PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne is already thinking about 2016’s MCE British Superbike Championship, after finishing runner-up to Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes this year.
Byrne will be back in the paddock with Paul Bird but will swap the Kawasaki for a Ducati. The quadruple-champ did make it on to the podium in every race at his home track of Brands Hatch this weekend with two second places, and one third place finish - but it was not enough to snatch the title from Brookes.
Byrne did give it ‘his all’ today but he couldn’t match the pace of Brookes and his R1. But he has not given up hope of securing an historic fifth British Superbike title.
“I gave it my all in the first race to try and keep the championship alive and there wasn’t much more I could do than that. We knew where the Yamaha would be good and unfortunately there wasn’t anything we could do about it,” said Byrne.
“Today, there was a glimmer of hope as when he came by he wasn’t as ridiculously fast and I was able to hang in for a few more laps than before. However, there were a couple of sectors where Josh was just too strong, but I did my best.
“The championship was always going to be difficult this year, but the PBM team has been 100 percent behind me all the way so I gave it 100 percent and a bit more. Well done to Josh and Yamaha, championships aren’t handed to you and you don’t win as many races as what they’ve done without deserving it. We’ll come back next year and try our best to win it back.”
