The battle’s getting hot
• Battling Aussie secures double victory to move to within two points of Glenn Irwin
All change as Yamaha dent Honda’s title hopes
Jason O’Halloran established himself as a true title contender in the 2020 Bennetts British Superbike Championship after securing a breakthrough double win at Oulton Park at the weekend.
The Australian, already in good form after a trio of podiums at Silverstone last time out, bagged his first and second victories for the McAMS Yamaha team.
A retirement for Glenn Irwin in Sunday’s second race has turned the title fight on its head and O’Halloran is now only two points behind the Honda rider with just two rounds remaining. O’Halloran would have been leading the series had he not been mugged by Lee Jackson for third in the final race.
Nevertheless, it was still an important weekend for the Yamaha man who hadn’t won in BSB since Snetterton in 2016. It’s a stark contrast to 2019 for the 32-year-old, a year in which he was hampered by injury.
“The last couple of years have been quite tricky for me with injuries and stuff like that,” O’Halloran admitted to MCN.
“It’s hard during a season when you’re dealing with stuff like that because people forget that you have that going on.
“Last year was disappointing, we all know it was disappointing because of that shoulder injury.
“This year has been fantastic. I’ve been fast in every single session this season and in every single race. The plan this year was to gain momentum as the campaign went on and I feel really comfortable in the races now. I think we have proved our speed, proved we can win this weekend and we want more of it now!”
The Oulton Park weekend has created a true title fight, one that possibly wasn’t expected given Glenn Irwin’s consistency and a 35-point advantage heading into the round. However, the fight is now on with two race meetings remaining and O’Halloran and his McAMS Yamaha squad are clearly working in harmony.
“We may not have the perfect bike, but I know the bike that I have beneath me. I know what is going to happen at what point. I know our strengths and weaknesses. It’s been a big plus keeping the bike very similar at every track. Last year we may have changed a few too many things and then you’re always learning the bike, whereas this year I found a good setting early on and stuck with it.
“We still have six races left, at two tracks that I really love racing at, and where the Yamaha should work well. Somebody has to win it, so why can’t it be us?”
Tarran Mackenzie secured a best result of sixth in race two on the second McAMS Yamaha R1.