Motourage

Guy Martin completes the Tyco Suzuki lineup for the forthcoming season. The 2011 Ulster Grand Prix Superbike winner and quadruple podium finisher at last year’s Isle of Man TT will partner Manxman Conor Cummins in an all-new line up for the three major International Road Races.

British Superbike Championship rider Alastair Seeley will also join them in a three-pronged attack at the North West 200 in May.

It will be Lincolnshire rider’s second season racing for Moneymore-based TAS Racing and in inimitable Guy Martin style, he explained just why he wanted to remain on GSX-R machinery with Tyco Suzuki.

Guy Martin:
“It’s taken a while, but it was always on the cards. I’m happy to be back with the team for a second year and I love the new Tyco Suzuki colors. Great job. I couldn’t knock last year to be honest; the only thing we didn’t do was win a TT, but hopefully we’ll put that right in June. That’s the box we want to tick. The North West and Ulster GP are great events but it’s a TT win I really want. The team is good enough, the bikes are good enough; and I believe the rider is good enough, so it’s time to go out and win one.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“After all the speculation it’s nice to finally be able to officially announce that Guy Martin will continue to race for TAS in 2012 in the new Tyco Suzuki livery. I think we both knew that it was going to happen. We made a verbal agreement to each other last August at the Ulster Grand Prix, but all the speculation has brought lots of publicity for our sponsors, the team and Suzuki, which is great. But I suppose when Guy gets out of bed these days he gets media coverage.”

“He’s a hard man to pin down with such a busy schedule, but with Conor onboard and now Guy, I think we have a strong team looking ahead to the three internationals. Guy proved last year that he has all the ingredients required to go all out for that TT win in June. It’s eluded him so far, but we’ll work as hard as we can as a team to make it happen.”

“He’s not just the most popular rider in the UK these days, but also very popular outside the sport, which is good for motorcycling in general. Everyone at TAS, Suzuki, Tyco and existing sponsors like Ian Glen from Beacon are delighted to see him stay for a second year. And as I said before, along with Conor and our BSB duo of Seeley and Brookes, I feel it can be a successful season for Tyco Suzuki.”

Having recently agreed terms with TAS Racing team manager Philip Neill, reigning British Supersport champion Alastair Seeley will complete the all-new Tyco Suzuki line-up for next season’s British Superbike Championship.

The Northern Ireland rider has won two British Championships – Superstock and Supersport – for the Moneymore, Northern Ireland-based team since joining them in 2009 and will now form a formidable partnership with Australian Josh Brookes in the official Suzuki BSB team aboard the GSX-R1000.

Seeley made the all-important Title Fighters’ top six during his debut season in British Superbike in 2010, which included a memorable victory at Brands Hatch. He will also represent the team at the International North West 200 in May where he has scored five victories to date. He is the current NW200 Superbike Champion.

Alastair Seeley:
“I’m very excited to be back with the TAS team for another year, especially getting back on a Superbike, and I’m equally excited about the new Tyco Suzuki colors. The bike looks really well. Once we get some pre-season testing done my aim will be to try and win the Championship; that really is my only goal. I think the new rules in BSB will be in my favor, having already won two Championships without electronic aids, and I have every confidence in the boys at TAS to give me the best possible package. Until then I’ll be doing plenty of motocross and trials riding to hone my throttle control skills, but I can’t wait to get started.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“It’s fantastic to be able to confirm Alastair Seeley as our second rider in BSB for next year and also for another North West 200 campaign in May. We have had a tremendous journey with Alastair since we brought him into our set-up at the start of 2009, quite unexpectedly. He was a relative unknown in British championship terms back then, so to be able to turn him into a double Champion in such a short space of time is very satisfying.

“He has been hugely impressive on all types of GSX-R machinery and his goal now is to go on and become the first rider ever to win three different British Championships. He had a great rookie season in Superbike back in 2010; probably the best one we have seen so far. He then took on the Supersport challenge this season with the all-new GSX-R600 and did a great job for TAS Racing and Suzuki, taking 10 wins on the way to the Championship.

