2008 British Superbike Round 5 - Snetterton

Text and Photos Courtesy Kawasaki  Racing, Suzuki Racing, Yamaha Racing, Pirelli Tyre, Metzeler Tyre and British Superbike.  Edited by webBikeWorld.

Race Results
Race 1 - Leon Camier threw the form book out of the window to claim his debut British Superbike victory with an aggressive and determined ride in the first 21-lap race at Snetterton (15 June).

The Airwaves Ducati rider tucked in behind Leon Haslam as the HM Plant Honda rider converted pole position into holeshot and the race lead for the opening three laps.  Sizing up his opponent, Camier made his move on the brakes at the end of the Revett Straight, as the front pair turned in to the third gear Esses.

Teammate and Championship leader Shane Byrne settled in to his rhythm in fourth just behind Tom Sykes’ Rizla Suzuki as the front quartet opened up a visible gap from Michael Laverty’s Relentless By TAS Suzuki GSXR-1000.

Cal Crutchlow found himself with a mountain to climb after a poor start left the Honda pilot in 8th after the opening lap.  Moving through the field the Coventry-based rider made it a five bike dice for podium positions but his challenge would prove to be to no avail.

Haslam took charge of the race on lap 15 as he made a practice move at The Esses, showing Camier his front wheel before moving ahead at the same point on the following lap. Camier responded, hitting the front for the final time on lap 18, joined in second by Shane Byrne who put a stiff but fair move on Haslam into the Russell chicane.

The Ducati pair moved clear, Byrne looking for his seventh win and Camier his first.  Byrne made a bold attempt for the lead on the final lap but ran wide into The Esses. Camier held his line firm to take his first Superbike checkered flag by nine hundredths of a second.

Leon Camier, Winner Race 1:  “Unbelievable! I kept looking at my pit board and thinking that I was 6.5s ahead, then Haslam came past me so I got my head down to get the lead back.  Airwaves Ducati has done a great job with the bike this weekend, we’ve been working hard on set-up and everything has come together nicely in this race.  I would also like to thank Toby Branfoot and all the medical staff who’ve helped me back to fitness after my crash at Cadwell Last year.”

Race 2
A torrential downpour swept across the 1.95 mile Snetterton circuit prior to the second Superbike race of the day.
The ensuing weather conditions and repairs to the circuit saw a reduced 15 lap race called by race direction.

With all riders electing to run on Pirelli rain tires, Camier took the hole shot from third on the front row, Rob Mac
Racing’s Karl Harris a close second, and Shane Byrne in third. Scott Smart fell victim to the conditions, crashing out midway through the first corner, joined back in the pits by Karl Harris who dramatically high-sided out of second at the exit to the Esses.

Byrne, forced to brake hard to avoid the stricken Harris, lost ten places in the process.  Head down, Byrne looked to
make inroads to his teammate’s 6.5s lead as Camier moved clear at the front. By lap 9, Byrne was putting the screws on HM Plant Honda rider, Leon Haslam, as the pair raced neck and neck along the Revett Straight. sThe pass did not come this time for the AIrwaves Ducati, but Haslam’s lead was short-lived as Byrne slid past into the Russell Chicane a few corners later.

With clear track ahead, and the determination of a champion elect, Byrne hunted down Crutchlow for second, making a text book pass into the Esses on lap 12.  Camier’s lead was beginning to diminish as Byrne gained more and more confidence in his Pirelli-shod Ducati. With back-marker Martin Jessopp coming in to play on the penultimate lap, Byrne made the better choice of line on the run down into the Esses, swiftly moving ahead of his teammate for the lead.

Camier could not respond and Byrne claimed his seventh race win of the season by a comfortable margin of 2.4s to
extend his lead in the championship.  Camier’s second podium of the day sees Airwaves Ducati head to round six at Mallory Park in two weeks time (27-29 June) lying first and second in the Championship.

