Alex Lowes secures maiden title with Samsung Honda

The Samsung Honda team is celebrating its fourth British Superbike Championship title after Alex Lowes defeated Shane Byrne in the final race of the season at Brands Hatch to become the youngest-ever BSB champion.

The triple-header event – which took place in mixed conditions – was packed with drama that kept the fans on the edge of their seats and took the title fight down to the final lap of the final race. Lowes took second place in the first race of the weekend on Saturday, but a crash in the second race on Sunday would have put him on the back foot had title rival Byrne not also crashed out, leaving the Samsung Honda rider with a three-point advantage.

With Josh Brookes snatching an early and unchallengeable lead in the final race, Lowes and Byrne went head-to-head for second place, battling fiercely for the points that would ultimately award one of them the championship title. In the end, it came down to the last lap and it was Lowes aboard the Samsung Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade that had the edge, taking second place to secure his first – and the team’s fourth – BSB crown. Freddy Foray finished thirteenth, tenth and fourteenth as he deputised for Ryuichi Kiyonari.

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Jason O'Halloran missed out on the podium in the Sprint race with a fifth place and crashed out whilst dicing with the lead group in the final race. He ends the season in sixth place overall.

Alex Lowes
I’m pretty happy. It was an unbelievable last race, really difficult, and I just didn’t know how fast to push. I saw on my pit signals that Shane was closing on me and round here that is the last thing you wanted to see. It was a case of keeping focussed and when Shane had got past me I knew that I had to pass him if I wanted the title so I pushed on real hard. I had a few moments but luckily kept it all together and beat him to take the title. To me that really is incredible, because its always difficult with the weather playing such a big part. Saturday’s race was hard – it was difficult to know where the grip was so it was a case of keeping calm and then pushing hard. It felt pretty good but it was quite slippery. In Sunday’s first race Josh Brookes touched my bar and I went down – it was not my fault and I can’t be angry about something that is out of my control. It was one of those things, unfortunate.

Freddy Foray

To come into this championship for two rounds was not easy but it was an opportunity that I could not turn down. I was more confident here than at Silverstone even though the conditions were difficult. I didn’t want to make any mistakes and was pleased to score points. I am very happy to have worked with the team, who are all very friendly, and it has been very good experience for me.

Jason O’Halloran
That was not the way I wanted to finish off the season, but that's racing. I was pushing to try and catch the lead group and I just folded the front at Paddock Hill, which was obviously disappointing but it's been a good second half to the season with podiums, pole positions and fastest laps. I just want to say a big thanks to the whole Samsung Honda team for a great season.

Havier Beltran – Team Manager
It was a fantastic end to 2013 for Samsung Honda and Alex. The whole team and everyone involved worked so hard and I can’t emphasise enough the effort that has gone into this season. Our partners and everyone involved have done a superb job and that has put us where we are today. Alex was so confident and I had little doubt that he would be able to do this here at Brands Hatch and it was a fabulous end to a great season of BSB.

2013 British Superbike Championship final standings:

1) Alex Lowes (HON) 643

2) Shane Byrne 636

3) Josh Brookes 621

4) James Ellison 589

5) James Westmoreland 564

6) Ryuichi Kiyonari (HON) 522

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Lowes shares Silverstone spoils for Samsung Honda

Alex Lowes took a win and a second place in today’s two ‘Showdown’ 11th-round British Superbike Championship races at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, sharing his finishes with championship rival Shane Byrne and so taking the series down to the wire at Brands Hatch in Kent on 20 October.

Byrne held a lead of a single point going into today’s two Showdown races and maintains the lead over the 23-year-old Samsung Honda rider after sharing the Silverstone spoils equally today.


Frenchman Freddy Foray, deputising for the injured Ryuichi Kiyonari, finished in 11th and 15th positions in the day’s two 14-lap races around the 3.7-mile (5.9km) Silverstone circuit taking two points-scoring finishes on his Samsung Honda CBR1000RR debut.

In today’s Motorpoint British Supersport championship race, Samsung Honda rider Jason O’Halloran was taken out of the lead by another rider on the penultimate lap whilst heading for his debut victory. Fortunately, the Australian rider was uninjured. After qualifying in pole position, O’Halloran also crashed out of contention in Saturday’s Sprint race, consequently leaving Silverstone empty-handed.

Alex Lowes
It was a great first race with Shakey and it was really nice after the mistake at Assen. I am pretty lucky that he wasn’t fully fit as that race could have been even more difficult so fair play to him and that is why he is champion! It was a fantastic second race and I said to Shakey afterwards again that races like that are what we live for. You obviously want to come out on top but even to finish second in that one left me with a smile on my face. We improved our pace for race two and the Samsung Honda was great; I tried to push again at the end of the race but fair play to Shakey and now we go to Brands Hatch pretty level with just one point in it. It is still all to play for!

