As well as getting a new son in the summer break, Pata Honda's Leon Haslam has worked hard to get his damaged leg somewhere close to fitness for this weekend's Nurburgring World Superbike round and says it is ten times better.

Haslam's wife Oli gave birth to Peter Max (MPH) not long after the Silverstone round but it hasn't stopped the Derbyshire man hitting the gym. He had been due for an operation to remove some of the metalwork in the offending limb but it didn't happen so he concentrated on building back wasted muscle instead.

"The summer break has gone quickly. My wife had a little boy early on in the break and it is all good there. I did not manage to get an operation to remove the screws in my left leg but we have been working hard to get the muscles back to where they should be," said Haslam.

"It is ten times better than it was so it is all looking good for this one. Our pace was not so far off at Silverstone but after so many back-to-back races before then my leg was feeling a little bit over-used. I am looking forward to Germany because, in a way, I need to start my season.

"I have never had a year where I was not on the podium and I feel in some ways that I have not had a race this year. Now I need to get back to where I should be, and hopefully we can do that this weekend in Germany.”