Make sure you haven’t lost your spark during lockdown lull
Series boss Stuart Higgs on how BSB faced-down Covid-19 and how the Showdown is changing in 2021
‘Sometimes I thought we’d lose the season’
The Bennetts British Superbike Championship was hit hard by the pandemic last year as lockdowns and restrictions played havoc. MCN spoke with Series Director Stuart Higgs to learn how BSB fought back against Covid-19 to produce another stella season of racing.
Did you ever doubt the season would get started at all?
It was key that, whilst it wasn’t about running at all costs, we understood the significance of running something. That was the bottom line. The teams understood that if you break the chain of continuity from one season to the next, it’s hugely damaging and potentially unrecoverable. It then became a question of to what extent are we going to run?
I hunkered down and plotted every single scenario of calendar and event concept, ranging from optimistic through to pessimistic - the worst case being a one-day or one weekend championship in October. Over the weeks and months our thoughts crystallised. We worked out with the teams what would be viable with regards to what their resources could stretch to, as well as our own. Six-events with a triple-header format was the optimum and everybody agreed.
It must have been a relief to get the first race underway... There was a moment at Donington where I closed my eyes and for the first time that year, and I still get choked up about it now, it felt like normality had returned. It’s difficult to track back to April, where I sometimes thought we might just lose the season. It’s the last thing I wanted but it was never far away.
We were on a high after 2019, but the demons get to you and you start thinking, wow, maybe that was the swan song. When you’re on the cusp of potentially losing something, you get a bloody quick lesson in what it means to you, not just because it’s someone’s job, profession or livelihood, but just for what it means as a community.
We got the season underway and to conclude it at the level that it was, the outpouring of appreciation was something that will live with me forever. It felt good that we didn’t just do it for ourselves, but we did it for everybody else.
Were there any Covid-19 cases?
I don’t know of any situation where somebody tested positive. We had a robust policy with our staff, the medical team and the paddock, which proved very effective. For example, we individually assigned each of the 120★ radio communication devices used every day and ensured they were cleaned. All the vehicle interiors were cleaned after every use, and we altered the marshal procedures, and added PPE.
Towards the end of 2020 when isolated areas were becoming hotspots, anybody identified from that area within the working community was politely asked not to attend and their passes were taken out of circulation. It was a big job, but we now have a suitable template.
What was it like without fans? We examined every part of the rules and regulations to see the areas in which we could operate. The public could watch nonelite sports but were excluded from elite sports. It was difficult to stomach that difference because it’s either a public health issue or it isn’t.
It seemed it was more an issue of optics. Take Brands for example, it seemed illogical that 6000 people could wander through Bluewater Shopping Centre down the road, but they couldn’t wander around in 500 acres of open park land.
The fans are the championship’s heartbeat. You see it from your own articles and the socials, there’s a huge amount of passion generated by the fans at the track and not having them there was a big hit.
How’s the 2021 season looking? There will be bumps in the road, but I think we’re in pretty good shape. With the season starting at the end of May, we have a reasonable chance of things being normal, or pretty close to it. We’ve got to be very mindful of what is happening, listen to what’s going on and understand the team’s concerns. I certainly don’t want to contemplate another season behind closed doors. With a bit of luck, we’ll have another fantastic season.
How will the new Showdown format work in 2021?
As there’s more races, we’ve rolled it out to eight riders. If you’re not in the top eight by that point, it’s far enough away from the top spot to say well, should you really have a shot at the title? It’s all to play for then. There are now nine races in the Showdown instead of seven. That’s a good depth of field and all eyes are on them.
‘We ha e a air chance o things eing normal’ BSB BOSS STUART HIGGS