Dream British Superbike Start for Honda

29 March 2004

HM Plant Honda Racing got the new season off to a dream start with an impressive one-two finish in the first British Superbike Championship race of the year. Michael Rutter claimed the victory with an impressive display of speed, determination and focus. His team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari lived up to expectations and fired a warning shot across the bows of more experienced championship riders when he followed his team-mate home to claim second place.
 
Kiyonari got an excellent start and took the holeshot into Copse Corner, with Rutter and Sean Emmett in hot pursuit. Emmett took the lead temporarily but was unable to keep pace with the HM Plant Honda Racing CBR1000RRs and the number three Fireblade soon eased past him and accelerated away.
 
Before long Kiyonari followed suit and set out after his team-mate. The 21-year-old Japanese rider’s unfamiliarity with Silverstone’s International circuit did not appear to be an issue and after dispatching former British Superbike Champion John Reynolds, he and Rutter took it in turns to log the fastest lap of the race.
 
Rutter ultimately came out on top with a time of 1:37.543 on lap 21 of 22. He was able to record this time thanks to the usability of the HM Plant Honda Racing package and the excellent performance of his Michelin wet tyres on a track that was rapidly drying.
 
Kiyonari remained unchallenged for the remainder of the race and finished over 20 seconds clear of fourth-placed Reynolds.
 
Michael Rutter: "I’ve got to admit that I’m glad to have the first race out of the way. I’ve put myself under a lot of pressure recently and expectations were high, so I wanted to do well for Honda, HM Plant and the rest of our sponsors.
 
"To have won first time out is just fantastic and very important to the team. The HM Plant Honda Racing Fireblade’s set-up allowed me to relax and just get on with riding the bike – in fact I’d have to say that it was a really enjoyable race.
 
"I’d love to do the double and everything feels just right, but I’m not going to get carried away just yet. We’ve made a perfect start, but it’s still early days and we’ll be taking it one step at a time."
 
Ryuichi Kiyonari: "I am very happy to finish on the podium for HM Plant Honda Racing. I want to thank the team and sponsors and hope that this result will please them. The British fans have made me feel most welcome and I will do my best to make next race even more exciting for them."
 
Second double podium for HM Plant Honda Racing
 
Michael Rutter and Ryuichi Kiyonari rounded off a memorable debut weekend for HM Plant Honda Racing by placing two CBR1000RR Fireblades on the podium for the second time in as many races.
 
After his commanding first race performance, Rutter was eager to gain a repeat result in race two. A poor start made this task even harder for the experienced campaigner, but he rapidly worked his way back up to challenge John Reynolds for the lead.
 
Reynolds certainly did not have it easy. Kiyonari showed him the way around the 2.2-mile International circuit for the opening stages of the race. And even when Reynolds slipped into the lead, the 21-year-old former MotoGP rider refused to let him get away.
 
Rutter soon joined the fray – shattering his own lap record on the way – and the 23,500-strong crowd were treated to some spectacular fairing-to-fairing action as the trio battled it out for supremacy. Once past his team-mate, Rutter looked certain to overhaul Reynolds until he locked the rear wheel on the way into a corner and ran wide, allowing Kiyonari to slip back into second place. Both riders were reeling in Reynolds when they passed the chequered flag 12 seconds clear of fourth-placed Sean Emmett.
 
HM Plant Honda Racing’s 100 per cent rostrum record represented an amazing start to the season. The HRC-prepared CBR1000RR Fireblade is currently the bike to beat, Rutter now leads the British Superbike Championship and his newcomer team-mate has already earned his first Sky Sports BSB Rider of the Day award.
 
Michael Rutter: “I’m normally get good starts, but that was one of my worst ever. It was my fault, but I couldn’t believe the position I ended up in. Everyone was on the gas and I had to work pretty hard to get past them, but I was able pick them off one at a time.
 
"I had JR [Reynolds] in my sights but I made a mistake and didn’t have time to catch him again. I’d like to have won both races, but I’ve got to be happy with the way things have gone on our first outing."
 
Ryuichi Kiyonari: "I am very happy to make second place again. I think I could have won, but my set-up was not quite right for the race. I am also very honoured that I was given the champagne for being Rider of the Day. I think that we had some good racing today and I hope that the fans enjoyed it as much I did."
 
Business as usual for Harris
 
Karl Harris picked up where he left off after his victorious 2003 British Supersport Championship season. The 24-year-old reigning champion once more annihilated the competition to win the opening round of 2004.
 
Starting from third on the grid, the Sheffield star immediately fired his HM Plant Honda Racing CBR600RR into the lead and never looked back. He emulated his Superbike team-mate Michael Rutter’s earlier performance by maintaining his composure and disappearing out of reach for the entire distance.
 
In a thoroughly professional display Harris stretched his advantage to more than five seconds at times, unconcerned by the furious battle that raged behind him for the remaining podium places.
 
Harris' Red Bull Rookies Honda counterpart Jonathan Rea acquitted himself admirably in his first ever race on a 600cc Supersport machine. Despite making a less than ideal start, the 17-year-old Ulsterman soon found a strong rhythm and powered his way through the pack to claim a 12th place finish and four well-deserved championship points.
 
Karl Harris: "I'm so glad that race is over. There was a lot of pressure on me to perform – especially after Michael and Kiyo did so well in the first Superbike race.
 
"I started last year with a win at Silverstone and then went on to win the championship, so things are looking good this far. The HM Plant Honda Racing CBR600RR is a strong package and I’m pleased to get my first win. All in all, it's a dream start to my title defence."
 
Jonathan Rea: “I found myself on a damp part of the track at the start and so I took it easy because I didn't want take any chances so early on. I think I erred on the side of caution a little too much and lost a bit of ground to the other riders that were on dry tarmac.
 
"I was quite nervous because it was my first-ever Supersport race, but I found my feet pretty quickly and was pleased with the way I was able to cut through the pack once I got going. The plan was to finish the race and I’m very pleased to have picked up some points in competition as fierce as this."
 

See series calendars for SBK World Superbike & Supersport Championships 2004

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