Season ends with Iddon on podium
TYCO BMW rider Christian Iddon finished the 2016 BSB season back on the podium as the Championship came to a climax on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit, in Kent.
The sun set on the 2016 British Superbike Championship at the weekend, and Iddon, from Stockport, enjoyed some great pace throughout the weekend.
The highlight came in race one, an incident packed affair that saw the former Super Moto Champion bring his BMW S1000RR home in second place.
Iddon ran well throughout free practice, demonstrating his pace around the 2.4mile former Formula 1 British Grand Prix venue with second place on the grid, just seven-tenths of a second off pole position, on a damp track, in unfavourable conditions for his tyre choice.
Following the race one podium, Iddon claimed pole position for race two and ran well on a drying track, inside the top three for the majority of the race.
With two laps to go, it was bad luck that struck the former World Superbike rider, as an electrical fault scuppered his chances of a repeat podium, solace only to be taken from the fact that Iddon had already nabbed a front row start for race three.
Notably, during race two, Shane Byrne [Ducati] claimed an unprecedented fifth BSB title, finishing just behind Championship rival Leon Haslam [Kawasaki].
Interrupted for a significant length of time due to James Rispoli’s Yamaha catching fire and dropping oil, race three ended up being a ten lap dash to the flag.
Iddon stood firm in third for the most of the race, and it was only Championship rivals Byrne and Haslam, who now had the pressure off, nicked places off him in the closing laps.
Iddon claimed fifth place at the flag.
Speaking to Tyco BMW afterwards Iddon said: “It was an awesome weekend and we had great pace in all conditions.
“The Tyco BMW S1000RR worked great and we made big steps in the wet, where we had previously been struggling.
“Yes it was a shame to lose a podium due to a faulty part, but sometimes that happens in racing.
“We haven’t finished anywhere near where I had planned in the overall standings this season, but we have shown how strong we can be.
“I’ve loved every minute working with the Tyco BMW team, so a big thank you to them all for an amazing year.”
Iddon finished the Championship in ninth place overall, of the thirty-plus riders to take place in the 2016 Series.