HONDA RACING TAKE POSITIVES FROM BRANDS HATCH FINALE

Round 12 Brands Hatch GP

The Honda Racing team are taking the positives from a tricky weekend at Brands Hatch for the final round of the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship, where Andrew Irwin scored a hat trick of top tens aboard the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

Intermittent weather hampered progress during practice sessions and in yesterday’s qualifying Andrew and Xavi Forés headed out to a dry track for the first time. With work to do in the first race the Honda teammates dug deep from their starting positions (Forés 17th, Irwin 19th), to carve their way through the pack into the top ten with Forés eighth and Irwin ninth at the flag.

The weather today was dry but with a chill in the air at the Kent circuit, progress for the Honda duo was present from warm-up when Irwin took 1.1 seconds off his qualifying time. Lining up on the grid further up the rankings than the day before, in tenth and 11th respectively, the duo enjoyed battles on-track with their championship rivals and made up places to cross the line with Irwin ninth and Forés 11th.

The final race of the 2019 season was down to the line to decide the championship, which thrilled teams and fans alike at the 2.43-mile circuit. Sadly for Forés his race ended early on the sixth lap with an unexplained lack of grip from the rear tyre, which sees him wrap the championship up in ninth position. Meanwhile teammate Irwin took his third ninth-place finish to wrap up the season eighth overall.

It’s been a challenging season for the Honda Racing team, but with the lows there have been many highs and plenty of positives to take away with Forés on the podium at Donington Park and Knockhill, and celebrating Irwin’s debut BSB win at Thruxton.

Xavi Forés
#6

Today was not the best way to end the season, especially in the last race, I did not feel good with the rear tyre and was spinning a lot and dropping places, so decided to come in and finish the race. Overall the season has been good, we had solid results and especially at the tracks I had not seen before. I had podiums at Donington Park, as well as a pole position and podium at Knockhill, so we did have a good season and I am happy with the job done and the way we worked to develop the Fireblade. Thank you so much to Harv and the whole Honda team, they were the first to give me the opportunity to come to BSB and I have really enjoyed this season working with them all!

Andrew Irwin
#18

Brands was a difficult round in the middle of year and coming back I knew that the Fireblade had improved. The weather didn’t work in our favour this weekend, but in qualifying I was horrendous! I didn’t ride right and it was the first time all weekend we’d ridden in the dry, and I think I was just tense. I qualified 19th, and when that happens I am so determined to change the weekend around. Finishing with three ninths isn’t ideal, but it’s three top ten finishes and I tried this weekend – we went with the group to battle for fifth for over half the race, but didn’t quite have the pace to stay with them. However, it was a positive weekend and we continued to make steps forward. We wrap the championship up in eighth place and this was my first full year in BSB. I really can’t thank Honda Racing enough from my side, Xavi’s side, Tom’s side and everyone who makes Honda Racing one!

Havier Beltran
Team Manager

Well the 2019 Brands Hatch finale wasn’t the most ideal conditions for everyone, but that’s how it goes. I’m looking at the last round now and thinking ‘that’s another season gone!’ It’s been a rollercoaster and we’ve had some amazing highs and lows throughout the year. Xavi and Andrew have done a fantastic job working together and with the team to develop the Fireblade to where we have it today. However we look at the weekend we made progress, and we all should be pleased and proud of that. I want to thank the whole team for all their hard work this season, we have a great group of lads in the garage working with Xavi, Andrew and Tom. I know for 2020 we’ll come back stronger and as for 2019, it has been emotional!

Brands Hatch GP Circuit Statistics

Length : 2.4 miles (3.9km)
Corners: 9
Lefthand: 3
Righthand: 6
Pole Position: Left
BSB Lap Record: Josh Brookes – 1:24.873 (2017)