The Rizla Suzuki team can’t wait to get on track this Bank Holiday weekend at Oulton Park for round three of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship. Tom Sykes, who had a challenging weekend at Thruxton last time out battling with a hand injury to claim a sixth and an eighth place finish, is keen to get back on his Rizla Suzuki and start racing. He is currently fifth in the Championship at this early stage of the season but hopes to maximise his points haul at a circuit he enjoys.
Two times Japanese Champion, Atsushi Watanabe has another difficult circuit to learn and has taken advantage of a track day there to help him find his way round the blind crests and tight turns which frequent the Cheshire circuit.
The 2.692 mile track is one of the most arduous on the calendar and always produces close fought racing. Changes in gradient, tight corners plus sweeping bends need confidence and bravery from any rider who wants to be successful there.
Qualifying takes place on Sunday 4th May at 1505-1555, racing takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 5th May with race one at 1300 and race two at 1530. British Eurosport will broadcast live on race day at 1230-1630.
Jack Valentine Rizla Suzuki Team Manager:“I can’t wait to get started at Oulton; it is a track where Tom goes well. We want to run at the front and expect to be on the pace from the start. Tom should be qualifying on the front row and challenging for the podium. I think it will be a difficult round for Atsushi as it is a hard circuit to learn. I’m sure he will like it and he is getting a bit of head start by doing a track day there.
“It will take some time to get to grips with Oulton as it is fast and undulating with some complex corners. Also BSB is an aggressive championship and the other riders take no prisoners, Atsushi is still finding out how the others ride too. Learning Oulton and racing it in a determined manner will be hard but I don’t think he will take long to get up to speed. I expect a similar pattern to Brands Hatch and Thruxton, he is learning fast.”
