Tommy Hill is looking forward to the first British Superbike Championship meeting at Assen as the championship showdown kicks off in the Netherlands. Hill came out on top last year in a thrilling head-to-head with John Hopkins which went down to the wire and knows better than anyone that every point will be crucial over the next three events.
“It is exciting to head to Assen this weekend for the first round of the Showdown and it will be a great experience for both us riders and the fans. The wins mean more now than ever and I hope that we can get to Assen and as a team raise our game again and that is what the Showdown is all about now. I am going into this round not thinking about the 10 point lead and treating it like we are starting from scratch as the standings can easily change. You can see from the previous rounds that we are all riding hard and want those wins, but at the same time we need to be consistent. At this point of the season you can’t afford to have any excuses.”
Swan Yamaha teammate Noriyuki Haga missed out on a place in the top six with a collarbone injury sustained at Cadwell Park proving crucial. Despite that disappointment, Haga is motivated to finish the season on a high, particularly with the circuits that lie ahead.
“Assen is one of my favourite tracks and it is also a very difficult track too; I think it is good to go and race there. I still have pain with my collarbone and there is not much time between the races now but I will do my best for the races. I am disappointed about my results at Cadwell Park and Donington Park because of my injury but I am always trying to do the best I can. I am always trying to get podium finishes.”