Iddon narrowly misses Thruxton podium

Christian Iddon narrowly missed out on a repeat of his Brands Hatch heroics this weekend, where the TYCO BMW rider claimed a podium on his return to racing, following his accident at Knockhill. Iddon was once again in line for third place, in race two, but was pipped at the post by Leon Haslam.

Iddon had struggled with tyre wear throughout free practice, working hard with the team to get the best from them around the notoriously abrasive Thruxton track, leaving him with little time to show his outright pace. When he finally did, in qualifying, the Hayfield rider claimed fourth on the grid in Superpole around the UK’s fastest track.

Selecting the harder tyres, in an effort to reduce the effects of wear, meant Christian would always be on the back foot, when the entire front row were on the softer tyre.

Christian Iddon. MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, 6.8.17Despite dropping a couple of places on the opening lap, Iddon clawed them back, only for the race to be neutralised under the safety car for five laps. As the race got back under way, the former Supermoto champion dropped two places once again, to sixth. But with five laps remaining he nicked fifth place back of Jason O’Halloran [Honda], and stayed there until the chequered flag.

Iddon, starting seventh, dropped a place on the opening lap of race two, but clawed his way up to fourth place in a battle with Leon Haslam. With just one lap to go Christian inherited third place, in a repeat of his outing at Brands Hatch two weeks earlier, but with Haslam breathing down his neck it was going to be nip and tuck at the line, Leon squeezing through to take third place on the last lap of the race, leaving Iddon in fourth, just 0.240secs behind the 2016 BSB championship runner-up.

“I came in to the weekend knowing that I had pace, as I had pace here last year, but knowing it was all about tyres”, explained Christian. “From the outset, from the very first lap of free practice we were doing two race runs every session to see what we can do. So it was frustrating from a riding point of view because I wasn’t really able to let loose and show the potential that I had until qualifying. That was good as we qualified quite well, and I was happy that once I got to ride the bike how we wanted to that we had the pace.

Christian Iddon. MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, 6.8.17“Just narrowly missing out on a podium, it’s a strong haul of points with a fourth and a fifth, and normally we’d be quite happy with that, but with those around us in the showdown taking massive points hauls it’s been a little bitter-sweet.

“Massive progress compared to last year where we came home with only three points, compared with twenty-four. So a big step forward. Big thanks to the TYCO boys as always, for their hard work. Looking forward to Cadwell and then Silverstone, those are the two crunch places really, as then we go in to the showdown”.

Christian added; “I’d like to pass on my condolences to the family and friends of Mark Fincham. I didn’t know him well, but I did have the pleasure of meeting him, had a brew or two. He was definitely a true hero, a great guy, it’s a shame, so sad, to have a loss such as that. Thanks to the BSB crew for doing a great job, always”