“We have rewarded that success with another shot in BSB and after his performance recently at Portimao for Crescent Suzuki, standing in for the injured John Hopkins at a track he’d never seen before and posting more-than respectable times, we believe he can be a genuine title contender during 2012 in BSB.”

After qualifying in pole position, Relentless by TAS Suzuki’s Alastair Seeley produced yet another faultless performance today, winning the British Supersport race at Donington Park by more than five seconds.

The Ulsterman also took the fastest lap and will start tomorrow’s second Supersport outing from the pole position slot on the grid.

Alastair Seeley:
“The first two laps, Ben [Wilson] tried to break away, but I didn’t panic and made sure I used all of the track with fast-flowing lines. Then when I caught him I got that much drive onto the back straight, I wasn’t prepared to shutoff and try to get in his slipstream. I used more of the track and the curbs, pulled alongside, and it was a matter of who braked the latest. I probably ran in a bit too deep but it gave me the lead. After that I just watched my board. I could hear him for about a lap and after that I started to disappear and it gave me great satisfaction to see “plus three” and then “plus four” on my board. The wee bike felt really strong today and gave me a lot of confidence, so big thanks to the team and Suzuki.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“I’ve said it all before about Alastair Seeley, but pole position, convincing race win; and fastest lap is all he can do now. I have an idea for him tomorrow, but realistically all he can do is win and see if some of the other guys can get in the mix for honors. Wet or damp races would make it very interesting for us in both classes.”

British Supersport Race 1 Result: 1 Alastair Seeley [Relentless Suzuki by TAS]; 2 Ben Wilson [Kawasaki] +5.441sec; 3 Christian Iddon [Triumph] +7.342; 4 Paul Young [Triumph] +7.647; 5 Jack Kennedy [Yamaha] +7.813; 6 Jimmy Hill [Triumph] +14.898.

Alastair Seeley took Saturday’s only race victory at the rain-lashed Relentless International North West 200 and gave the all-new GSX-R600 Suzuki its first top step of an International Supersport podium this year.

And in the second race of the day – the Superbike event – Seeley came from the third row of the grid – again in soaking-wet conditions – to lead at the end of lap one. Unfortunately for the riders and the fans, the race was red-flagged on lap two when another rider’s engine expired, leaving a massive oil spill on the Coast Road from Church Corner to Juniper Hill chicane. Despite a lengthy delay – and the best attention from the organizers – the meeting was abandoned on safety grounds.

Seeley had been in prolific form throughout the week-long event taking Pole positions in both Supersport and Superstock classes, and despite an electrical problem forcing him to sit out the majority of Thursday’s Superbike session, the former British Superstock Champion and current North West 200 lap-record holder made the grid after a tremendous show of allegiance from British Superbike teammate Josh Brookes: While Seeley continued his North West 200 preparations on the Causeway Coast, Australian Brookes travelled to Kirkistown Race Circuit early on Friday morning to make sure the Seeley’s GSX-R1000 was ready to race following a late-night session from his crew back in the team’s Moneymore workshop. And only for the oil spill in the race, Brookes’ generous gesture would have played a significant role in the anticipated victory.

Alastair Seeley:
“That’s an International Road Racing victory to add to the British Supersport win at Brands for the new GSX-R600. It was a great race to be involved in and even more pleasing to beat what is basically a World Supersport specification Honda. I knew I would be stronger into the chicanes despite Cameron using traction control on his bike, as the brakes on the new GSX-R600 are one of its best features and that gave me a lot of confidence in the wet.

“In the Superbike race, the plan was the pick them off and get into the lead so I wouldn’t have to sit in anyone’s spray. The speed of my GSX-R1000 was far superior to Ryan and Michael’s bikes and the way it was set up, I was actually enjoying it spinning up down the big straights in the wet. I was ready to pull the pin and just ride my own race, so it was disappointing to see a red flag on lap two. I really felt like I was in control this week in all classes, and having felt so comfortable in the wet I think we’d have been hard to beat. That five of McCallen’s was definitely a big target.”