Freddy Foray
I'm proud to have raced this weekend for Samsung Honda; the team is very strong and very friendly and it has been great to have been a part of this event. This weekend was a little bit hard for me but the team worked very hard to help me and I want to thank them. I thought I could be better for the second race but it's the game you have and it is never easy. I want to wish all the best to Kiyo for his recovery.

Jason O’Halloran
The weekend was good for me apart from the races! We topped three of the four sessions and were second fastest in the other so we showed that we had the pace. We showed the same in the races but in both of them I got taken down whilst battling for the lead which is obviously disappointing but now we just have to look to Brands Hatch.

Havier Beltran – team manager
Alex again has shown his determination to win this title and we have had some areas we need to look at for Brands Hatch. However, his performances in both races were unquestionable and it was a fantastic show. The first race he won was another display of how well he is riding at the moment and the last race with the photo finish could have gone either way too and that sets up for surely an incredible final round at Brands Hatch. We need to thank Freddy for standing in this weekend. He put in a great amount of effort to learn the track and adapt to our Samsung Honda in a short space of time and I was happy with his progress. In the Supersport class, it was a really disappointing weekend for Jason and today’s no-score was no fault of his own. It was an unfortunate outcome after he had worked so hard but we will regroup and come back ready for the two final races of the season at Brands Hatch.

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Second consecutive double win for Lowes and Samsung Honda

The Samsung Honda team had a spectacular weekend at the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park, with Alex Lowes securing his second consecutive double win. He and team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari now occupy two of the six Title Fighter places ahead of the end-of-season Showdown.

In the opening race, Lowes got off to a flying start from the front row to hold the lead from the first lap. Despite coming under pressure from Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and James Ellison, the Lincolnshire lad put in an incredible performance to keep his rivals at bay and secure the victory.

A hard-fought and incredibly close second race saw Lowes score Honda’s first double win at Donington since 2004. Kiyonari meanwhile finished thirteenth and eleventh to secure his position as a Title Fighter ahead of the first of the Showdown rounds at Assen in The Netherlands on 21/22 September.

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Jason O'Halloran put in an impressive performance to finish on the podium for the third consecutive event with his best result of the season in second place.

Alex Lowes
I don’t think I have ever pushed as hard as I did at the end of those races to take the double. I wanted wins this weekend as the points make it close and I am really excited about the Showdown. It is so close so it should be really good fun at Assen.

Ryuichi Kiyonari

I have not had big problems but we haven’t been able to fix the small ones. We have been trying to improve set up again as I don’t have the feeling I need, but we have been trying things in order and trying to get a balance. I am happy for the Showdown and we need to see what we can do now at the final rounds.

Jason O’Halloran
The first part of the race is never the strongest for me and I always come good towards the end of the race and we have improved a lot from qualifying to the race. It has been great for the team so I need to thank them. It took me a long time to get ahead of Ben (Wilson) as he is so strong on the brakes. I then was trying to pass Billy but we made a pass at the Old Hairpin and we had to defend a little bit so he didn’t get ahead. It was a shame that Stuart got away a bit but I think we would have closed the gap in the final laps.

Havier Beltran – team manager
Following Cadwell Park the plan was to continue to be strong as a team. We discussed with Alex the need to beat the opposition on track ahead of Showdown so to do the double shows effort and his determination to try and win the championship, which is great moving on to Assen and Silverstone two circuits he loves and knows he can win. Today Kiyo secured his place in the Showdown although it is clear there is work to do to give him the winning package, I hope the Showdown gives us that opportunity, as we all know when he is on form his is capable of winning and we are yet to find the key to that form. Jason, from three rounds we have had three weekends of progressive approach and the determination shown has been fantastic to finish second today, I think if he hadn’t diced with Billy McConnell for so long he could have caught Stuart Easton so I am very happy with progress and looking forward to Assen.

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PODIUM FINISHES FOR SAMSUNG HONDA AT BRANDS HATCH

Samsung Honda became the first MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship team this season to finish a race with both riders on the podium, as Alex Lowes and Ryuichi Kiyonari claimed second and third respectively in the opening race of the day.

In race two, Lowes was again fighting for the win but in the closing stages was forced to settle for third. He scored his fifth double podium finish of the season, moving back up to second place in the championship standings in the process. Kiyonari put in another good performance and was battling hard to push Josh Brookes, finally ending the race fifth and retaining his position in the top six.

Lowes and Kiyonari

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Jason O’Halloran made improvements at Brands Hatch. His weekend started well when he qualified second on the grid, followed by a fantastic start off the line in the Sprint race. He battled hard throughout both races to achieve two top-five results.


