HM Plant Honda's Ryuichi Kiyonari can see his British Superbike title slipping away after failing to finish the first outing at Donington Park yesterday and then fading back to sixth in the second race after a strong start.

The Japanese enigma has blown hot and cold all season but now trails leader John Hopkins by 50 points, or two race wins. Team boss Havier Beltran seems at a loss for how to help his man but the pair will soldier on for the final two rounds.

"In the first race we had an engine problem which was disappointing for us. In the second race we had more problems. After five laps I had chatter at the front and we still do not know how to solve that. It is very difficult now to win the championship, but we will never give up," said a disappointed Kiyonari.