Guy Martin:
“It was a tough day for everyone involved and a week’s worth of effort for just one race. Unfortunately I made the wrong tire choice. To come away with eighth place is nothing to shout about but I am now going to the Isle of Man full of confidence; confidence in the blokes working on the bikes and confidence in the bikes themselves. It was a terrible day for the people who turned out to watch the racing, but a confidence-building day for the bigger picture – the bigger picture being the TT.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“The North West 200 has always been one of my favorite events on the calendar and as Ireland’s biggest sporting occasion. It’s a shame to see such a great event abandoned due to unforeseen circumstances. Mervyn Whyte and his team from the Coleraine & District Motor Club did everything in their power to save the day and must be commended for their efforts.

“On a positive note we had a strong showing from both our riders in practice and we won the only race giving us a 100 percent record for our sponsors Relentless, Suzuki and all our other team partners. It really was a masterful display from Alastair Seeley in that Supersport race giving Suzuki and the new GSX-R600 its first international road race victory. What is even more special is the fact that we were running the bike with very limited British Supersport specification electronics; unlike some of our main rivals who were running fancy electronic aids including traction control.

“We dearly wanted the Superbike race to run full distance as in all honesty with Alastair coming through from the third row of the grid to lead within a lap, there was no beating the wee Carrickfergus man, although it was the correct decision to stop the race and eventually abandon the meeting on safety grounds.

“Guy made a solid debut on the international roads for our team. Unfortunately he took a gamble with his intermediate tire choice in the Supersport race and with everyone else on wets – which was the correct choice – makes his eighth place an impressive finish given the conditions. More importantly for Guy is the fact that he now feels really confident with his three GSX-R Suzukis, which he now believes he can take to success at the Isle of Man TT Races in two weeks’ time.”

Supersport Results (5 laps – 8.9 mile circuit):

1 Alastair Seeley [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] 4mins 55.835; 2 Cameron Donald [Honda] +0.844; 3 Bruce Anstey [Honda] +14.081; 4 Michael Dunlop [Yamaha] +23.104; 5 Gary Johnson [Honda] +25.227; 6 William Dunlop [Honda] +28.845; 7 Ryan Farquhar [Kawasaki] +42.558; 8 Guy Martin [Relentless Suzuki by TAS] +58.777.

Fastest Lap – Alastair Seeley [lap 5] 109.155mph.

Alastair Seeley

Reigning North West 200 Superbike champion Alastair Seeley dominated last night’s opening practice sessions for this year’s Relentless International North West 200.

In overcast and blustery conditions, Seeley topped the Superbike leaderboard with a lap time of 4’31.148″ (119.094mph) and a trap top-speed of 190mph on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. The Carrickfergus man also headed the Superstock class with a lap time of 4’32.690” (118.420mph) and brought his Supersport Suzuki GSX-R600 home in second place (4’42.638”/ 114.252mph), just 0.1” off the top spot.

Alastair Seeley:
“I kept my powder dry as I was towing Cameron Donald round in the Supersport session, but I’m happy to be at the top of the timesheets at this stage in the Superbike and Superstock classes. Everything is working really well and the bikes are very stable, which is so important round here. Thursday is a longer session and we’ve a few more things to try with the bike and also with Pirelli, but so far I’m very happy.”

Teammate Guy Martin made his full road racing debut last night for Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing finishing sixth in both the opening Superbike (4’40.269”/ 115.214mph) and Supersport qualifying sessions (4’52.824”/ 110.278mph). The Lincolnshire man took ninth place in the Superstock class, which closed the opening night’s session, registering a time of 4’39.036”/ 115.727mph and he is also looking forward to tomorrow’s daytime session.

Guy Martin:
“The Superbike is mega; we’re right there with that one, and the Supersport bike is – yeah that’s spot-on too. Little problem last night, but nothing to worry about. On the Superstock bike we’ve a little bit of work to do and struggled a little last night with gearing, but all-day practice tomorrow and we should be good. I’m looking forward to a good run in the dry, and we’ll be right there hopefully for Saturday.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“It’s been a good start for us. This is obviously a tough week in general as many different aspects can determine how you qualify. We are in quite a unique scenario with two riders on three different bikes and bike set-up can be turned on its head in five minutes with a change in the weather. Our dry set-up is very good after the opening session and apart from a few teething troubles we are ready for Saturday, although as I say, a drop of rain could offer up a whole new challenge for everyone.”

