Josh Brookes suspended after multi-rider BSB pile-up

Australian Josh Brookes admits he made a mistake in race one of the British Superbike Championship (BSB) at Mallory Park last weekend which took out the leading pack of riders.

Brookes lost control of his Plant Honda on the approach to the hairpin, with his stricken machine cannoning into race leader Simon Andrews, with several riders then also crashing out trying to take avoiding action.

"I got off the line and then got pushed off at Turn One, so my good start was not obvious and the HM Plant Honda felt good,” said Brookes. “I was able to come through the field, but I had a lot of people to get past as I had started right down the grid.

“It is hard to pass here and I sat behind Chris Walker to try and work out where I could get by and until then I had made most of my passes at the hairpin.

"I set myself up for the move but the back wheel came up in the air under braking and I couldn't hold it. I just pushed too hard and made a mistake and I am disappointed for the guys that were involved as they deserved to be on the podium. I was trying to get to the front and just pushed too hard."

The championship’s judicial panel concluded that Brookes was guilty of reckless riding and riding in a manner not compatible with general safety, and slapped a two-event ban on the New South Welshman, with an additional suspended sentence.

The crash also took out Andrews, Chris Walker, BSW returnee Tommy Hill, Karl Harris and John Laverty out of the equation, gifting the win to James Ellison (Yamaha) from teammate Leon Camier and Graeme Gowland (Yamaha).

Camier and Ellison again powered to a quinella in race two, from Walker (Yamaha), Laverty (Kawasaki) and Richard Cooper (Yamaha).

Australian David Johnson (Yamaha) was ninth and 11th in the two superbike races, while Jason O'Halloran has now departed the scene to go world supersport racing.

In supersport, Brendan Roberts made a successful return to British racing with a strong fifth place, right on the tail of countryman and fellow Yamaha rider Billy McConnell.

Roberts has lost his ride in world superbike with the Bologna-based Guandalini Racing, with his place taken by Gregoria Lavilla.

According to a report in the latest issue of Australian Motorcycle News, Roberts had been contemplating a return to Australian racing, but it looks as though he has now found a lifeline in the UK.

For full results and standings from the BSB, click here.

Photo credit: Double Red