British Superbikes: Atsushi Watanabe slips in Oulton trackday

Atsushi Watanabe has squeezed in a quick trackday at Oulton Park just a couple of days before the BSB field rolls into paddock at the Cheshire circuit.

The two-time Japanese Superbike Champion is attempting to get to as many tracks as possible before having to run there in BSB to get a taste of what each circuit is about.

But team boss Jack Valentine says Oulton is going to be one of the most difficult for the 31-year old to get his head around.

“I think it will be a difficult round for Atsushi as it is a hard circuit to learn,” said Valentine.

“I’m sure he will like it and he’s getting a bit of a head start by doing a track day there.

“It will take some time to get to grips with Oulton as it is fast and undulating with some complex corners.

“Also BSB is an aggressive championship and the other riders take no prisoners; Atsushi is still finding out how the others ride too.

“Learning Oulton and racing it in a determined manner will be hard but I don’t think he will take long to get up to speed.

“I expect a similar pattern to Brands Hatch and Thruxton – he is learning fast.”

Jack Valentine has slightly higher expectations from the other side of the garage with Tom Sykes, expecting a front-row start and a challenging performance from the Huddersfield rider.