Alex Lowes
I want to win every time we go out, we all do. Race one was the hardest race of the year for me so far, I haven’t had the pace I was hoping for this weekend and then I had a crash in warm up trying to improve the bike. I wanted to get a good start and get into a rhythm which I did and then Josh got passed me and I thought that was perfect I could follow him for a bit and then Shakey came by me and I just hung in there. I saw Shakey make a brave move from what looked like a long way back and I thought it was brave as you don’t realise how fast that part of the circuit is and I hope he is alright.
Overall I am happy, I tried as hard as I could, but I have got to be happy with second. Race two was quite a difficult race again as we made some changes between the races and I don’t know whether it was down to the temperature rising, but it didn't feel quite as good. I enjoyed the race though and I did my best to stay with Shakey and James; I had a go at the end and didn't give in. I don’t think I have been as fast this weekend but we tried hard and I am happy with two podium finishes and I am now looking forward to getting back to Oulton Park.

Lowes

Ryuichi Kiyonari
The first race was quite tough, we had made some changes after warm up and it didn't feel as good. It was hard to push as hard as I would have liked. It is good to be on the podium but I wasn't happy with my pace because I couldn't get closer to Josh and Alex at the end of the race. In race two we tried hard but I couldn't push as much as we would like. I now look forward to Suzuka and the Eight Hour race.

Kiyonari

Jason O’Halloran
I gave 100% in both races today, but I just couldn't quite hang onto the lead group. I was losing out in a few areas which made it difficult, but I pushed right to the end in both races and finished 1.2 seconds from the winner in race one and 1.8 seconds in race two. Two fifth places is not what I go racing for but that's the best I can do at the minute.

O'Halloran

Havier Beltran
From a team perspective this has been a great weekend; we are the first team to have two riders on the podium together and also remain the only team to have two riders in the top six so it is a credit to the team. Alex continues to show maturity that we haven’t seen from him in previous seasons but we need to find that missing link to be able to challenge Shakey for the wins at every round. However we are confident that we can do that and we look forward to the next round. Kiyo continues to be pushing forward and is revitalised from earlier in the season and he also has the Eight Hour to look ahead to. We have a direction to move forward now and that means we will see more of the old Kiyo. Jason made progress between the races but we still have more improvements to make and it is just a matter of time before it clicks. We moved forward this weekend but not enough unfortunately to be up on the podium.

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SNETTERTON VICTORY FOR LOWES AND SAMSUNG HONDA

Samsung Honda celebrated victory at the fifth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Snetterton yesterday, with Alex Lowes claiming the win in the opening race.
Lowes put in a sensational performance in the first BSB outing, passing both Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and Josh Brookes on the same lap, then edging ahead of his rivals to take the win – his second of the season. Team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari continued his new-found improvement to take fifth place after a battle with James Westmoreland. 

Alex Lowes

In race two, Lowes dropped down the order from pole position, but the determined Lincolnshire lad battled back through the pack to second place behind Byrne. Despite several hard-fought attempts to catch the leader, Lowes was unable to pass and settled for second place. Kiyonari improved once again to finish fourth, which moves him up to fifth in the standings ahead of the next round at Brands Hatch.

In the opening race of the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Jason O'Halloran fought a hard battle with his rivals to claim fifth place. The Australian was looking strong for the second race and was challenging for the lead when the belly pan was ripped from his Samsung Honda machine and he was forced to retire from the race. 

Havier Beltran – Team Manager
We have seen a really impressive performance from Alex with his tally of points and pace. I’m pleased that he used his head and we have really seen him build his race-craft. With Kiyo I have mixed emotions; pleased with two solid results to put him fifth but he needs more pace to get the gap down in the podium credit table ready for the Showdown. We have to improve his machine set-up still in a few areas but two solid results were good overall for the championship. I feel really disappointed for Jason as he worked so hard. He had a few issues in the first race that he overcame and then the belly-pan ripped off the bottom of the bike in the second race. It was disappointing as he has not been able to fulfil his potential this weekend in front of such a fantastic crowd.

Ryuichi Kiyonari

Alex Lowes
It would have been nice to take a double win and I pushed as hard as I could, but in the second one I couldn't take my normal lines for some reason and nearly clipped Byrne twice. I worked so hard after a nightmare Friday putting in a lot of laps and the team gave me a fantastic bike. The first race was hard work but it was also good fun and I was comfortable so it felt good to win. I made a pretty terrible start to the second race but felt good sitting behind Byrne. I tried and wanted to take him but I never quite got there. I learned a lot from him over the final five laps, pushed as hard as I could and I’m not complaining taking two podiums here.

