Shakey sets sights on record-breaking fourth title
Shane 'Shakey' Byrne has his sights set on celebrating a record-breaking fourth MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title at his home circuit of Brands Hatch this weekend but the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider knows that it won't be easy against his 2013 nemesis Alex Lowes.
Byrne and Lowes are separated by just a single point ahead of this weekend after an epic clash last time out at Silverstone, when the pair shared the wins as Shakey overcome the pain of a huge free practice crash which left him on crutches. Byrne admits that he refused to give up on the title fight at Silverstone despite the pain and is now ready to take on Lowes in the final three races of the 2013 season.
Byrne said: "I am feeling a lot better now than I did at the last round and the few days after Silverstone. Since then I have had more physio sessions and been back in training so I am in the best possible position I can be in ready for Brands Hatch. I think the final round will be similar to the rest of the Showdown as it has been so close between myself and Alex but hopefully I get the balance in my direction at Brands Hatch! We have had some great battles and with only one point between us we both know that no matter what we need to beat each other. The reality is, that no matter who else is battling with us, I need to beat him and he needs to beat me and it really is that simple.
"I love Brands Hatch; not just because it is my local circuit - it could be anywhere and I would still love it because of the characteristics. I have had such incredible support there in the past and the track has been really good to me but it has also been cruel at times too. We have all ridden at Brands Hatch and know it equally, but hopefully it can be kind to me again this weekend. To be honest no words can describe what winning the title again would mean to me because it is worth far more than I can say. It's so important and the only reason why I am here."
The final title-deciding round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Brands Hatch on 18/19/20 October with a triple-header round. For more information and to book advance tickets click here.
Ellison: “I haven’t given up on the title yet”
Lowes: Winning races at Brands Hatch will decide the title
Silverstone spotlight: Monster Energy Motostar Championship
Datatag Extreme Qualifying: Brands HatchΤελευταια νεα απτο μετωπο
Tyco Suzuki's Josh Brookes claimed his first MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship victory since Oulton Park with a commanding performance in the opening race of the triple-header Brands Hatch decider although Alex Lowes closed his advantage in the tense final laps.
Brookes had stormed into the lead with a move at Druids on the opening lap as he passed Shane 'Shakey' Byrne who had initially hit the front of the pack. Lowes was running fifth on the opening lap and he soon started to carve his way up the order as he bid to close on his title rivals. Brookes held the advantage from Byrne, Josh Waters and Lee Costello, but Lowes was up to third by the fourth lap as he made a move on both of the Halsall Racing Kawasakis who were charging in the damp conditions.
Brookes set a commanding pace over the opening laps to edge out a four second lead over Byrne and Lowes at the halfway point of the race as the track continued to dry. Lowes had closed in on his Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rival and on lap 14 the pair crossed the start line side-by-side and Lowes bid to make a move into Paddock Hill Bend. The Samsung Honda rider finally made a move stick at Surtees and dramatically upped his pace over the closing laps in a bid to reel in Brookes. The tense final laps of the Grand Prix circuit saw Lowes pushing hard to catch the Tyco Suzuki ahead of him and the gap closed to just 0.968 seconds at the chequered flag. Byrne held third as he now trails Lowes by three points ahead of tomorrow's two races.
Brookes said: "I felt better at the start of the race when it was wetter, I felt comfortable and found a rhythm and could ride fast. As soon as it started to dry I was thinking of sticking to the dry lines and try and make the best of that without overheating the tyre. Then I went for wet patches and my gap seemed to grow so I felt comfortable. Then with two laps to go I saw Alex was behind me and then I saw from my board that the gap had come down to a second on the final lap, where it had been three so I quickly had to figure out how quick I could go so that he wouldn't be in a position to overtake me. I am proud of the Tyco Suzuki team today and hopefully we can have another good day tomorrow."
Waters held a lonely fourth place as he scored his best result of the season for the Halsall Racing Kawasaki team as PJ Jacobsen rounded out the top five. Tommy Bridewell put in another fighting performance to finish sixth as he passed Chris Walker on the Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki and James Westmoreland on the leading Buildbase BMW. Lee Costello claimed his first top ten finish in MCE BSB with ninth place for the Halsall Racing Kawasaki team and Michael Rutter completed the top ten. There was more disappointment for James Ellison as he was forced to retire from the race with a visor issue.
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, race one:
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) +0.968s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +5.709s
Josh Waters (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +16.821s
PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) +22.890s
Tommy Bridewell (Milwaukee Yamaha) +24.345s
Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +25.538s
James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +27.731s
Lee Costello (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +29.917s
Michael Rutter (Bathams Honda) +30.394s
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings after Brands Hatch race one:
Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 623
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 620
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 571
James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) 562
James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) 542
Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) 522
Last updated: Saturday, October 19, 2013
Τελευταία τροποποίηση από GIOTIS750; 20/10/2013 στις 09:02.
