Interview: Camier says he's ready for Mallory

BSB series leader Leon Camier is hoping to shake off his Mallory blues and extend his BSB six-race winning streak this Sunday on the Airwaves Yamaha.

MCN spoke to him about the forthcoming weekend:

I guess you are aware people are saying BSB is getting boring with you winning 10 or this 12 races this year in BSB. Are you ready to slow up and give the others a look-in this weekend?
Not a chance! I’ve not had the best of times at Mallory in the past couple of years so I’m hoping for a change of fortune. Two years ago it rained so hard practice and qualifying was virtually wiped out. Then on race-day morning warm-up,  someone fell off and dumped oil and I was the first one along and went down. So I went into the races with about two or three laps of practice. Then last year we had problems in practice and I started 11th on the grid and someone took my front brake lever in the first corner. I had a terrible second race too. 

Mallory’s become little more than a series of chicanes. What’s it like to race there?
It’s such hard work. Nothing flows and you’re constantly braking or accelerating.  There’s no chance to rest and fighting a 200+bhp superbike there is plain hard. Physically though I’m in good shape.

What’s the most important thing for a racer at Mallory?
The starts. The track is a bit like Knockhill  – but even harder to pass. You get an accordion effect going with everyone stacked up behind the leader and nowhere to get by. And there’s nowhere to get a run on someone from behind.

You seemed to launch better at Knockhill than any time this year. What made the difference?
We got some new parts and it just made things a bit more consistent. In the past I’d launch, then the bike would wheelie once the clutch was home. Now the clutch is home but I’m still able to get the power down.

If the Airwaves Yamaha struggles in any one area it seems to be the slower corners. That’s got to hurt you at Mallory surely?
It’s true the Yamaha works better in the fast flowing stuff but we’re working on a setting and I hope to have a smooth weekend. If I’m not in a position to win races then I’ll settle for points. There’s a long way to go in the championship.

So who are the main rivals to worry about?
I think Karl Harris might go well there.  Stuart Easton is bound to be strong as he has all year. Josh Brookes is strong everywhere and is only going to get stronger. That James Ellison gets amongst it too!