Cycle News Staff | September 11, 2011
John Hopkins won the first race of the day in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown at Donington Park, the Samsung Suzuki rider winning a four-way battle for the lead.
“The focus for me was always on the race win and podiums are good, but to win the championship we need to be winning races,” Hopkins said on the BSB website. “We made a few points back on Tommy [Hill], which was what we needed to do this weekend so we have made a good start to the Showdown. That was amazing; one hell of a race and I had a good view over the opening laps before we had a really good battle amongst us for the win. I knew we could be strong at the end of the race and the adrenaline really does mask the pain I had in my hand until the cool down lap. There was definitely no screwing around in that race and now I am one hundred percent focused to win the next one too for Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki.”Hopkins ended up beating Swan Yamaha’s Michael Laverty by .480 of a second with Laverty’s teammate Tommy Hill third, another .3 of a second behind. HM Plant’s Shane Byrne finished fourth.Hill leads Laverty, 545-543, after the first race with Hopkins third with 535 points. Hopkins will start race two from the pole by virtue of his fastest lap in race one.Race 11. John Hopkins (Suzuki)
2. Michael Laverty (Yamaha)
3. Tommy Hill (Yamaha)
4. Shane Byrne (Honda)
5. Jon Kirkham (Suzuki)
6. Josh Brookes (Suzuki)
7. Peter Hickman (Honda)
8. James Ellison (Honda)
9. Martin Jessopp (Ducati)
10. Graeme Gowland (Honda)