The Northern Ireland-based team has enjoyed previous success at Croft, and team manager Philip Neill says his boys are fired up and ready to go.

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“Alastair comes to Croft off the back of a decent run in the Supersport class on the all-new GSX-R600 Suzuki and Josh and his bike are good-as-new and ready for round three of the BSB series. We have had plenty of success at Croft in the past and the GSX-R1000 Superbike, as we know, works extremely well around here. As a team, we will look to re-group and all of us, including Josh, understand that it’s all about the Shoot-Out at this time of the year, so we’ll approach this round accordingly.”

Josh Brookes:
“Last year I didn’t have a great time at Croft but we had problems. This year I’m with a new team and I’m really enjoying riding for Relentless Suzuki and we’re making good progress with the bike. It’s not a matter of liking or disliking a circuit; as long as I’m riding my bike I’m happy. We know what we have to do this weekend: Be in the points.”

Alastair Seeley:
“I’ve had three podiums on the spin on the new GSX-R600 and I had a good time at Croft last year on the Superbike, so I’m looking forward to this meeting. Ben has been the man to beat so far this season in Supersport but we’ll go to Croft looking to ruffle his feathers and hopefully close the gap in the championship.”

Alastair Seeley demonstrated the pedigree of Suzuki’s all-new GSX-R600, taking it to its debut victory in the British Supersport Championship at Brands Hatch earlier today in front of a packed Easter Monday audience.

Alastair Seeley leads Jack Kennedy (#4), Christian Iddon (#21) and Dean Hipwell (#74) in Supersport race two at Brands Hatch on Monday

Supersport
The former British Superstock champion and current Superbike and Supersport lap record holder at the International North West 200, picked himself up after yesterday’s disappointment, to lead home a high-speed freight train over 26 pulsating laps. Less than a second covered the top five at the checkered flag, and despite yesterday’s DNF the Ulsterman sits well poised in fourth place, just 13 points behind the series leader.

British Superbikes
Josh Brookes will not forget his Relentless Suzuki British Superbike debut in a hurry, crashing out spectacularly in race one, which disappointingly forced a medical withdrawal from race two. Before the race one incident, the Australian had mesmerizingly scythed his way through the pack from 13th position through to second place on his GSX-R1000 Superbike. But just when he was planning out his attach on race leader Shane Byrne he suffered a wicked high-side at the top of Paddock Hill Bend prematurely ending his Easter Monday debut.

Alastair Seeley, Supersport
“I never looked behind me in that second Supersport race and it’s a good job as I think I might have scared myself! I just watched my board today, kept my head down and stuck to the game plan. Ben tried to make a break for it but I was ready for him and when I eventually got to the front I just defended my line on that last lap and brought it home for the win. Next week we’ll get a chance to stretch the legs on the wee GSX-R600 at Oulton Park, but before that I have a GSX-R owners’ day here at Brands Hatch with Suzuki.”

Josh Brookes, Superbike
“I suppose we did all right coming back from where we were in qualifying and I have to say, everything felt one-hundred percent better today on my bike. As I said after qualifying, I knew what caused the problem and once we’d that sorted we were fast in morning warm-up and in the race. While I was battling with people in the race I couldn’t get into a proper rhythm, but once I got to P2, which was quite easy, I was totally confident. I saw Shakey and thought, ‘I’m in a good position here,’ but it all ended at Paddock Hill. I’m upbeat because I really can’t believe how I didn’t injure myself in such a big crash. Now I’m just looking forward to Oulton Park.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager
“There are a number of positives to take away from this meeting starting with Alastair Seeley. He was pure class in that race today, and it’s not the first time he’s pulled this team out of a hole. He completely out-smarted his rivals and the new GSX-R600 package was nothing short of perfect. He rode the textbook race and we knew he had a better tire choice than many of his rivals. He controlled the race from the front and it was the race of the day for the fans with five of them in it at the end.

