This weekend, the Honda Racing team and its trio of riders head to Oulton Park as the MCE British Superbike Championship reaches its ninth round and the all-important Showdown decider. With three races over the weekend all eyes will be on the Showdown and the riders who will take the remaining three spots.

Jason O’Halloran breezed into the Showdown and confirmed his place nice and early after landing his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade on the podium twice at the last round. With the pressure off slightly this weekend, ‘The O’Show’ will be looking for further podium credits and also another shot at a race win.

Meanwhile Dan Linfoot is heading to the weekend determined to hold on to his position inside the top-six and claim one of the final three Showdown places. Sitting fifth in the overall standings ahead of the triple-header weekend, Linfoot knows a strong weekend is needed to join his team-mate in the Showdown.

The team’s third rider Jenny Tinmouth is looking forward to her home round at the 4.332km Cheshire circuit and is hoping to repeat the success of the previous round, where she enjoyed two-strong finishes on her CBR machine and racked up more personal bests.

Live timing of round nine will be available from www.britishsuperbike.com/live-timing/

2016 MCE British Superbike Championship, round nineOulton Park, CheshireEvent Schedule:

Friday 9 September 1015 – 1100 – FP11505 – 1550 – FP2

Saturday 10 September 0940 – 1025 – FP31220 – 1238 – Q11245 – 1257 – Q21304 – Superpole1600 – Race one (18 laps 77.97km)

Sunday 11 September 1200 – 1210 – Warm up1335 – Race 2 (18 laps 77.97km)1635 – Race 3 (18 laps 77.97km)

Well this is the weekend and the pressure is on! I’m hoping for a confirmed Showdown spot as soon as possible, we have three races so it can go either way. It’s either three chances for podiums or three chances for something to go wrong; I am a little cautious heading into the weekend, as I can’t afford for anything to go wrong. I’m trying to think as much as I can about my targets and what I want to achieve from the weekend as it takes my mind off the Showdown a little, so I am not fixating so much on it. We need to start the weekend well and qualify on the front two rows and finish each race, if we finish in the top-five in all races the Showdown will take care of itself – of course I will be pushing and I need the podium credits, but if it’s not possible then three top-five finishes is OK. Oulton Park is a circuit I really enjoy and it’s always been kind to me, well until I crashed out of the lead there earlier in the year! But I am looking forward to the weekend and I am sure we can have a good weekend and secure a place in the Showdown.

Dan Linfoot / #4

I’m coming into the weekend after a really good outing at Cadwell Park; we finished both races and racked up some more personal bests. Cadwell is a very demanding track and Oulton is probably the second most demanding, so it’s nice to know that I’m stronger at Cadwell so I think we can transfer this across to the weekend. It feels like it’s all coming together again at the moment, my confidence is high and we’ve found a great setting with the Fireblade. I’m excited that we get three chances this weekend, so we need to continue our consistency and hopefully get up the pack a little. Oulton Park is such a special circuit to me, it’s my home round, the first track I rode a bike at and I also used to go there at weekends peering over the wall to see what was going on – so its very special to me. The support there from the fans is also great and the atmosphere all weekend is mega. I can’t wait to get going and see everyone there.

Jenny Tinmouth / #20

I’m really looking forward to Oulton Park this weekend; we’re coming off the back of some very strong rounds. Cadwell was brilliant with the double podium and also securing my place in the Showdown, each round we seem to be getting more and more comfortable. We have found a sweet spot with the CBR and at Thruxton we definitely landed on something and since then we’ve only tweaked the bike in small ways. Everything is improving and coming together round by round, we just now need to keep building on this momentum. I’m confident the setting we have will suit Oulton Park, it’s a similar track in ways to Cadwell Park with the undulations and also the nature of the circuit. It’s a track I always really enjoy riding and the event as a whole has a great atmosphere. Now we’re confirmed in the Showdown the aim for the weekend is clear - podiums and I have three opportunities this weekend, it’s my first ever triple-header so I’m excited to get going. But the plan is simple for Oulton Park - get on the podium and collect those credits, fourth and fifth places are OK but it’s not what we need from the weekend. I think we’re getting closer and closer to another race win, which is ultimately what we’re aiming for. I feel confident coming to the weekend and think it’s going to be good for us.

Jason O'Halloran / #22

So, we’re approaching Oulton Park and the final round prior to the Showdown, we have Jason in with a guaranteed place, which after his year last year, I am so pleased for him. Dan’s in the top-six at the moment in fifth place, so we need to make sure this weekend that he stays there and also gets a place confirmed. I have every confidence in Dan to do this and know that he’s capable of securing a place. Oulton Park is Jenny’s local event and it will be nice to see her continue from Cadwell Park, she had a great weekend there finishing all sessions and securing some more personal bests. I know she’ll be feeling the pressure a little as it’s her home circuit, but I have confidence that we can get some more strong results this weekend. The triple-header weekend is always a good event with crowds and the atmosphere, so I’m looking forward to getting there and going racing.

Havier Beltran - Honda Racing team manager