BSB: Dream double for Haslam at Donington

It was a perfect opening weekend to the 2017 MCE British Superbike Championship for Leon Haslam, who stormed to another strong race win in the second outing at Donington Park.

Haslam’s win came despite a valiant effort from Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha’s Josh Brookes, who shot to the front at Redgate after starting from pole position.

It was a steady start to the race for the 2016 runner-up as Michael Laverty and Luke Mossey fought hard against him for the places behind race leader Brookes. Laverty would go on to retire with a technical problem, leaving Ellison to fight with the frontrunners as he moved past Haslam for second on lap eight. 

However, Haslam was having none of it as he re-passed his former team-mate and began to chase down race leader Brookes.

Taking the lead with five laps to go, Haslam immediately built a gap on the long-time leader but Brookes had done enough to take a safe second place despite riding with Pirelli’s softer option rear tyre.

Ellison would drop further back through the pack as Iddon and Mossey jumped on the McAMS Yamaha, but a late race charge from Glenn Irwin saw him carve through the pack to steal third from Iddon on the final lap.

Mossey finished fifth ahead of Ellison, with a gap then back to the Bennetts Suzuki of Sylvain Guintoli in seventh. Peter Hickman took eighth ahead of Davide Giugliano, with Jason O’Halloran completing the top ten as Honda continue to struggle with the new Fireblade.

Non-finishers included Billy McConnell and Taylor Mackenzie, who both fell at Goddards.