battled with Walker on the next lap for the final podium step and made it at Old Hairpin only to get it taken back at McLeans.

Easton and Andrews swapped places a couple of times until Andrews lost the front end as he approached Goddards.

Tristan Palmer on the Buildbase Kawasaki crashed out of race one as he clipped the back of Gary Mason’s Quay Garage Honda at the Melbourne hairpin.

Here are the results;

1. Leon Camier GBR Airwaves Yamaha 30mins 45.324secs 20 laps
2. James Ellison GBR Airwaves Yamaha +3.644secs
3. Stuart Easton GBR Hydrex Honda +10.490secs
4. Glen Richards AUS HM Plant Honda +13.459secs
5. Chris Walker GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +15.146secs
6. Karl Harris GBR Hydrex Honda +15.565secs
7. Julien Da Costa FRA MSS Colchester Kawasaki +31.782secs
8. Ian Lowry GBR Relentless TAS Suzuki +34.781secs
9. John Laverty IRL Buildbase Kawasaki +35.362secs
10. Graeme Gowland GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +35.654secs
11. Jason O’Halloran AUS SMT Honda +36.348secs
12. Gary Mason GBR Quay Honda +36.623secs Cup
13. Jon Kirkham GBR Jentin Yamaha +45.280secs
14. Tom Tunstall GBR Hardinge Doodson Honda +53.503secs Cup
15. Martin Jessopp GBR Riders Racing Honda +53.897secs Cup

16. Peter Hickman GBR Ultimate Yamaha +1min 00.649secs Cup
17. Victor Cox GBR STP/JHS MV Agusta +1min 01.438secs
18. Aaron Zanotti GBR Red Viper Honda +1min 03.476secs
19. Atsushi Watanabe JPN Relentless TAS Suzuki +1min 03.619secs
20. Matt Bond GBR MIST Suzuki +1min 25.163secs Cup
21. Brian McCormack GBR MAR Kawasaki +1 lap Cup
22. Alastair Fagan GBR Red Viper Honda +1 lap Cup

Not classified

23. David Johnson AUS Maxxis Adept Yamaha 13 laps completed
24. Simon Andrews GBR MSS Colchester Kawasaki 7 laps completed
25. Kenny Gilbertson GBR JX Fuelcard Kawasaki 5 laps completed Cup
26. Tristan Palmer GBR Buildbase Kawasaki 1 lap completed
27. Malcolm Ashley GBR MAR Kawasaki Did Not Start Cup
28. Josh Brookes AUS HM Plant Honda Did Not Start
29. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Worx Crescent Suzuki Did Not Start

Race Two

Race 2 was won for the first time ever by the Airwaves Yamaha rider James Ellison, just over 2 seconds in front of Stuart Easton on the Hydrex Honda machine.

The initial race was restarted after Karl Harris’s engine blew,  causing him to crash the Hydrex Honda which then leaked water over the track bringing out the red flag.

At the restart, Walker shot into the lead until passed by Glen Richards on the HM Plant Honda at McLeans and then Camier.  Walker took his place back further in the lap while behind Jason O’Halloran on the SMT Honda and David Johnson on the Team Maxxis Branson Yamaha, tangled and both were out of the running.

On lap 3, Camier came to a stand still on track shortly after passing Walker. After a lot of fiddling about with his machine he was once again rejoining the race but was by then back in 25th position.

On lap 6, Easton and Walker were again fighting for position with Walker finally pushed back to third position as Easton also made his move stick.

Ellison crossed the line to take the chequered flag followed by Easton in second, Walker in third, Andrews in fourth and Richards in fifth place.

Josh Brookes ended his dismal weekend by crashing out in race two along with Karl Harris who went down on the last lap.

Camier finally finished in twelfth, he was about to finish in the top ten when running in ninth on the penultimate lap he made a mistake.

Here are the results;

1. James Ellison GBR Airwaves Yamaha 30mins 49.102secs 20 laps
2. Stuart Easton GBR Hydrex Honda +2.582secs
3. Chris Walker GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +5.740secs
4. Simon Andrews GBR MSS Colchester Kawasaki +9.517secs
5. Glen Richards AUS HM Plant Honda +9.729secs
6. Ian Lowry GBR Relentless TAS Suzuki +18.247secs
7. Gary Mason GBR Quay Honda +26.512secs Cup
8. Tristan Palmer GBR Buildbase Kawasaki +27.330secs
9. John Laverty IRL Buildbase Kawasaki +28.626secs
10. Graeme Gowland GBR Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha +31.155secs
11. Julien Da Costa FRA MSS Colchester Kawasaki +31.930secs
12. Leon Camier GBR Airwaves Yamaha +40.198secs
13. Jon Kirkham GBR Jentin Yamaha +41.721secs
14. Peter Hickman GBR Ultimate Yamaha +50.121secs Cup
15. Martin Jessopp GBR Riders Racing Honda +50.506secs Cup

16. Victor Cox GBR STP/JHS MV Agusta +52.806secs
17. Tom Tunstall GBR Hardinge Doodson Honda +52.889secs Cup
18. Karl Harris GBR Hydrex Honda +1min 13.938secs
19. Matt Bond GBR MIST Suzuki +1min 22.793secs Cup
20. Alastair Fagan GBR Red Viper Honda +1min 28.591 Cup

Not classified

21. Aaron Zanotti GBR Red Viper Honda 16 laps completed
22. Kenny Gilbertson GBR JX Fuelcard Kawasaki 11 laps completed Cup
23. Josh Brookes AUS HM Plant Honda 7 laps completed
24. Brian McCormack GBR MAR Kawasaki 7 laps completed Cup
25. Atsushi Watanabe JPN Relentless TAS Suzuki 6 laps completed
26. David Johnson AUS Maxxis Adept Yamaha 1 lap completed
27. Jason O’Halloran AUS SMT Honda 1 lap completed
28. Malcolm Ashley GBR MAR Kawasaki Did Not Start Cup
29. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Worx Crescent Suzuki Did Not Start