MOTORSPORT VISION:

Leon Camier goes into the final round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli at Oulton Park this weekend already assured of the country’s premier crown but the Airwaves Yamaha rider is eager to stretch his record racing winning spree to 20.

The return of the series to the Cheshire circuit, on which earlier in the year Camier chalked up the first of his four winning doubles, provides the opportunity for him to claim a second treble, having won all three races over the “Brands Big Bash” festival, as this final round has a race on Saturday afternoon, followed by two on Sunday.

The target might seem formality for the Kent rider, but his team-mate James Ellison is enjoying his best form of the season, and he needs points to ensure that he takes the runner-up spot to Camier, brushing aside the challenges coming in from Hydrex Honda rider Stuart Easton.

Ellison has been a podium finisher in six of the previous seven races, winning two, including last time out at Silverstone where, having finished second to Camier earlier in the day, he turned the tables on the newly crowned champion. The Cumbrian is ready for more of the same and he admits: “I think I have found something extra in me and the bike which hopefully will continue through these final races of the season.”

He goes into the final three races with a healthy 51 points advantage over Easton who tasted the winner’s champagne in Superbikes for the first time at Croft and, like Ellison, he is in the midst of a strong consistent run of results leaving him perfectly placed to capitalise should Ellison falter in the closing stages of the campaign.

“Third place in the championship is secure but while there is a chance of better, then I will go for it – the Hydrex team has given me a package that I can win on, and I am looking for more wins,” said Easton, who like the two Airwaves riders will be checking the form of his former team-mate Karl Harris.

The Yorkshireman has a strong pedigree at the circuit, earlier in the season taking a brace of second places there, and, aboard the sorrymate.com SMT Honda, Harris is intent on signing off from a difficult term on a high note. Among the riders he will need to be ahead of are the HM Plant Honda riders Josh Brookes, third in each of the previous four races, and Glen Richards.

Ian Lowry, riding the Relentless Suzuki, should be in the mix at the sharp-end of the pack together with MSS Colchester Kawasaki’s Simon Andrews while John Laverty, riding a similar bike but in Buildbase colours, is long overdue a podium finish, as is Motorpoint Henderson Yamaha rider Chris Walker.

Quay Garage Honda rider Gary Mason expects to add to his winning tally, underlining his Mirror.co.uk Cup title, in the Privateers category, but he will be hard pressed by Ultimate Racing Yamaha’s Peter Hickman and Martin Jessopp on the Riders Racing Honda.