MOTORSPORT: British Superbikes 2012 – Live on British Eurosport / Highlights on ITV4

A new season of the British Superbike Championship is underway, with live coverage on British Eurosport 2 and free-to-air highlights on ITV4 throughout the season.

The 2012 campaign will have to go some way to match the drama of last season’s enthralling championship climax, where Tommy Hill clinched the title by just six thousandths of a second in the final race of the year at Brands Hatch, the closest ever finish to a riders’ title in the history of the series. 

Hill returns to defend his title with the Swan Yamaha team, and will line up on the grid for the opening round at the circuit where he memorably claimed his first BSB title in such dramatic style last October.

A varied field of home-grown and international riders will assemble on the grid, including the flamboyant Japanese rider and former World Superbike Championship contender Noriyuki Haga, who is Hill’s new team-mate at Swan Yamaha.

Last year’s title contender Josh Brookes returns with the Tyco Suzuki team, as the Australian looks to finally secure his first BSB title, and he’ll be joined by the 2011 British Supersport champion Alastair Seeley.

Double champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne returns to the series in a bid to claim a record-equalling third BSB title, while three-time BSB race winner Michael Laverty is likely to be in contention for the title once again this year with the Samsung Honda team.

The 2012 season marks the start of a new era for British Superbikes following a number of changes during the off-season to the technical regulations which promise to enhance the spectacle even further.

Most significantly, electronic aids such as traction control and launch control have all been banned, placing full control of the bike of back into the hands of each rider.

For the first time in the history of the series, this year will also see riders head to the historic Assen circuit in Netherlands for the first event of the Showdown Series at the end of the season.

Acknowledged as ‘The Cathedral’ of motorcycling, Assen is considered the most historic motorcycle racing venue in the world having hosted a premier class World Championship grand prix every year since 1949.

The first stop on the calendar is at Brands Hatch in Kent on Easter Monday, where last year’s BSB champion Tommy Hill shared the spoils in the opening round with two-time champion Shane Byrne. 

Tony Carter returns to present British Eurosport’s live six-hour race day coverage throughout the season, which will also include live coverage of the various support series, including the British Supersport Championship and the British 125GP Championship.

Commentary will be provided by the regular pairing of Jack Burnicle and James Whitham.

Extended free-to-air highlights of each BSB meeting will be shown on ITV4 on the Wednesday following each race day, will a further showing on ITV1 late on Sunday nights.

ITV’s coverage will be presented by James Haydon, who will also be on hand to provide analysis and conduct pre and post-race interviews during British Eurosport’s live coverage.

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