Our words and pics as Christian Iddon grabs plenty more silverware at Oulton Park…
Stockport MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship rider Christian Iddon, took top spot at his ‘home’ rounds of the 2016 Series, at Oulton Park in Cheshire, following another brace of podiums for the Tyco BMW pilot.
Iddon grabbed a place on the second row of the grid, 5th place for first of the Series’ double-header at the leafy parkland venue, describing himself as ‘…really happy to be disappointed…’ illustrating the step forward the former Super Moto Champion has made since joining Tyco BMW at the start of 2016.
Mixed conditions welcomed the BSB on raceday, and a downpour shortly before Race One saw the track very wet, and drying as the Race wore on. Running fifth for a large proportion of the Race, Christian climbed to third, and nicked second in the closing stages, as Honda’s Dan Linfoot took a tumble at the Hislops chicane with just a lap to go. Iddon chased the JG Speedfit Kawasaki of Leon Haslam home, sealing his third successive podium in succession, just a tenth of a second behind the Race winner.
The weather was insistent it would play it’s part in proceedings, and with just minutes to go until the start of Race Two, yet another downpour hit the Cheshire track, with Teams making last minute tyre choices as riders formed on the grid.
Iddon, starting 4th, climbed to second early on and set about chasing down race leader Richard Cooper [Buildbase BMW], who had already pulled away from the rest of the field. And it was in the closing stages that the pair would exchange places, a last gasp effort into the last corner [Lodge] left Christian running wide, Cooper nipped back to take the win, Iddon securing his fourth podium on the bounce, and the lead of the Championship.
“Another mega weekend on the Tyco BMW” beamed Iddon, “we ended up with a couple of seconds, it could easily have been a couple of wins, but then could also, in the conditions we’ve had, have been on your rear”
“I battled really hard with Coop [in Race Two], managed to pass him on the last lap, but he was so strong going in to the last corner that I knew I had to commit, then he ended up passing me anyway as I ran wide.”
“Really happy to go home with two trophies again, four podiums out of four, and leading the Championship, everything’s good”, added Christian.
The BSB Championship now moves on to Brands Hatch in Kent next, the former GP venue hosting the Series on the 20/22 May.
Our photos of Christian in action at Oulton can be found HERE.