If round one of this year’s Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) is anything to go by, then Jack Kennedy is going to be a different proposition than previous years with the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha.

The Irishman not only ran well inside the top ten throughout the Silverstone weekend but at times was also challenging strongly for the podium positions, particularly during the initial stages of the third and final race.

The four-time British Supersport Champion hasn’t truly had a fair crack at BSB before but that looks set to change this year and Kennedy and the R1 Yamaha look a significant force to be reckoned with.

Two sevenths and an eighth, the worst of which saw him finish 3.7s adrift of the race winner, meant he left the Northamptonshire venue with an impressive haul of 26 points from the opening round.

"I've set the BSB bar pretty high now..."

"I am really pleased with the three results. Our goal this weekend was to get some top 10s and that's exactly what we did," the Dubliner said.

"We ran at the front of the pack and collected some valuable points, so we are delighted. It is something to build on.”

"The bike felt good from Free Practice One. It did everything I wanted it to do. We fine-tuned a few things for the rest of the weekend and it felt amazing to be at the front and challenging those guys.

"We were overtaking them and challenging for second and third so to know I can do it in the first race of the season gives me a lot of confidence moving forward."

"To collect 26 points from the first round is great. It is exactly what I wanted, three strong finishes and get as many points as I could.

"The Mar-Train team worked brilliantly. I suppose I have set the bar pretty high for myself and it is something I have to build on now."

Kennedy's trio of competitive results at Silverstone gives him an early seventh in the overall standings

CLICK here for the BSB points' standings after Round 1 of 11