“Josh proved in the opening BSB race that we’d really cracked it with his set-up this morning in warm-up and I have to admit, watching him come through from 13th to second place – it’s been a long time since I’ve taken so much pleasure watching someone on a Superbike. He was so strong and made a pass on almost every lap; no one could hold him off at Clearways. He can certainly ride a motorbike and that’s why we signed him, for his never say die attitude. He just pushed that little too hard down Paddock Hill which caused the crash, but we’ll accept that and move on. Until then he made the whole GSX-R1000 Superbike package look absolutely superb.

“Guy [Martin] acquitted himself really well this weekend and we are really pleased how he got on running 46.5 lap times. There are not too many of the pure road racing men who could match those times here and it sets him up well for the Cookstown 100 next week, where he will ride our GSX-R Superstock and Supersport machines.”

Results

British Superbike Race 1
1st – Shane Byrne (Honda); 2nd – Tommy Hill (Yamaha); 3rd – Tommy Bridewell (Honda); 4th – Stuart Easton (Kawasaki); 5th – Jon Kirkham (Suzuki); 6th – Michael Rutter (Ducati); 7th – Loris Baz (Yamaha); 8th – Dan Linfoot (Honda); 9th – Martin Jessopp (Ducati); 10th – Chris Walker (Kawasaki)
Josh Brookes DNF

British Superbike Race 2
1st – Tommy Hill (Yamaha); 2nd – Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda); 3rd – Shane Byrne (Honda); 4th – Michael Laverty (Yamaha); 5th – John Hopkins (Suzuki); 6th – Stuart Easton (Kawasaki); 7th – Michael Rutter (Ducati); 8th – Dan Linfoot (Honda); 9th – Peter Hickman (Honda); 10th – Gary Mason (Kawasaki)
Josh Brookes was withdrawn from BSB Race 2 as a precautionary measure on medical grounds

British Supersport Race 2
1st – Alastair Seeley [Relentless by TAS Suzuki]; 2nd – Jack Kennedy [Yamaha]; 3rd – Steve Plater [Honda]; 4th – Ben Wilson [Kawasaki]; 5th – Dean Hipwell [Yamaha]; 6th – Lee Johnston [Honda]; 7th – Jimmy Hill [Triumph]; 8th – Luke Mossey [Triumph]; 9th – Sam Warren [Yamaha]; 10th – Daniel Cooper [Triumph]

Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing had a tough opening day at the British Superbike Championship first round at Brands Hatch. Josh Brookes suffered several minor problems in BSB Qualifying, posting the 13th-best time and Alastair Seeley crashed out in the first of the Easter weekend’s two Supersport races challenging for the lead. Guy Martin, appearing at Brands as a BSB wildcard entry, qualified a respectable 27th in his first official time out on a Relentless GSX-R1000.

Relentless Suzuki's Josh Brookes

Josh Brookes:
“I’m disappointed with qualifying but I don’t want to make excuses. In my opinion we’re not just quite there yet and qualifying wasn’t a good showing. We made a few changes and I’ve a fair idea what the problem was, but as I say, I’m not going to make any excuses. I’m trying to stay upbeat as being annoyed is not going to help the situation. We will make a few changes for morning warm-up and see where we can improve.”

Alastair Seeley:
“I was catching Ben Wilson when I lost the front, so it’s good to be getting two bites at the cherry this weekend. The new GSX-R600 really felt great up to that point; it’s just a matter of sussing out what tires to be using for tomorrow in this heat. I suppose it’s all down to rider preference. I’m okay and the bike’s not too bad after the crash, so we’ll reload for tomorrow and go chasing a podium.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“Today was a big disappointment, there’s no hiding that. We’re taking the positives as we’ve spent most of the weekend on the back foot after Josh had a small crash and an electronic problem also cost us a whole session. It’s been a baptism of fire but we’ve been here before at Brands so no one is panicking. We have the pace on a race tire and while it’s not an ideal grid position, if Josh can find a bit of consistency through the whole lap, we can come away with something from the weekend.

