British Superbike

Brookes delighted with double podium at Snetterton

2 Mins read
Josh Brookes on the podium at Snetterton
Josh Brookes celebrates on the podium at Snetterton (Credit: Bonnie Lane Photographics)

Josh Brookes produced his two best performances of the season to secure an impressive double-podium at Snetterton.

Brookes was quick in both races and was able to push overall winner Shane Byrne all the way in the second race of the day.

The Australian started the opening race down in seventh, the position he would keep for the opening couple of laps.

Brookes managed to get his head down and was soon involved in an exciting battle for second spot with fellow countryman Jason O’Halloran. The duo were able to take advantage of a technical issue for James Ellison on the McAMS Yamaha.

The pair diced it out and Brookes managed to make the breakthrough on the seventh lap of the race and managed to pull away from the Honda.

He was unable to match the pace of Byrne out front however and crossed the line in an impressive second place.

Brookes’ speed in the opening race meant that he started race two on the front-row of the grid, in second spot, and he took advantage by launching off the line and into the lead at Riches.

Brookes would lead the opening 14 laps, but was unable to anything about the Be Wiser Ducati of Byrne – which had been breaking lap records all weekend.

A comeback looked possible and Brookes pushed his Yamaha to the limit but he was once again unable to match his title rival and crossed the line in second once again.

A delighted Brookes said: “It’s a reflection of the hard work we’ve done in the previous rounds, it’s like an iceberg, what you see on the TV is only the tip there is a lot of work going on in the background that has brought us to this position. We’ve had what have appeared to be difficult weekends in results but it’s a process, we have all the ingredients to make a winning bike but all the pieces have to go in the right place.

“I think this weekend is a reflection of all the hard done recently, and I hope now this us breaking through that surface and shows what the potential is for later on down the line. I’ve said it before it’s almost a replay of 2015, I have to learn the process, structure and the people and build on the weaknesses till you make them strengths, but it does feel very much like 2015 and hopefully the pattern continues.”

Brookes’ 68th and 69th podiums in the MCE British Superbike Championship mean that he is in fourth place in the standings, with 118 points. He is now only 29 points behind series leader Luke Mossey, and 26 points ahead of seventh placed Jake Dixon.

The sixth round of the 2017 season will take place at Brands Hatch over the weekend of July 21-23.

Avatar photo
590 posts

About author
Josh is a Sports Journalism graduate and has been a member of the TCF team since 2015. Between 2015 and 2018, Josh focused primarily on British Superbikes and Road Racing events such as the Isle of Man TT. At the beginning of the 2019 season he became the MotoGP Reporter.
Articles
Related posts
British SuperbikeDakarRoad Racing

Isle of Man TT winner James Hillier set for Dakar Rally debut in 2023 Malle Moto

2 Mins read
After a delay, James Hillier will make his first Dakar Rally start in 2023. Riding in the Malle Moto class, he will be the first Isle of Man TT winner to challenge Dakar.
British Superbike

Exclusive interview with Ben Luxton

3 Mins read
Getting to know one of the UK’s rising talents. Here’s an exclusive interview with British Superstock 600 rider Ben Luxton
British SuperbikeRoad Racing

Honda Racing confirm their 2020 British Superbike plans

1 Mins read
Honda Racing have announced their British Superbike and Superstock plans, along with their road racing plans for the 2020 season.