BSB: Full Rider Line-Up For HM Plant Honda At Oulton Park
Josh Brookes to ride at Oulton following Visa authorisation
The HM Plant Honda team heads to this weekend’s second round of the British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park’s 2.692-mile circuit, delighted to have the team’s full rider line-up present following Josh Brookes’ visa being authorised today.
The Aussie will arrive in England tomorrow evening, rather than today as originally hoped, following a further day’s delay with his visa due to a public holiday on Monday in Canberra – the location of the British High Commission in Australia who is responsible for issuing visas. Josh will head straight to Oulton Park to join team-mates Glen Richards and Steve Plater, as well as the rest of the HM Plant Honda team ahead of the opening day of track action on Saturday.
Josh Brookes, British Superbike, (HM Plant Honda #25)
Speaking this afternoon from Sydney whilst waiting to board the plane for the UK Josh said, “I can’t tell you how relieved I am to actually have my visa. I’d got to the point where I was beginning to really feel worn down with the whole situation as everything just seemed to be coming up against me with my visa application, even up until the last few days when I couldn’t get my visa on Monday as it was a Bank Holiday in Canberra, which is where the British High Commission is. I feel like I’ve had a hot line to there over the past few weeks I’ve called so often! Anyway, I finally got it this morning and then drove three hours back to Sydney to catch the plane so today’s been pretty flat out. With everything going on it’s been a bit hard to fully concentrate on my mental and physical form for racing, so over this next 24 hours my aim is to clear my head of the visa stresses of the last few months and get focused for getting back on the Fireblade and being competitive. In an ideal world I’d have had at least a few days in the UK before Oulton Park but that wasn’t to be, so I’m now just looking forward to getting my head down, learning more about the bike and the circuits and being up there with the front runners.”
Glen Richards, British Superbike (HM Plant Honda #45)
British Superbike team-mate Glen Richards is looking to add to his points tally from round one at Brands Hatch and hopefully improve on his current third place standing in the championship. Glen said, “It’s great news that my Aussie team-mate will be with us! It feels good to finally have the championship underway and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and doing whatever it takes to take the championship lead. There are a few ideas we want to work on with the Fireblade on Saturday during practice, mainly with suspension, to make the bike a little more suited to my riding style, but other than that we’re looking in good shape. Oulton’s always a great round with good atmosphere and big crowds and the track is great too, so it should be a fun weekend.”
Steve Plater, British Supersport (HM Plant Honda #22)
HM Plant Honda’s British Supersport ace Steve Plater is aiming to go one better than his second placed finish at the first round, and take the top-step of the rostrum at Oulton Park. Apart from a brief appearance at the July meeting last year, it is as long ago as 1999 that Steve last rode in the British Supersport Championship at Oulton Park.
Steve commented, “Oulton Park is a fast and flowing circuit and one of my favourite tracks so I am relishing the thought of riding the HM Plant Honda CBR600RR to a strong finish. I’ve got no predictions, but just plan to put in 120% effort and try to go one better than in the first race.”
Havier Beltran, HM Plant Honda Team Manager
“Talk about 11th hour but we are delighted that Josh’s visa has been authorised in time for Oulton and that we can now fully concentrate on the championship with our full rider line-up. Consistency is going to be key to winning in each of the championships within the BSB series and I’m confident our riders and machinery, in the CBR1000RR and CBR600RR, are capable of delivering further great performances and exciting racing as they did at Brands Hatch.”
Track action from round two of the British Superbike Championship commences this Saturday, 2 April, with racing on Bank Holiday Monday rather than on the traditional Sunday race day.