Oxford TAG Triumph's Christian Iddon scored his best result of the season so far, finishing in second place at the weekend at Donington Park in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship and one tenth of a second behind Relentless Suzuki's Alastair Seeley.

The High Peak rider and previous British Supermoto Champion took the brave decision to leave an extremely successful and well-funded racing career to make another in road racing, unfunded at that time. After a disappointing 2010, the 26 year old's determination is starting to show making the risk worth while.

Talking to www.bikesportnews.com about his weekend's result and season, he said: “I'm sure you will have heard of riders talking about things just 'clicking' into place and at Donington things 'clicked' for me. Friday I was first in the damp and the dry and in the first race I was able to move through the pack, not with ease but with more ability than previously.

“Sunday's race was great, obviously this year has been the Wilson and Seeley show and to be up there battling with them is what we need to be doing. I was comfortable behind Alastair [Seeley] and I had a couple of places that me and the Triumph were faster. I'm not saying I would have won if it hadn't been red flagged, I would have certainly made a move!

“I am pretty happy so far. At the beginning of the season we were strong but didn't get the results we deserved for a number of little reasons but then finally managed to get on the podium at Knockhill. Then mid season we tested some different settings with suspension which unfortunately didn't work for me. We kept trying to develop it for a few rounds but I couldn't get the feeling I wanted. From then on things have been good. I was so close to a podium at Brands and then nearly a double podium at Cadwell until everything fell into place again at Donny.”

Iddon has scored points at most rounds this year putting him eighth overall in the series. Out of the past five consecutive races his lowest position has been sixth; he narrowly missed out on the podium twice at Cadwell Park picking up two fourth places before grabbing a third and a second this weekend, bringing his total podium count of the season to three.

When asked why he thinks his results are now consistently stronger, he said: “I think mostly it's down to being on the same bike for a whole season. I see no reason why I couldn't have done the same last season but that ended prematurely and then it was hard to ride different bikes all the time. Just knowing I'm sat on the same bike round after round really helps.”

“We also have the bike working really well now too. The team have worked hard with weight reduction and good, useable power out of the engine and each time I go out I'm learning all the time. This is only my second season and I still have so much to learn but I'm getting more comfortable all the time so those things combined are just helping out.”

Now in a solid environment working and riding with a team he is really happy with and on the Triumph that, he says, 'has some peculiar qualities but is a great bike to ride' he aims to continue moving forward with his progression to put his three year racing plan back on track after it was derailed with a messy and frustrating season last year.

He said: “I have very high goals for myself but I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could do it. I left a sport where I was at the very top, was getting paid to do something I love and life was easy. I left that to try something new,. I had to find finance to support it and things are not so easy. I'm not sure that many people would do that but I am determined and want to prove myself.

“Luckily I have fantastic family support and have unbelievable help from my sponsors Silicone Engineering and Pemberton Tyres. I'm starting to feel at home in the paddock now. My Oxford TAG Triumph team are great to be with, there are some great people in the paddock and of course some supremely talented riders. For the rest of this year I just need to continue to learn the trade and then try to put everything into action next season.”