Ryuichi Kiyonari
This weekend we have had some improvements again. I was happy before qualifying with tyre life and lap times but then something was different for race day which meant we were not as close to the first group. I thought we had things good but it changed and I am not sure why, maybe it was cooler than in the races, but I am happier and ready for the next round at Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit which is good for me.

Jason O’Halloran

Jason O’Halloran
There are some positives to take from this weekend; we had two front row starts and I moved forward with how I want the bike to feel, which gave me a better feeling on the opening lap. I had a good battle in race one and I was in a comfortable second place when I had to stop so I did about all I could do, which was obviously disappointing. We now just have to think ‘roll on Brands Hatch’ and I’ll be there giving it 100% again. This year won't beat me as I'm stubborn and we will get there in the end.

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SAMSUNG HONDA CELEBRATE DOUBLE PODIUM FOR LOWES

Performance Parts Ltd supplied Samsung Honda celebrated a double podium finish at the second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton today, with Alex Lowes securing a second and third place in the two races. His team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari meanwhile had a more challenging weekend finishing 17th in race one and crashing out unhurt in race two.

Alex Lowes- two more podiums at Thruxton

In race one Lowes battled hard with the front runners, snatching the lead in the early stages of the race before Shane Byrne and Josh Brookes moved ahead. He eventually took a solid third place. In the second outing, Lowes was pushing for the lead when the race was red flagged due to an incident and he was forced to settle for second place. Kiyonari endured a tough weekend as he secured 17th in race one and crashed out unhurt on the opening lap of race two.

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Jason O'Halloran scored two top-ten finishes with a sixth and seventh place. The Australian lost some positions at the start of the race, which meant he had to push hard to make up the time; something that the team and Jason will focus on for Oulton Park.

Havier Beltran – Team Manager
Alex had another two cracking good rides; he used his head to achieve two podiums despite difficult qualifying and limited practice time. I’m really pleased with his progress so credit to him for his focus. Kiyo has had a bad weekend. It is clear that he is not happy with the chassis set-up direction and he doesn't like the new engine specification and performance. We have some testing before Oulton Park so we have to work hard to get him back on track. In Supersport Jason had two good rides, though giving away too much in the first few corners made it a harder race for him, but he has the pace and that’s something that we can work on.

Alex Lowes
I’ve taken four podium finishes so far and although it wasn’t a win it’s been consistent. It’s nice to get these results here, I’m really happy and these races were very fun. I pushed until the end of the first race; I knew it was going to be difficult. I had a good start to try and get away and then we had a close race right until the end. I was disappointed to be at the back of the three of us. It was hard work; the front was sliding, the rear was sliding, but it was great fun. We made a few changes for the second race and they were good. It has been a good weekend and I can’t wait for Oulton Park.

Kiyonari- A weekend to forget

Ryuichi Kiyonari
I’m very disappointed – this has been a very difficult weekend. We didn’t have much practice and like at Brands Hatch I had problems which we tried to improve. The first race was my mistake, not the bike, and then in the second race I crashed. I highsided, tried to catch it, but went down. Now we have to improve in the next round at Oulton Park – that is not an easy track but we’ll try very hard.

Jason O’Halloran
Race one was good and we made a good step forward but lost too much time and places on the opening lap. In the second race we made another step forward and I felt I had good enough pace to be battling for the podium but again I lost too much time on the opening lap. I gave myself a lot of work to do. I think we still need to improve my feeling with the bike on the opening two laps but other than that my team gave me a great bike today. From Brands Hatch we have moved forward and I'm sure we will continue to do so at the next round.


Performance Parts Ltd are please to supply Samsung Honda. To see what we have for your bike please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com/store

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Samsung Honda ready for Thruxton

Fresh from the double-podium success of the Brands Hatch season opener, Samsung Honda heads to Hampshire this weekend for the second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton.

Kiyonari- had success at Thruxton before

With the Samsung Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade reaching speeds of up to 180mph at the high-speed circuit, former race winner Ryuichi Kiyonari is focused on building on his fourth place from the opening round in his bid to return to the podium. 

After a pair of second places at Brands Hatch last weekend, Alex Lowes also has high hopes for the track where he scored his first pole position in BSB.

In the Motorpoint British Supersport Championship Jason O'Halloran is ready to overcome the disappointment of a crash at the season opener to fight back at the second round and get his campaign back on track at the fast Thruxton track.

Havier Beltran – Team Manager 
The Samsung Honda team is eager to get to Thruxton this weekend as in the past we‘ve had some strong results there and the nature of the circuit always produces some cracking racing. Everyone is really motivated to have another good weekend after a positive start at Brands Hatch last weekend. We want to carry the momentum from the previous round and continue the progression again this weekend in both the Superbike and Supersport classes with all three riders. 

