Following another successful test for the Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha Superbike and Virgin Media Yamaha Supersport riders at Oulton Park in Cheshire last Friday (20 April), the team are keen to get to the third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Silverstone, Northamptonshire this coming weekend (27-29 April).
Superbike rider, Tommy Hill is hoping to duplicate his pole position of Thruxton. Silverstone holds fond memories for Tommy, having secured his first ever Superbike pole position at the circuit last year as a wild card rider in the UK round of the prestigious World Superbike Championship.
Team-mate James Haydon has benefited from further time on the Yamaha YZF-R1 at the Oulton Park test. Billed as his local round, the Berkhamsted-based rider is eager to kick-start his season and produce a brace of points scoring finishes round the 2.213-mile Silverstone International circuit.
Young Australian rider, Billy McConnell secured the team's first podium onboard his Pirelli-shod YZF-R6 at the notoriously fast Thruxton circuit last time out. An achievement that the whole team will look to replicate this weekend.
Tom Grant is hoping for some better luck this weekend. The reigning Virgin Media Cup Champion has shown some excellent form in the first two rounds of the Supersport Championship. After leading both races, round one saw Tom sustain a ride-through penalty whilst eking out a substantial gap. In round two, Tom crashed out from second place on the penultimate lap after clipping the high curbs at Club Chicane.
The Virgin Media Cup will no doubt prove to be another highly competitive spectacle. BJ Toal has set the early running and heads to Silverstone on the back of a 100% win record after the opening two rounds. Searching for his third win in succession, the 19-year old Omagh-based rider will have strong competition from the rest of the field. The championship is wide open with 5 of the 26 strong grid already having tasted champagne on the podium this season.
Rob McElnea, Team Principal:"We must be due some good luck this weekend! We have now shown everyone the potential of our team this year but have yet to really finish the job off. Tommy Hill's fastest ever two-wheel lap around Thruxton proved the he and our bike will be a race winner. Tom Grant is really shaking the establishment and if it weren't for bad luck he would have none at all! Billy gained our first podium of the season with a solid ride at Thruxton and James, after a good test at Oulton, is looking like he is gelling with the new bike and tyres. We have had a mental start to the year with back to back races and we are now just starting to settle down and get into our rhythm, Silverstone is the scene of Tommy's finest hour with his pole at the World Superbike event last season, this could be the one where our luck changes."
Race day action commences with the first of two 20-lap Superbike races at 12:40, followed by Supersport at 13:30, and the exciting 12-lap Virgin Media Cup at 14:20. The second Superbike race at 15:20 will be screened live on ITV1.
ITV1 broadcast window, 14:35 - 16:05 Sunday 29 April.
Related Linkswww.virginmediaracing.com
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