Αμάν κόλαση αυτό το βρετανικό.....αμάν αμάν.....
Ευχαριστώ τους Ιάπωνες για τα γαμηστερά εν σειρά τετρακύλινδρα που απλόχερα προσέφεραν στον πτωχό και ταπεινό τούτο πλανήτη.
Eπικός αγώνας. Επικός Brooks απλά απίστευτος. Κανείς δεν κατάλαβε που έβρισκε 2-3 δευτερόλεπτα στον γύρο
![]()
it's all a matter of perception
ο ορισμός του ανθρωπάκου: look on and do nothing
Να σου πω εγώ που τα βρήκε...βασικά είχε μια δουλειά με τη suzuki στην Ισπανία, αλλά τελείωσε νωρίς ο αγώνας....πήρε το αεροπλάνο για να γυρίσει κι όπως πετούσε πάνω από την Αγγλία, τσούπ πάει το μάτι του σε μια πίστα και κάτι γινότανε εκεί. Ήτανε το Brands Hatch. Αν πρόσεξες άνοιξε ο καιρός γι'αυτό την είδε...αν μιλάμε για timing... Λέει λοιπόν στον πιλότο, αν κατέβω εδώ πειράζει? Όχι του λέει ο αεροπόρος από συναδελφική αλληλεγγύη... Και μια και δυο τσούπ με το GSXR στην πίστα, αλλά πλήρωσε ολόκληρο εισιτήριο, γιατί λέει δεν έχει μαλακίες εδώ...ήρθα στο τέλος να μην πλερώσω κι άλλα τέτοια πονηρά...τα πήρε στο κρανίο, μπαίνει μέσα και τους ξετρύπησε όλους από τα νεύρα του αλλά κι από την περιέργειά του για το τι γινότανε όταν πρωτοκοίταξε πάνω από το αεροπλάνο. Αυτοί οι αυστραλοί είναι τρελοί...δεν θέλουνε και ιδιαίτερες αφορμές για να κάνουν τα τρελά τους...στο ρελαντί τό΄χουνε. Αυτά.
Ευχαριστώ τους Ιάπωνες για τα γαμηστερά εν σειρά τετρακύλινδρα που απλόχερα προσέφεραν στον πτωχό και ταπεινό τούτο πλανήτη.
επειδή πιθανόν να μην καταλάβει κάποιος άλλος απο τους 5 που θα διαβάσουν το θρέντ μεταφράζω. Οι άλλοι ήταν με βρόχινα ενώ ο Brookes με σλικ.
it's all a matter of perception
ο ορισμός του ανθρωπάκου: look on and do nothing
Όχι ρε γμτ.
Ευχαριστώ τους Ιάπωνες για τα γαμηστερά εν σειρά τετρακύλινδρα που απλόχερα προσέφεραν στον πτωχό και ταπεινό τούτο πλανήτη.
Πολύ καλός ο Μπρουκς απλά εξαφανίστηκε μπροστά και μην τον είδατε τον Κίτσο τονλεβεντη.
ρε ποιον Αυστραλό μου θυμιζει
Η μάχη για τον τίτλο πολύ καλή.
Lowes kai Shakey απλά απαιχτοι. Χωρίς επαφές και δράματα καθαρός αγώνας
με τον φόβο του χαισαιντινγκ να καραδωκει. Αν δεν ανοιγοτανε σε μια αποτις τελευταίες στροφές ο Μπερνς ίσως ήταν
αλλιώς τα πράγματα τεσπα.
Συνχαρητηρια στον νέο Πρωταθλητη Αγλλιας στα BSB Alex Lowes![]()
Τελευταία τροποποίηση από GIOTIS750; 21/10/2013 στις 08:36.
BSB CHAMPION 2013
“It is incredible and it was always going to be difficult this weekend and then with the weather playing a big part it is really hard to enjoy races like that and it is easy to make a mistake. I passed Shakey at the end and pushed as hard as I could. I owe a lot to Shakey as he has made me the rider that I am, ten years ago I watched him do the double in the World Superbikes as a wild card and I have learnt off him and he has made me a better rider," said Lowes, at the circuit.
“The middle part of the year was good for me, and I kept up the good form. But Josh has been incredible this weekend and has not made a mistake, and I have enjoyed racing with everyone. My brother Sam would have given me a lot of stick if I didn’t win the championship but I managed to get out on top, and now he can't give me too much.”