Ryuichi Kiyonari
We made some more improvements at Brands Hatch and now we’ll see if we can make more at Thruxton. The track is very different and we hope that some of the changes we made at Brands Hatch will be good there. I’m looking forward to it because it’s very fast and it’s been a good track for me before. I want to move forward again so we will be trying very hard to make it happen.

Alex Lowes- looking forward to it

Alex Lowes
Thruxton is a really cool track and I can’t wait to get there as it’s really fast and I think it will be good for the Samsung Honda. It wasn’t until qualifying at Brands Hatch that we really got the chance to push the bike for the first time properly and it felt good. I’m confident for Thruxton and it’s a place I really enjoy so I want to have another two good, strong finishes and I’ll be happy.

Jason O’Halloran
We’re looking forward to a better weekend at Thruxton. The crash at Brands Hatch didn’t make it easy last weekend, but we were able to draw some real positives and that will put us in a better position. The races were the first time I had ridden the bike for consistent laps in those conditions this year so I think at Thruxton we expect to be closer to the leading group and some close racing.


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Double podium finish for Lowes and Samsung Honda at Brands Hatch

Performance Parts Ltd supplied Samsung Honda started its British Superbike Championship season with a double podium finish as Alex Lowes celebrated a pair of second places at Brands Hatch whilst Ryuichi Kiyonari scored a fourth and eighth place finish to mark his return to the series.

Alex Lowes- solid start

In the opening race of the day Lowes took the challenge to eventual race winner Shane Byrne and held off Josh Brookes to claim a podium finish on his debut with the team. In race two he was able to take advantage of a mistake from Byrne to move ahead and claim another second place finish.

Kiyonari continued to build throughout the weekend, claiming a fourth place in the final race of the day, but a slow start off the line on the opening lap of the first outing meant he had to fight through from outside the top 15 to secure eighth. 

In the British Supersport Championship, Jason O'Halloran qualified in eighth place for the sprint race, but an unfortunate crash forced him out of contention. In the feature race, O’Halloran put in a strong performance from 16th on the grid to finish in 10th place. 

Havier Beltran – Team Manager
It was a great start for Alex who is still learning the bike and I am really happy with the way that he approached the weekend. He’s happy and riding with a new outlook and is seeing the fruits of his change which is important and I am confident he can build on this. Kiyo’s first race was good, coming through the pack after a poor start was a bit of a feat especially on this circuit where it is hard to make passes. He made a better start to the second race and he was comfortable but we need to fix a few things for him still. Jason and the team were disappointed about his crash but we can build through it and it is important that we all move forwards and consistently target podiums for all three riders.

Alex Lowes
My intention coming into this round was to maintain the consistent form that I had at the end of last season, so I’m really happy with the way things have gone. In the first race I made a good start, which was pleasing considering the difficulties in getting away swiftly that I had last year and then I had good pace throughout and to be able to stick in behind Byrne who is always awesome here was very good. Then the second race, another second, and I’m really chuffed to have two podiums. I didn’t expect the pace to be as hot as it was at the start but I rode really hard and wanted to be a get closer to them. Then at the end, I thought Byrne would clean me out when he went wide but I was OK and on the podium and that is what I want to keep doing.

Ryuichi Kiyonari
I’m a bit disappointed really with my results but we spent a lot of time over the weekend working on settings and trying out parts because of the lack of testing time that we have had. I made a bad start in the first race – I had not practiced many starts on the Superbike but I made a better start to the second race but would have liked a bit more grip at the end of the race which is something we will work on ahead of the Thruxton races. We’ve learned a lot over this weekend which we will be good for the next round.

Jason O’Halloran
Qualifying wasn’t too bad for us and we’re improving all the time so I’m happy with that but there are still improvements we are working on. The crash in the first race certainly didn’t help; I thought I had more heat in the tyre than I did and was a bit eager a bit early on in the race. Starting from row four made it difficult for race two but I wasn’t able to get through the field as quickly as I would have liked. It is a long season and we need to build on this weekend for Thruxton in a few days time. 


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Samsung Honda Heads to Season Opener at Brands Hatch

Performance Parts Ltd supplied Samsung Honda heads to Brands Hatch, Kent, this weekend (5-7 April) for the opening round of the British Superbike Championship. Ryuichi Kiyonari makes a welcome return to Honda and BSB, while his new team-mate Alex Lowes will debut for the team in the Superbike class. The opening event also kicks off the team’s campaign in the British Supersport Championship with Jason O'Halloran aboard the new CBR600RR.



Samsung Honda- up for a win?

Following a year away from the UK that saw him win the 2012 Asia Road Racing Championship, three-time British Superbike Champion Kiyonari returns with his sights set firmly on an unprecedented fourth crown. The Japanese ace is joined by BSB race winner Alex Lowes, who had an impressive campaign onboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade last season.

