Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) are no strangers to the podium in the World Superbike Championship, Corser having taken 122 career top three finishes and Haga 82. As their winning records show, each of Yamaha's lead 2008 season riders has a special affinity with Brands Hatch, having scored seven race wins between them at the sinuous and flowing English circuit. Corser is sitting in overall third in the points' standings after a Brno race weekend that placed him second and then fourth. Corser's pre-Brands confidence is boosted by the fact that he is currently only 12 points behind the second place rider, Max Neukirchner.