Shane Byrne, Winner Race 2:  “All credit has to go to Airwaves Ducati, they gave me a great bike.  I got a sensible start and slotted in behind Harris, thinking this is gonna be a good race.  Then Karl went down in front of me and I had to come to a dead stop before rejoining the race. I got away again and then saw my position get higher with each lap as I made my way through the field and I thought ‘I can win this!’  Absolutely delighted for Airwaves Ducati and for Leon taking his first race win today.”

Race 1 Result
1. Camier (Ducati), 2. Byrne (Ducati), 3. Sykes (Suzuki), 4. Crutchlow (Honda), 5. Haslam (Honda), 6. M.Laverty (Suzuki), 7. J.Ellison (Honda), 8. Harris (Yamaha), 9. Rutter (Ducati), 10. Andrews (Yamaha)

Race 2 Result
1. Byrne (Ducati), 2. Camier (Ducati), 3. Crutchlow (Honda), 4. Rutter (Ducati), 5. Haslam (Honda), 6. M.Laverty (Suzuki), 7. Sykes (Suzuki), 8. Andrews (Yamaha), 9. Palmer (Honda), 10. J.Ellison (Honda)

Championship Standings
1. Byrne – 235, 2. Camier – 152, 3. Crutchlow – 151, 4. Haslam – 118, 5. Ellison – 103, 6. Rutter – 102, 7. Sykes – 100, 8. M.Laverty – 79, 9. Easton – 62, 10. Andrews – 51.

Qualifying
Tom Sykes will head the second row of the grid from fifth place after his bid for pole position was foiled by heavy rain mid-way through the qualifying session for the fifth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Snetterton in Norfolk.

The 23-year-old Lancashire ace had been consistently at the top of the time sheets throughout all three dry practices and was building up his pace during the 50-minute session when the rain fell and scuppered any chance of improving with 30-minutes remaining.  His lap-times in the dry mark him out as a potential race winner tomorrow.

Rizla Suzuki team mate Atsushi Watanabe, on his first visit to the 1.952-mile airfield track, qualified 12th after taking more than three seconds off his lap times from the first practice session.

The reigning Japanese Superbike Champion is learning fast and was sure he could have achieved a second row start if the session had stayed dry.

Ducati's Shane Byrne took pole position.

Tom Sykes:  "It's hard not to be disappointed in fifth place after being in the top two in the previous sessions, but the truth is we are in much better shape than the qualifying result.  We didn't go banzai at the start of qualifying because we wanted to put together a tire test and that shows that I can run mid 1min 5secs laps right at the end of the race - that puts us in contention.

"My practice starts have been good and if I can replicate that tomorrow I'll be right at the sharp end from the first corner. I don't think anyone will be able to break away and I am confident for the race - my Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 is spot on and my team has done a fantastic job all weekend and deserve a sup of champagne."

Atsushi Watanabe:  "We have made much progress every session and I go faster and faster. In qualifying I think top eight and second row is possible and then rain falls and ruins my chances.  This means I must wait to tomorrow before challenging for top eight.  Well done to my team for such good support. Snetterton is a scary track to learn in just 2.5-hours with very fast speed at end of straight. To be close to the top lap times is big achievement and I hope I can continue my improvement in races."

Jack Valentine - Team Manager:  "We should be higher up the grid with Tom and Atsu, I think both have more pace than their qualifying positions suggest, but when it rains mid-way through a session there's not much anyone can do about it.  Tom naturally builds his speed and was on a race run when it rained, while Atsu has been improving almost every lap and the rain couldn't have come at a worse time.

"But Rizla Suzuki is very upbeat. On race rubber Tom is grease lightning quick and on the same pace as the front row, if not faster, so we expect a podium or better from him.  As for Atsu, he's determined, improving and getting faster; the top 10 is his target and I think he has the bike and ability to achieve it.

"You can feel the momentum building with the team and despite a slightly disappointing qualification, there is no doubt Rizla Suzuki has the ability to challenge for wins tomorrow. We can't wait for the racing."