O’Halloran meanwhile joins to the British Supersport Championship after competing with the team in the Superstock 1000 class and is relishing the return to the 600cc grid. The Australian has previously been a title winner in the Australian Supersport class and is ready to showcase the new Honda model in a bid for the British title.

Havier Beltran, Team Manager

The Samsung Honda team is looking forward to the opening round of the season at Brands Hatch. Pre-season testing wasn’t as fruitful as we would have liked because of the weather conditions, so we still have some work at the opening rounds, but this is no doubt the case for everyone. We’ve an exciting season ahead with a new line-up in the Superbike class with Kiyo and Alex and also returning to Supersport with Jason.

Ryuichi Kiyonari

I am looking forward to the first races of the season but I am also a bit nervous; I always get nervous before the start of a season! It’s exciting for me to be back in the championship with Samsung Honda - testing has been good, but now all I want to do is race. I’ve come back to get good results again for myself, the team and the British fans. I want to show that I’m not finished, that I can be faster and can win again. There are many good riders in the championship like Shakey, Alex (Lowes) and Josh (Brookes) so it won’t be easy, but I’ll be trying very, very hard to win again.

Alex Lowes

I feel like I’m really prepared for the start of the season; even after our first test I felt I was riding like I did at the end of last year. I’m feeling good and I’m not worried that the weather wasn't the best at the tests because I’m happy with myself and the team and when I’m in that situation that’s when I tend to be quick. We’ve had testing but racing is completely different and I can't wait to get started as I think from the start everyone is going to be really close.

Jason O’Halloran

This weekend is my first race back in Supersport after a few years and I’m looking forward to the season. We have had some testing that has given me the chance to make the transition back from 1000cc to the 600cc and also the new model for this season which has some big improvements. I’ve a new crew chief in Paul (Williamson) and we have been working well alongside some of my old crew so it has been a positive start. It has been a long winter and there is a lot of hype around Supersport so I can’t wait to get started. I believe in myself and the Samsung Honda team to be serious contenders.
For the latest news and images visit: www.honda.co.uk/racing

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Samsung Honda End Season with a Podium Finish at Brands Hatch

The Samsung Honda team returned to the podium in the final round of the 2012 British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch.

Samsung Honda: back on the podium

Michael Laverty claimed third place in the second race of the weekend despite a hard battle to score the podium finish, whilst Jon Kirkham was eighth after forcing through the order after a tough qualifying session.

In the final race of the season Laverty was again on for the podium - dicing with the leading foursome - but was collected in a racing accident by fellow Honda rider Alex Lowes at Paddock Hill Bend on the final lap of the race. Kirkham would again finish a solid eighth.

The lone Samsung Honda Superstock 1000 rider, Gary Johnson - with team-mate Jason O’Halloran deputising in the Padgetts Racing Honda squad for this round only - finished eleventh in the final race of the season.

Michael Laverty: “It was nice to be back up on the podium but it was a hard second race. I struggled to get passed Alex Lowes; I put a couple of moves on him and he shut the door quite aggressively and nearly took us both down. Once he was out of the way I got into a good rhythm, but the two safety cars did make it hard work, but we pushed hard. The crash in the last race was not the way I wanted to end the season. My pace was a bit stronger and I was able to catch the leaders but I didn’t want to do anything rash out of respect for their championship fight. I knew that Alex was close to me, but didn’t realise how close till I saw his front wheel and then his bike took me down; he apologised, he wanted the podium as much as I did. It was been a bit of frustrating weekend but that’s racing.”

Jon Kirkham: “It has been a tough season, that started awesome but since my crash at Oulton Park it has been difficult for me. It wasn’t until Cadwell Park that we started getting back to where we needed to be. The final races of the season were better and we had three top ten finishes and got closer to the front and that was what we needed. Overall I am happy with this weekend and will take the experience and move forward.”
Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been a challenging year without the results or the reward. Michael salvaged a podium finish and we turned some things around this weekend and that was the priority. Both rides felt stronger this weekend but it was too late for the championship. We will have a rethink now and start planning for next season.”

For further information about Honda, the Honda Racing team and its riders please visit
www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk 

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Samsung Honda Racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd- 

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Podium Finishes for Samsung Honda at Silverstone

Samsung Honda’s Michael Laverty returned to the British Superbike Championship podium at Silverstone as he pushed hard to close the gap to his rivals in the overall standings ahead of the final round at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time.

In the opening race of the day Laverty took the lead on the opening lap but as he conserved the tyre dropped down the order to third. He then battled for the second place but on the final lap was edged out on the run to the line to take third. Jon Kirkham finished the race in twelfth after holding off challenges from Karl Harris. 

