Top
0 £0 Basket
Basket Summary
Basket Total: £0
Go to basket
All All Adult Driving Junior Driving Car Track Day Bike Track Day Experience Days Help Login Corporate My Voucher Gift Cards 01376 809032

Defending champion Shane Byrne 'ready to rock' Donington - News

Defending MCE Insurance British Superbike champion Shane Byrne is "ready to rock" as he sets out to capture his sixth title.

The new season gets under way at Donington Park this weekend with the Be Wiser Ducati rider looking to defend the crown he won by 29 points last year.

Byrne, who turned 40 during the off-season, won nine rounds in 2016 to pip Kawasaki's Leon Haslam to the title for his third championship in five years.

He has been hampered by a lack of pre-season running ahead of the curtain-raiser but wants to get his defence off to the best possible start in Leicestershire.

"We are a bit behind our rivals testing-wise in terms of time on the bike, but I've been working harder than ever away from the track to be sure we're ready to rock this weekend," Byrne told britishsuperbike.com.

"The final round at Brands Hatch last year feels like an awful long time ago. It's been a long winter for some reason, having not ridden for a while.

"I really enjoyed getting out at the test last week but now is the time to step up; it's round one this weekend and I want more than anything to try to defend the fifth title I earned last year."

Australian Josh Brookes won the title in 2015, splitting Byrne's last two successes, and is also hoping to start positively in his quest to once again topple the Londoner after poor weather cost his Yamaha team valuable testing time.

"The last five days I've ridden on a bike, four of them have been in the wet so rain seems to be the consistent factor as of late," Brookes said.

"I'm happy with the bike in the conditions I have ridden it in, but it's no way to gauge the performance of me or the bike.

"We have to win, the plan is to win, that is our goal and that is what everyone wants to start the season off on a high."

After the opening race weekend at Donington, the championship moves on to Brands Hatch and Oulton Park before travelling to Knockhill in June.

The final race of the season will once again come at Brands Hatch. The only non-British race on the calendar is in Holland, with the two rounds at Assen coming on the penultimate race weekend of the year.

Defending champion Shane Byrne 'ready to rock' Donington
31 March 2017
Trackdays

Other News

The World's Most Romantic Cars for Valentine's Day

The World's Most Romantic Cars for Valentine's Day

A classic Mini, a Ferrari and a Love Bug all appear on our list of the best cars to drive on the most romantic day in the calendar
03 February 2025
Trackdays
Surge In Under 17 Driving Lessons to Beat DVSA Backlog

Surge In Under 17 Driving Lessons to Beat DVSA Backlog

As waiting times for driving tests increases again, our specialist sessions for 10 - 17 year olds will equip them with basic driving skills
06 February 2025
News
Race Circuit Winter Wonderlands For Youngsters

Race Circuit Winter Wonderlands For Youngsters

Surprise a young car lover this Christmas with one of our Junior Driving Experiences. Available to book with a TrackDays Gift Voucher.
17 December 2024
Trackdays
Entertain The Kids This Christmas With A Junior Movie Drive

Entertain The Kids This Christmas With A Junior Movie Drive

Entertain the Kids this Christmas with a Junior Movie Drive, where they can get behind the wheel of a car straight from the silver screen!
20 December 2024
News
Off-the-Scale Off-Road Experiences Come to Sussex

Off-the-Scale Off-Road Experiences Come to Sussex

Limited time offers on a range of off road adventures are settling the myth that off-grid fun can't be had during the winter months
20 January 2025
News
How Supercar Speeds Compare to Road Cars

How Supercar Speeds Compare to Road Cars

We take a deep dive into some of the science behind the exhilarating rush of driving a supercar out on track
31 January 2025
Trackdays