Gearlink Kawasaki’s Tim Hastings is making the most of his debut in the Metzeler National Superstock 600 championship at Oulton Park this weekend after clinching the Relentless British 125GP ACU Academy Cup for the second year in a row at Silverstone.
 
With the team’s usual rider Jamie Hamilton moving up to the Supersport category this weekend after taking the Junior Superstock title at the last round, the spare seat was offered to Hastings, who is a regular front runner, podium taker and race winner in the 125cc series.
 
Joining one of the strongest teams in the BSB paddock, Hastings said: “I am really happy to be given the opportunity with Gearlink, they are a really good team. I’ve been talking to them all year and after I won the ACU Academy Cup at Silverstone I was offered a test at Mallory Park and then they asked if I wanted to ride here.
 
“They are a top team and they’ve won their championship so you can’t go far wrong riding for them. It’s going good, but we are struggling a little bit. I am 37th and we are happy with that, but we didn’t want to be in the shoot-out race which I am. Hopefully, I will stay in the top 40 and qualify for the race.”
 
Hastings started his racing career in 2002 on mini-motos then progressed onto 125s a couple of years later and joined the British Championship in 2007. In only seven years of racing, he has taken titles in both forms of racing and constantly battled for the wins, now he wants to be riding a 600cc and believes it is the way to go.
 
Talking about the difference in the bike and his results so far, Hastings said: “When you get on it and ride there’s not so much of a difference, the power obviously is, but the way you ride is basically the same, as is corner speed.
 
“It’s different in the way these boys rely on the tyre just to hold them and drive on the power really hard, that’s the only place I am losing some time, but hopefully in the shoot-out race and just with more and more track time, we’ll just get used to it. The team are great, they work with you really well. We’re not coming here saying this bike is fast and we should be at the front, they understand that.”