In race two Laverty was forced to settle for fifth as Kirkham finished a disappointing fourteenth. Laverty now sits in fifth place in the overall standings with just one round left of the 2012 season.

In the Superstock 1000 Championship it was disappointment for Jason O'Halloran as he was forced to retire from the race whilst running third with a broken gear lever. The result ended the Australian’s title hopes with just the final round remaining at Brands Hatch. Gary Johnson just missed out on the top ten with a twelfth place finish.

Michael Laverty: “The first race was as I imagined, in the early laps I tried to conserve the tyre and it was good enough to hang onto the podium finish. We have compromised on set up but it has been good enough to fight for the podium and hopefully with some more improvements between races we can come back a bit stronger and try and do the same again. After the nightmare of Assen it was a relief to be on the podium again today. In the second race I rode hard at the start but after five or six laps the grip went and that was disappointing."

Michael Laverty

Jon Kirkham: “I struggled with the tyre choice this weekend and we needed to find some more grip but we just ran out of time. I got a good start and then after the first half of the race I just went backwards.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It was a hard way to lose the championship but that’s racing sometimes. I was fast all weekend and gave it everything I had, but now the championship is over so I just have got to enjoy Brands Hatch and look forward to the break.”

Gary Johnson: “I was hoping for more than twelfth but we tried everything we could and now we need to come back at Brands Hatch and try and end the season with a good result.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been a disappointing weekend for the Samsung Honda team. As much as we were up there with Michael at the start of the race we were disappointed that we couldn’t maintain the pace until the end of the race. We still have some issues that we need to address and we are going to try something radical at Brands Hatch as we have nothing to lose now. It was also disappointing for Jason that we lost a bolt on the gear lever which forced him to retire. That is the Superstock championship gone for us now which is sad that it happened in that way.”

For further information about Honda, the Honda Racing team and its riders please visit
www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk 

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Samsung Honda Racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 
Better, Stronger, Faster..

Challenging Showdown Starter for Laverty and Samsung Honda

The Samsung Honda team had a challenging start to the British Superbike Championship Showdown at the TT circuit Assen as Michael Laverty took a brace of seventh places.

Laverty dropped to fifth in the overall standings after struggling to find the best setting for the tyre longevity and despite hitting the front of the field in the early stages of both races, later dropped down the order in each outing.

Jon Kirkham meanwhile endured more disappointment after having shown good form in recent rounds. A bad start in the first race was difficult to recover from, scoring 13th at the line and in the second race he was forced to retire with a mechanical problem.

Michael Laverty: “That was a horrible day for me that had promised so much – coming at the start of the Showdown this is my worst day of the season. We had been working so hard and had a good pace but we were always worrying about tyre choice for the races. In the first race we used the softer compound which had good pace, but it wore and I dropped back down the field to seventh. For the second race we used the harder tyre but we couldn’t get the grip. That has put me on the back foot and I have to come back strongly at Silverstone – it has been so frustrating as I couldn’t get the result that I wanted.”

Jon Kirkham: “Disappointing time for me. We had some a mechanical issue that cost me. In the first race I had made a bad start, dropping back to 18th place, but fought back, picking up five places but there was nothing else that I could do about it. Then in the second race the clutch started slipping badly and I had to pull in late on in the race. I rode it really hard but there was not much I co do in the end.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been a disappointing day and the results were not what we needed or were capable of. It wasn’t the start to the Showdown that we needed but there is still all to play for and we need to come back stronger at Silverstone and Brands Hatch.”

For further information about Honda, the Honda Racing team and its riders please visit
www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Samsung Honda Racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 
Better, Stronger, Faster..

Double Podium for Laverty at Donington Park

The Samsung Honda team scored a double podium finish at Donington Park, as Michael Laverty claimed a third and second place at the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship.

MLAV: Two podiums at Donington

Laverty finished third in the opening race after working his way up the order from tenth on the grid before challenging for the final podium positions and then following some changes for race two he stormed up the order to fight for the lead before finishing second. Jon Kirkham showed strong once again and took another pair of top ten finishes with a seventh and ninth place.

In the Superstock 1000 Championship, Jason O'Halloran scored a hard fought fifth place to close one point on title leader Keith Farmer with the pair now separated by only nine points. Gary Johnson continued to push hard to score a tenth place finish - after qualifying 20th - with impressive pace during the race.

Michael Laverty: “These have been solid results though I gave myself a lot of work with the tumble and third row start for the first race but after a poor start I was back in the hunt and scoring a podium credit point. In the second race I made a little mistake and that gave Josh Brookes half a second. He rode strongly all weekend but we worked hard and going into the Showdown and I am looking forward to going to Assen.”

