Guintoli, Camier score BSB wins

From britishsuperbike.com

Worx Crescent Suzuki's Sylvain Guintoli took a stunning victory in the opening race of the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Brands Hatch Monday afternoon, taking his debut win in his first ever race.

Leon Camier and the Airwaves Yamaha team took the win in the second race. The victory was all the more special for the championship-winning team as Friday was the first time the new Yamaha had run, with the team completing no pre-season testing.

Stuart Easton took the lead into Paddock Hill Bend on the Hydrex Honda on the opening lap of race one, forcing his way to the front with Steve Plater and team-mate Karl Harris tucked in behind. Easton was forced to start the race on his number two bike after a problem on the grid, but this was not going to deter him and he led the opening laps of the race.

Harris crashed his Hydrex Honda at Druids on lap 10.

Super-sub Plater was a man on a mission; on lap eight he barged his way past Easton at Paddock Hill Bend to take the lead. The HM Plant Honda rider was soon under pressure from a flying Guintoli and as he turned in for Druids he slid off to put him out of the race.

Guintoli then controlled the race from the front, edging ahead of Richards and Easton.

Camier was able to secure fourth for the Airwaves Yamaha team, despite this the first race for the new YZF-R1. James Ellison was able to also secure a top five, finishing just behind his team-mate.

"This is great," Guintoli said. "I just need to sort my starts out now as that was not so good! It is great to be in a race again where I can fight and overtake and challenge at the front. I couldn't remember yesterday the last time I was on pole and I can't remember the last time I won a race either!

"The Worx Crescent Suzuki team have worked so hard to get to this stage and it is important to repay them with this win. We keep improving the new Suzuki and I am still learning but for sure there is more to come from me and the team."

Easton got another flying start off the line and was first into Paddock Hill Bend on the opening lap of the second race ahead of Plater, Harris and Glen Richards. Harris had an early charge though, passing Plater into Graham Hill Bend on the Hydrex Honda.

Camier began his battle to the front early; he was sixth during the opening laps but passed Guintoli at Druids to move fifth, then repeated the move on Harris just a lap later. This clearly had fired up the local hero as after passing Harris he then put a move on Richards at Clearways. He then moved to second on lap 12.

Camier made his move with just over 10 laps to go, when he barged his way through on the inside line at Clearways. The Airwaves Yamaha rider may have taken the lead, but meanwhile Guintoli was moving up the order on the Worx Crescent Suzuki.

Guintoli had not made the best of starts, but he was cutting his way through the field in the final 10 laps of the race. The Frenchman made some committed passes, first at Druids to pass Plater then with three laps to go he dived down the inside of Easton at Paddock Hill Bend. The Worx Crescent Suzuki rider now leads the standings after the opening round.

Plater managed to make a move on Easton to secure the final podium place, with Richards rounding out the top five on the second of the HM Plant Hondas.

"I can't believe it," Camier said. "I just am amazed with how this weekend has gone for us. We had no testing on the Airwaves Yamaha but we stayed positive and we have been consistent this weekend which has really been the key.

"I just need to thank everyone at GSE Racing and all of our sponsors. After the first race I knew I had the pace to be on the podium, but to win is amazing. In the first race I made a few mistakes which really cost me but the performance of the YZF R1 was faultless."

Race One Results
1. Sylvain Guintoli (Worx Crescent Suzuki)
2. Glen Richards (HM Plant Honda) +0.952
3. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +3.086
4. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha) +7.007
5. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +7.814
6. Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) +8.505
7. Simon Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +9.359
8. Jason O'Halloran (SMT Honda) +9.639
9. Graeme Gowland (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +10.549
10. Tristan Palmer (Buildbase Kawasaki) +16.181

Race Two Results
1. Leon Camier (Airwaves Yamaha)
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +2.319
3. Steve Plater (HM Plant Honda) +3.347
4. Stuart Easton (Hydrex Honda) +3.772
5. Glen Richards (HM Plant Honda) +3.915
6. Karl Harris (Hydrex Honda) +11.121
7. James Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) +11.531
8. Chris Walker (Motorpoint/Henderson Yamaha) +11.826
9. Gary Mason (Quay Garage Honda) +12.968
10. Julien Da Costa (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +14.641

Point Standings
1. S. Guintoli (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 45
2. L. Camier (Airwaves Yamaha) 38
3. G. Richards (HM Plant Honda) 31
4. S. Easton (Hydrex Honda) 29
5. J. Ellison (Airwaves Yamaha) 20
6. G. Mason (Quay Garage Honda) 17
7. S. Plater (HM Plant Honda) 16
8. S. Andrews (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 14
9. J. O'Halloran (SMT Honda) 12
10. J. Da Costa (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) 11