Jason O'Halloran leads the charge for the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike Championship title into the opening round of the Showdown this weekend at Oulton Park with the McAMS Yamaha rider holding a 30-point advantage.
O’Halloran holds the edge heading into the final nine races of the season, arriving in Cheshire off the back of a rollercoaster weekend at Silverstone. The Australian had an unfortunate crash in the opening race after he collected Tarran Mackenzie’s stricken McAMS Yamaha but bounced back to claim a second place and a win.
“We went to Silverstone wanting to get as many podium points as possible,” reflected O’Halloran. “On the Saturday evening after the crash, I felt quite beaten up so we were going to see how I felt on Sunday, because if I didn’t feel I could fight for the podium I would have been better to sit it out.
“After warm up I felt pretty good and I struggled initially in race two, and I was dropping of the leading group but after three quarters distance I started to feel a lot better. I changed my position on the bike a little bit and I felt like I loosened up and got back to the lead group and managed to get a second, which to be fair was my best race of the weekend. It is hard to pass and catch a group if they have broken away, as tyres are usually past their best at the end of the race, so to claw it back and finish second was strong.
“In race three I was happy to win as I would have been disappointed to not have won one race over the weekend as we had done some good work and I felt that we deserved it, especially after Saturday’s disappointment.
“For the Showdown the points change, so to have come away from Silverstone with some more podium points, and not losing more was quite good. I am looking forward to trying to do a good job at Oulton Park.
O’Halloran’s impressive lead was cut though with the Showdown format, meaning he is focused on rebuilding more of an advantage in the three races in Cheshire, knowing that he is the target for his seven Showdown rivals.
“I have always enjoyed Oulton and have had a good run of wins there, it’s a difficult circuit and there are plenty of us that go well there and it always produces close racing. Even though I have won races there this year, it has always been tight and I haven’t won by loads and been able to clear off! I expect it to be as tight as ever this weekend as everyone is going to be excited that they have got some points back and in a position to have half a chance again, so I expect them to come out swinging.
“For me, nothing changes and it is business as usual. I have won races at every round this year other than at Knockhill, so we are looking to do the same. I am quite confident from a sense we have done a good job at every round this year, we don’t need to change our mentality just because it is the Showdown.”
O’Halloran’s teammate Mackenzie currently holds second in the standings and the Australian knows that he needs to maintain his momentum with a maximum of 225 points still available, if he isn’t going to allow his rivals to close him down.
“I think everyone is looking at me and Taz as we are first and second in the championship and we have been winning and on the podium,” added O’Halloran. “So for sure everyone will be thinking that they need to beat the McAMS Yamahas, then they will have half a chance. At the same time, we were strong and won three races at round one and we have also improved since then, so I am excited to get back there.
“Oulton is a place I enjoy and the bike works well and we will certainly be in the fight for the victories, it just whether or not we can get them – we will have to wait and see! I need to try and build my lead back up. I had a good lead and that is obviously changed for the Showdown so we have to start the second phase fighting.”