Jason O’Halloran is hoping a change in fortunes at Oulton Park will be his springboard for a late challenge in the 2023 British Superbike Championship having seen his title hopes collapse at the Cheshire venue in each of the last two seasons.

The Australian entered the final stages of his 2021 and 2022 BSB campaigns at Oulton Park in a strong title fighting position, only for each bid to unravel in dramatic circumstances.

With two DNFs from three races all-but-wiping out his comfortable advantage in 2021, O’Halloran then failed to score a single point during the second visit of the year to Oulton Park after being on the receiving end of two controversial clashes in 2022.

However, for 2023 O’Halloran arrives for Round 9 of 11 in the the role of title chaser, 54.5 points adrift of BSB leader Tommy Bridewell.

It is a lower pressure situation O’Halloran is hopeful will play in his favour as he looks to get back to the form that had him win all three races at the 2021 Oulton Park season opener.

“The last three rounds are where things start to get serious as the points start to ramp up and there’s a lot still on the table,” he said. 

“We’re definitely in the fight, but a strong start this weekend will be important. Oulton Park hasn’t been the kindest to us results wise in the last couple of years, but despite the finishing positions, we have been fast each time we’ve been there. 

“I’ve won five races at Oulton on the Yamaha, so we know things work around there. Fingers crossed the weather plays ball and we can have a strong start to the new-look ‘Showdown’.”