Gearlink Kawasaki News

It was a positive weekend for the team at round seven of the Dickies British Supersport Championship at the Brands Hatch GP Circuit. Mason Law had a strong weekend with a fourth place, a DNF and a third place podium. His team-mate Andrew Irwin was unfortunate to have two crashes and a DNF.

Mason came to his local circuit full of confidence and keen to get some good results. He had a few problems during practice but managed to put the bike on the front row for the first race after qualifying in third place. He was soon in the mix and then the safety car came out but he was able to make further progress when the safety car came in to finish in a good fourth place.

He struggled off the start in race two and lost some places in the first few laps but soon started to progress through the pack and looked set to finish in another fourth place when a technical problem ocurred on the final lap forcing him to retire.

In the final race he started from fifth place on the grid but the race was red flagged on lap four following a crash. On the re-start he got a good start and rode a strong race to finish in a great third place and another podium.

Andrew had a strong weekend and showed a lot of potential in only his second race meeting with the team. He looked good throughout the practise and qualifying sessions to put the bike on the grid for the first race in fifth place. He got a great start and was soon up to second place after the opening lap fighting with five other riders for the win. After the safety car was deployed he dropped back to fourth and then seventh following a mistake. Unfortunately he crashed out on lap nine of the twelve lap race.

For race two he started from sixth place but sufferred a mechanical problem following his earlier crash in race one forcing him to retire.

For race three he started from 12th place on the grid and due to a technical problem at the start he dropped back to 23rd after lap one but pushed his way up to 17th when the race was red flagged. On the re-start he got a flying start and was 10th after lap one and worked his way up to sixth place before sadly crashing out on lap 11.

In the MCE British Superbike series Vittorio Iannuzzo had a progressive weekend finishing in 23rd and 21st places. He had a problem during qualifying with a wrong setting but his time during the races once again continued to improve.

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "We can take a lot of positives from this weekend but there are still issues we need to address.

In the Supersport class both riders were up there and setting some good times during the pre-race sessions with both Mason and Andrew qualifying well. Mason continued to dig deep in race one to get a strong fourth place. Andrew was riding well but had an issue with the front end which we believe contributed to his crash. There was a lot of damage to his bike which led to a problem for him in race two forcing him to retire. Mason was also riding well but he also was forced to retire.

In race three once again Mason and Andrew looked like they could both push for a podium position. Mason worked hard right to the end to earn himself another third place and Andrew made a small mistake crashing out in the closing stages but he was showing a lot of potential this weekend.

Vittorio once again made progress this weekend and we are happy that with the advances made with the Superbike the results will hopefully come."

It was a weekend of highs and lows for the team at round six of the Dickies British Supersport Championship at the ultra fast Thruxton circuit.

Mason Law had another confident boosting round with a a fifth and what was thought a third place in race two. His new team-mate, Ulsterman Andrew Irwin, had a great start with a ninth and again what was thought ninth place in race two. Sadly due to a technical infringement both Mason and Andrew were excluded from race two following scrutineering.

Mason is starting to regain the form he showed earlier in the season and looked good all weekend. He was fifth in qualifying for race one and battled with the leading group to finish in a good fifth place. For race two he started from eighth place on the grid and got another great start managing to take the lead on lap 13. The four leading riders were all going for the win with Mason in a dead heat for a third place podium. Unfortunately he later learned that he had been excluded.

It was Andrew Irwin's first weekend with the team and he had a great debut. Due to a small issue he lost valuable track time during the practise sessions and therefore had a tough qualifying session and had to settle for 21st place on the grid for race one.

He pushed hard in the opening race and gradually picked his way through the field to achieve a brilliant top ten finish in ninth. For race two he moved up to seventh place on the grid and once again the racing was very close to finish in another ninth place. Like Mason he later learned that he had been excluded.

In the MCE British Superbike series Vittorio Iannuzzo had a solid finish in race one in 23rd. His times improved for race two and rode very well to finish again in 23rd place. He has now had more experience with the bike and is feeling much more confident going to tracks that he has a little more knowledge of.

Team Manager Michael de Bidaph - "I am truly devastated about the situation in the second Supersport race today. We have made a costly mistake and it has been a total oversight on our behalf in not spotting a rule change from last season which i believe would not have enhanced the performance of the riders this weekend. I offer my sincere apologies to both Mason and Andrew, particularly as they both rode so well, and to our sponsors for this mistake. We will move on from this and hope that we achieve good results at the next round at Brands Hatch and secure the good reputaion we have always had.

I must congratulate Vittorio on his weekend; he improved all the time and set his best lap times in the second race. He really is beginning to get a good feeling for the bike and i feel we have some good progress and look forward to continuing our progress for the remainder of the season."