Leon Camier and James Ellison turned their one-two in Saturday’s qualifying at Thruxton into a clean sweep for the Yamaha Airwaves team while in Hampshire for Round 4 of the British Superbike Championship.
Leon Camier (No. 2) and James Ellison (No. 7) took the one-two sweep of British Superbike Round 4, in Thruxton Park.
In Race 1 Ellison took the early lead as his teammate slipped to fourth, but Camier clocked the fastest lap of the race on lap two and retook the lead on lap 3. The Airwaves Yamaha duo remained unchallenged for the remainder of the race as they powered to the team's second one-two of the season.
Hydrex Honda’s Stuart Easton followed-up his success at Donnington with the last spot on the podium. Simon Andrews managed to take fourth for MSS Colcherster Kawasaki after a strong first lap performance that saw him fighting for third with Easton for the majority of the race.
Michael Rutter out-braked Honda’s Glen Richards to take fifth in his debut race for Worx Crescent Suzuki as the replacement rider for the injured Sylvain Guintoli. Ian Lowry looked to be heading for a top-five finish in race one, but his rear tire started to shred itself half-way through the race, leaving the 22-year-old to nurse his GSX-R1000 across the finish-line in 19th.
Ellison once again took the lead off the line in the second race, with Camier slipping into second. The Kent rider quickly overtook Ellsion at the end of the first lap before setting the fastest lap of the day, just one hundredth of a second off the circuit record. James withheld a late charge from Josh Brookes on the Honda to secure another one-two for Airwaves Yamaha.
Easton finished just outside the podium followed by Rutter, who took his second fifth for Worx Crescent Suzuki. Lowry got himself involved in another battle for the top-10 with experienced performers Karl Harris and Glen Richards. The Moira racer eventually passed Harris on the last lap to take eighth.
Leon Camier – Airwaves Yamaha – 1st, 1st
"To get another double win, and to see Airwaves Yamaha achieve one-two's in both races feels fantastic. Race one was tough. As usual I didn't get a great start and the times weren't as we'd expected. We made a few changes to the bike in between and race two was a lot more enjoyable. I had my best ever start in race two! I really want to thank everyone at GSE Racing and Airwaves Yamaha for all their hard work. We riders get all the congratulations, but it's thanks to them."
James Ellison – Airwaves Yamaha – 2nd, 2nd
"After struggling at the start of this weekend, a double podium is a fantastic result. Leon rode superbly in both races, so congratulations to him. The Airwaves Yamaha is such a good bike to ride, I'm having so much fun and I can't wait to get to Snetterton,"
Stuart Easton – Hydrex Honda – 3rd, 4th
“It has been a good solid weekend and great to get another Podium and a fourth place finish. I would have liked to have done better after the success at Donington, finishing second in that round. We finished seventh over-all and I would have liked to have done better. The bike has performed well and had a great top speed - and the guys have worked hard all weekend to make sure of this. We had some trouble with the final set-up and I just wish we could have got this sorted as this could have made the difference in the race.”
Michael Rutgers – Worx Crescent Suzuki – 5th, 5th
"What a wonderful bike! As a first experience of the GSX-R I'm really impressed. Looking at the day, I could definitely have done with more time to refine the set-up: This morning's set-up in warm-up didn't work quite as we hoped so we rode with what we had yesterday, which wasn't quite perfect. I could have ridden better too - smoother would have been faster - but I have to be happy for I know I can improve. It's been a great weekend in so many ways."
Simon Andrews – MSS Colchester Kawasaki – 4th, 6th
"Thankfully I got great starts and stuck some pretty hard passes on people in the early turns. It was a good strategy because the bun fight further back helped me get away with the leaders. The bike is awesome now. The front end is so, so good. We all know what they need and after Thursday they’ll have it!’
Ian Lowry – Relentless Suzuki - 19th, 8th
"I'm disappointed as I was on-the-pipe in that first race before the rear tire ran into problems. In the second race I tried to preserve the tire and was possibly a little conservative. I should really have been in that top six, battling for a podium, but I now think it's as much down to experience as it is pace. The GSX-R1000 Superbike was a match for anything at the fast Thruxton Circuit and I now just have to put the head down and get myself ready for Snetterton in a couple of weeks time."
The Airwaves Yamaha team of Camier and Ellison further solidify their leads in the British Superbike Championship.
1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)
2. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +1.296s
3. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +7.236s
4. Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +10.670s
5. Michael Rutter (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +11.304s
6. Glen Richards (HM Plant Honda) +11.515s
7. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +15.872s
8. John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +19.707s
9. Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) +23.199s
10. Julien Da Costa (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +27.292s
Thruxton - Race 2 Results:
1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)
2. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +3.505s
3. Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +3.640s
4. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +5.963s
5. Michael Rutter (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +6.632s
6. Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +8.089s
7. Glen Richards (HM Plant Honda) +11.365s
8. Ian Lowry (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +11.648s
9. Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) +14.344s
10. Julien Da Costa (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +17.324s
British Superbike Championship points
After Four Rounds
1. Leon Camier – 167
2. James Ellison – 129
3. Stuart Easton – 107
4. Glen Richards – 95
5. Sylvain Guintoli – 77
6. Karl Harris – 72
7. Simon Andrews – 58
8. Gary Mason – 57
9. Chris Walker – 49
10. Ian Lowry – 48
Alastair Seeley remained unbeated on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 after fining Round 4 of this season's British Superstock at Thruxton in Hampshire. Although the 29-year-old relinquished his perfect pole qualifying record, he still managed to to out maneauver Honda's Steve Brogan for the win.
Alastair Seeley – Relentless Suzuki – 1st
"I had the benefit of being able look at Brogan today in the race and I was able to see where he was good and not so good. I don't think the 2009 GSX-R1000 was out-performed anywhere on the circuit, and, in the last few laps I decided to hit the front as one of the boys showed me a wheel and I didn't want to get caught out. Once at the front I was able to pull the pin. It's another win for Relentless Suzuki and a perfect race record so far this season."
Superstock 1000cc - Thruxton Results:
1. Alastair Seeley (Suzuki) - 19:47.020
2. Steve Brogan (Honda) +0.085
3. Adam Jenkinson (Honda) +0.393
4. James Hillier (Kawasaki) +1.747
5. Howie Mainwaring (Kawasaki) +2.239
Superstock 1000cc National Championship Point Standings
1. Alastair Seeley - 100
2. Steve Brogan - 67
3. Richard Cooper - 45
