Ashford s Leon Camier made a dream start to his Bennetts British Superbike Championship career this Bank Holiday weekend, claiming a brace of podium finishes in front of a packed 42,000 strong crowd at the Brands Hatch season opener.
The 20-year-old rookie, a former British Supersport and 125cc British Champion, joined the senior ranks of the BSB this year with Team Bike Animal Honda and, after a series of impressive practice sessions, wasted little time in stamping his authority with a front row qualifying slot on his 200bhp Honda CBR1000RR.
As the lights went out for race one Camier humbled a field of vastly more experienced riders, including ex-World Superbike contender Chris Walker, 2003 champion Shane Shakey Byrne and defending title holder Ryuichi Kiyonari by passing two riders off the start line and taking the lead into the first corner. It was a lead that he was to hold for nearly half the race, before eventually succumbing to pressure from the flying Ducati 999 of 2005 champion Gregorio Lavilla. The local hero didn t make it easy for the seasoned Spaniard though, with both riders clashing dramatically on the exit of Druids and with just fractions separating the pair at the chequered flag.
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