Leon Haslam will not be 100 per cent fit until he has undergone more operations on the leg he injured in the third World Superbike round at Assen some six months ago but is determined to enter 2014 as a force to be reckoned with.
The gritty Derbyshireman began this season well but the crash in Holland proved to be pivotal and he hasn’t had the full-fitness bike time required to challenge at the sharp end. He will go under the knife when the season is over.
"I am slowly using the leg as I need to use it on the bike, and in Germany I set the second fastest time of the weekend but it is just putting it together for the races. It has been a frustrating year, for the last two years I have been injured and I want to be back at the front, but it has been tough,” said the Pata Honda man, speaking to bikesportnews.com at Donington Park
“We have had electronic issues, but I have not been riding the bike as I should have been in previous rounds, but now I am starting to ride it as I should be and I am asking for a different setup to try and find that speed. But in Germany that was going to be a tough order, but when we were on the pace and did get it right we were as quick as anyone in P2 in the overall times. The potential is there again, we just need to work hard and with four races to go we need to see what we can do.
“I am not going to be 100 per cent till next year, I know that as I have to have several operations straight after the season is done but as far as riding this year if I can get back to podiums and challenging at the front, like Jonathan has been, then I know that I am not too far away starting next year."