Jon Kirkham: “It was good to qualify on the front row of the grid and I had good pace then but in the races, while I was good in the first two sectors, I lost time in the third and that was frustrating as this is my home circuit. I made a mess of the start in the first race and cooked my tyre in the second and I couldn’t stay with the leading pack.”

Jason O’Halloran: “It was a tough race today with a lot of passing going on and with aggressive moves I sometimes lose out a bit in those circumstances. But I got one point back on Keith so it’s not all bad and we will take it to Silverstone and see what we can do there to try and close the gap again.”

Gary Johnson: “It was good being back with the Samsung Honda team again this weekend and I think we can try and keep building now from here. It has been a weekend where we have kept trying to move forward and I think we should be aiming higher again at Silverstone.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “It has been an interesting weekend and of course it was great for Michael to have had two podium finishes. He came back stronger in race two with some improvements between the races but we still have some work to do for Assen. We still need to find some more from JK too; we saw him make some steps forward again but he again had mixed fortunes. The championship is now building for the Showdown and there will be so much for everyone to lose or gain when it gets underway at Assen. We will be ready to take up the challenge.”

“In the Superstock class Jason pulled back a point on Keith Farmer in the standings which could prove crucial over the final two rounds. We have the pace and ability to be back on the podium at Silverstone so we will be ready for that later this month. Gary continued to build on his previous races and I think there is more to come from him at Silverstone.”


For further information about Honda, the Honda Racing team and its riders please visit
www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Samsung Honda Racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 
Better, Stronger, Faster..

 

Samsung Honda Set for Donington Park

The Samsung Honda team are gearing up for the ninth round of the British Superbike Championship at Donington Park this weekend as Michael Laverty and Jon Kirkham return to the Leicestershire circuit.

Laverty has his position secured as a Title Fighter in the Showdown but with six valuable podium credits available this weekend he is aiming to add to his winning tally to be in the best possible position for the final three-round title decider. Kirkham is aiming high at his home track and is determined to return to the podium again for the Samsung Honda team.
In the Superstock 1000 Championship, Jason O'Halloran is aiming for a repeat performance of his win earlier in the season at the Leicestershire circuit; he lies second in the standings, 10 points adrift of the standings leader. Gary Johnson returns with the team this weekend and is confident that he can build on his previous experience.

Michael Laverty: “It was definitely a boost being back on the podium again at Cadwell Park, I still wanted more but two third places were good for podium credit tally. The Samsung Honda works well at the fast, flowing circuits and that is what we have coming up now. We still want to be on the podium for those last credits before the Showdown but now we have our place confirmed that is slightly less pressure for me at this event; then of course it changes again for Assen. I think we can enjoy this weekend and have a good fight for the podium; I am sure there will be some scrapping for those trying to make the final places, but we just want to have a good weekend and try and get the Samsung Honda back on the podium.”

Jon Kirkham: “It’s great to be back at Donington Park as it is my home round, especially after qualifying third at Cadwell Park and being back up the sharp end. I will be out this weekend doing the best job I can and my confidence has grown again after the last round so we will be aiming to roll out on Friday, see if the improvements we made at Cadwell Park can translate to Donington and then ride as hard as we can for qualifying and the races. I would like to take some good points off the other riders this weekend; we can’t make the Showdown now but we still want to get the Samsung Honda back on the podium again before the end of the season.”

Jason O’Halloran: “We had a good race there back at the WSB event so we are quite confident that we can pick up with the setup we had there and try and get some points back this weekend. There are only three races left of the season and we don’t want to do anything silly to jeopardise our position so we are going to go out and enjoy it. We want to be back on the podium again for Samsung Honda.”

Gary Johnson: “We are looking to have a strong end to the season and we know we start on the back foot this weekend as we missed the test when we were testing with the World Endurance team in Germany. Donington should be a good track for the Fireblade and hopefully we can pull something out of the bag and end the season on a bit of a high.”

Havier Beltran, Team Manager: “As we move into the final round before the Showdown Michael will be aiming for those last podium credits and those will be paramount to being in the best position before the Showdown starts at Assen. JK obviously wants to have a strong final round to the season especially here at his home round, whilst in the Superstock class Jason is aiming to close the gap in the standings. It is also good to have Gary back this weekend and together we are looking for a strong finish to the season.” 

For further information about Honda, the Honda Racing team and its riders please visit
www.honda.co.uk or www.honda-racing.co.uk 

We're pleased to support, sponsor and supply performance parts to Samsung Honda Racing. for more information on the parts we have to add some 'bionics to your bike' please visit www.performanceparts-ltd.com

Performance Parts Ltd- 

Bionics for your Bike- 
Better, Stronger, Faster..