Airwaves Yamaha's Leon Camier has taken the 2009 British Superbike Championship title after a titanic battle with team-mate James Ellison during race one at Silverstone today.
The pair went at it for most of the race after Camier managed to reel in Ellison's lead of over a second and by the time lap 14 came round, the Kent man was right on the rear wheel of Ellison's YZF-R1. Camier tried to go past Ellison into Abbey on two siccessive laps, but ran wide both times, allowing his team-mate to re-open the gap.
It wasn't until the penultimate lap that Camier was about to pass going into Priory and made it stick for the final circuit. He celebrated as the last man to win the title for Yamaha, Niall Mackenzie, was waiting to give Camier a pillsion ride back to the pits.
“That was the hardest race of the season – ridiculous as I was out of shape at times, pushing the bike so hard. The front was out of line, it was tough, but in the end well worth it,” said Camier.
“I knew that James would be strong but I didn’t expect him to be that good – he was so difficult to pass. It was a case of having a bit of patience, then at Bridge keeping the gas on, and then it was job done.
“I’m over the moon with the title – I thought it was not going to happen in that race, but now I have a massive debt to everyone who has got me here today,” added Camier.
Further down the field, HM Plant Honda's Josh Brookes scored another podium after getting past Stuart Easton, who finished in fourth while while Tommy Hill rounded out the top five.
Buildbase Kawasaki's John Laverty finished sixth, with Sylvain Guintoli, Ian Lowry, Simon Andrews and Julien Da Costa rounding out the top ten.
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