SNETTERTON BRINGS DOUBLE PODIUM JOY FOR O’HALLORAN AND HONDA RACING

Jason O’Halloran today claimed a double podium; scoring two third place finishes at Snetterton at the fifth round of the MCE British Superbike Championship. Team-mate Dan Linfoot collected valuable points in fifth and seventh places aboard the all-new Fireblade.

With conditions for race day glorious at the three-mile Norfolk circuit, The O’Show started the first race of the day from the front row of the grid in third position. Away from the line O’Halloran got caught in the group, dropping to fifth by the end of the first lap.

However, it wasn’t long until he started making his move and hunting down the final podium spot. By the third lap he’d passed Leon Haslam for third place, where he stayed for the remainder of the race, holding off Haslam to claim the final podium spot.

O’Halloran lined up third again on the grid for the final race of the day. Dropping back into fifth, it wasn’t until the tenth lap he moved up into fourth and started to plan his attack. Passing John Hopkins in the final stages, the Aussie crossed the line to take his second podium of the day.

Meanwhile team-mate Linfoot collected valuable points towards his championship challenge with two strong top-ten finishes. Race one saw a brilliant start for the 28-year old, who started from eighth place. Moving his Fireblade through the pack, Linfoot eventually crossed the line fifth.

Race two Linfoot again enjoyed a good start off the line and by the end of the first lap was running sixth. However struggling with the front feeling on his Fireblade, he crossed the line in seventh place, taking a second top-ten finish of the weekend.

The Honda duo are placed within the top-ten overall championship standings with O’Halloran currently in the all-important top-six in fifth position and Linfoot tenth. The team will now prepare the Fireblades for the sixth round of the championship, which takes place 21-23 July at Brands Hatch.

A double podium, and the first of the year! I’m really pleased; the whole team has been working great this weekend. We turned up to Snetterton after the test and we didn’t really have to change a lot, we worked a lot on race distances and that really paid off for both races. I enjoyed the battle in the end with Hopper, he was riding well and it was hard to pass him, I really had to work for it! The Fireblade is really coming together for us now, we’re consistent and I feel in a good place. In the past the next few rounds have been strong for us, so we need to aim to at least be on the podium and hopefully get a win in there too!

Jason O’Halloran / #22

Race one I used the harder rear tyre and I was worried about going the race distance, but to be fifth and only a few seconds off Jason, I was happy with that. I felt that with a few changes to the front of the CBR and also with the softer rear tyre, we’d be OK for race two. However, my feeling with the front felt worse and I didn’t get the most out it during the race. I don’t feel quite perfect with it all yet, the level is coming but I don’t feel 100% over a race distance, qualifying is OK but not particularly with the race. Taking the positives from today, we’ve got some points this weekend and we will keep working on it to be at the front very soon!

Dan Linfoot / #4

Well we’re leaving Snetterton with a double podium for Jason, I’m so happy for him and the team; everyone has worked so hard this weekend. We knew he had good race pace and I am sure there’s a lot we can learn and understand from the races. Dan is leaving with a handful of points, but I know he’s frustrated, he’s just on the next group with a few little issues, but he’s shown that we are heading in the right direction and I am confident we will get there soon! To be where we are with the all-new Fireblade is a great step and I am really happy, we will regroup now at the workshop and all prepare for the next round at Brands Hatch.

Havier Beltran – Honda Racing team manager