“In the Supersport race we felt Alastair had a good set-up and tire choice. The plan was to stay in the hunt early on and make his move towards the end, but unfortunately he made a small mistake. We’ll get back up and try again tomorrow. What I would say is he’s got to be able to run at this pace and not crash to be in the Championship race.

“Guy Martin has made steady progression and the objective was to come here so he could gain as much knowledge as possible with the GSX-R1000 Superbike, and he’s doing that. He has been going faster with every session and that’s what we expected he would do. He’s competitive and would like to be further up the grid but his lap time is respectable.”

2009 Superstock champion and former Superbike race winner Alastair Seeley will debut Suzuki’s all-new GSX-R600 at the opening British Supersport round at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday.

The new middleweight machine, voted “King of the 600 class” by former 500c Grand Prix race winner Simon Crafar in a recent MCN test, has been completely revamped, using advanced component design techniques derived from MotoGP. This detailed work has produced a GSX-R600 which is an astonishing 9kg (20lbs) lighter than its predecessor.

Seeley clicked instantly with the new machine during his debut ride at Cartagena in Spain, and after additional tests in the UK, the Irishman is confident of pushing the Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing GSX-R600 to the front of the Supersport class this season.

Alastair Seeley:
“The bike felt good straight away. The motor was so much stronger and the brakes were probably the one thing I noticed more than anything over the 600 I rode at last year’s NW200. We have made progress since that first test in Spain and I believe we now have a decent set-up going into the first round at Brands Hatch. It’s a bike I felt at one with straight away and having won races in British championship on GSX-R machinery at Superstock and Superbike level, I will be looking to add top steps to my CV on the all-new GSX-R600.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“We decided pretty early on to participate in the 2011 British Supersport Championship with the new GSX-R600, so you can imagine how pleased we were when we discovered how good the bike was straight out of the crate. We were equally pleased to see the bike’s new lighter weight transfer from road machine to race trim. There are still a few steps left to develop the bike to its full potential, but it is already an impressive package and more than ready to race.

“As a team, we are looking forward to returning to the class we all but dominated in 2007, as at the end of the day, it is where we started off in British championship racing. It’s already been well documented why we chose Alastair Seeley to ride the bike, and with his raw speed and diminutive stature we are very confident he can rack up race wins on the new GSX-R600.”

The opening round of the British Supersport Championship takes place this weekend – April 22-25 – at Brands Hatch in Kent.

Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing will head to Spain for the opening test of the year at Cartagena on March 3-6 with riders flying in from Northern Ireland, England and Australia.

Alastair Seeley, now in his third full season with the team, is no stranger to Relentless Suzuki’s pre-season testing program and Guy Martin is well settled after a pre-Christmas test on the team’s GSX-R1000 Superbike. Australian Josh Brookes, the team’s sole representative in this season’s British Superbike Championship, has been riding a ‘tricked-up’ GSX-R1000 in Australia, sent out to him by the team in November – letting him learn the characteristics of the Suzuki before he makes the long journey to Europe next week.

Josh Brookes:
“After riding different machinery for so long, I’m surprised just how quick the Suzuki felt so natural to me; I did feel at home on it straight away. Yes it is technically a street bike, but it gave me the chance to set up things like footrest and handlebar positioning before Spain. I’m more driven than I have ever been for a season – after a spending time at home doing different activities every day to keep myself focused – and I’ve never been so fit.

“I’m now looking forward to meeting all the guys in my new team and getting to know them before the season starts. I hear quite a few of them are into Mountain Biking and Motocross so that should be fun; we can have a laugh and hang out together.

“I’ll be in the Fox Sport TV studio this weekend in Sydney and I’m on the commentary team for the World Superbike races at Phillip Island, which gives me a chance to tell everyone what I’m doing this season and give them some information on the team before I leave for Spain on Monday.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“I think everyone in the team is looking forward to getting stuck in this season, and it will be nice to have all the guys out in Spain together. Josh is pleased with what he’s achieved at home in Australia on the GSX-R1000. He had suspension and different bits and pieces sent out also, so it’s given him a base-setting and a head start before he jumps on the Superbike proper.”