THINK! Motorcycle Academy

Leon Haslam

31/05/1983

First race - Rockingham, July 2003 Races - 92 First win - Brands Hatch, 2004 Last win - Donington Park, 2007 Wins - 11

Smalley

Leon has a long and illustrious career in all forms of motorcycling. Before hitting the big time on the world stage he became schoolboy motocross champion, later winning the inaugural National Scooter Championship before moving on to the British 125GP Championship. The son of former GP star "Rocket" Ron, he grabbed the headlines as a 15-year-old when he won the British Grand Prix-supporting Honda CB500 Cup race. Leon then went on to race in the 125cc, 250cc and 500cc Grand Prix, then rode World Superbikes in 2004, also appearing in several British Superbike rounds, with a victory at Brands Hatch. Haslam joined the Airwaves Ducati team for 2005 and with a maturing style was pressing for the title with them in the subsequent two seasons - before switching to the HM Plant Honda team in the close season.

Cal Crutchlow

02 Jan 1970

First race - Brands Hatch, April 2007 Races - 26 Wins - 0 Best result - 3rd at Brands Hatch, 2007

Coventry

Cal graduated into Superbikes with Suzuki in 2007 having won the British Supersport title in dominant style, with six victories among eleven top three finishes the previous year. Crutchlow made good progress in his debut season in the top flight, enjoying a podium finish in the final round before opting to switch teams and join HM Plant Honda for 2008.  The newcomer learnt his craft by winning the Junior Challenge in 1999, and then two years later taking the Superteen crown. Cal moved into Junior Superstock in 2002, finishing fourth, and then runner-up in the R6 Cup in 2003. Crutchlow rode Supersport in 2004, building on the experience of previous years to finish third overall the following season.

Karl Harris

21/10/79

Karl Harris

Sheffield

Strong, hard riding and determined, Karl won the 1999 European Superstock crown and the following season gained experience in a difficult World Supersport campaign, while also making a handful of appearance in British Superbikes. Harris powered Suzuki to the domestic Supersport crown, with a strong second half to the 2001 season, winning six of the eight races. He graduated into British Superbikes but his first season was wrecked by injury. A move back to Supersport provided Harris with his second and third Supersport crowns in 2003 and 2004 respectively. Harris then moved back into Superbikes, including one season on the factory Honda but despite his success, a maiden victory in the top flight still eludes him.

Shane Byrne

10/12/1976

First race - Snetterton, May 1999 Races - 147 First win - Donington Park, 2002 Last win - Mallory Park, 2007 Wins - 17

Zurich

After securing the BSB title in 2003 and winning a World Superbike double as a wild-card rider at Brands Hatch in the same year, 'Shakey' earned graduation into MotoGP. However, two years of experience in the top flight were not without their problems - injury cut short the first season with Aprilia, and after the team opted not to contest the top flight in 2005 he rode the largely uncompetitive KR Proton until a wrangle over engine supplies curtailed that. Shane rode twice for Camel Honda before returning to domestic action, first with Suzuki and then Honda. The veteran learned his craft by winning 58 club races in 1997, then stepped up to Supersport before dominating the 2001 Superbike Privateers Cup.

Leon Camier

04/08/1986

First race - Brands Hatch, April 2007 Races - 22 Wins - 0 Best result - 2nd at Brands Hatch 2007 and Thruxton 2007

Ashford

Tom Sykes

19/08/1985

First race - Brands Hatch, September 2003 Races - 28 Wins - 0 Best result - 2nd at Donington Park, 2003

Huddersfield

Sykes returns to the Suzuki fold after riding for Paul Bird's Honda team last season, in which he won the BSB 'Rookie of the Year" - chalking up five podium finishes.  The Yorkshireman caught the eye with strong performances, developing his Suzuki as he raced in the British Supersport championship in 2006, eventually finishing as runner-up to graduate to the top flight.

Atsushi Watanabe

22/09/1976

Watanabe will make his British Superbike debut at Brands Hatch aboard the Suzuki of the highly fancied Rizla Suzuki outfit.

Verwood

Atsushi Watanabe makes his debut into the British Championship in 2008, having twice won the Japanese Superbike crown, a series in which he has competed for the past six years. The Japanese rider also finished as runner-up in the All Japan Superstock 600 Championship last term.

Billy MacConnell

24/12/1986

First race - Brands Hatch, March 2006 Races - 23 Wins - 0 Best result - 7th at Brands Hatch, October 2006

Billy MacConnell

Billy McConnell made an immediate impact on the British racing scene at Mallory Park in 2004 winning on his first outinmg in Superstock a victory which underlined the form he had shown back home in Superstock 600 action. The Aussie won the 2005 Virgin Mobile Cup and made good use of his prize, a factory Yamaha ride, in Superbikes whilst displaying an obvious natural talent. Billy spearheaded Yamaha's attack on Supersport in 2007, eve ntually snatching fourth position in the final standings.

Scott Smart

29/05/1976

First race - Knockhill, August 1996 Races - 116, First win - Mondello Park, 2004 Last win - Donington Park, 2006, Wins - 4

Maidstone

Scott became Superteen champion in 1994. He won seven races, but finished runner-up in British 250cc action in 1996, also scoring points on his Superbike debut that year at Knockhill. After winning the 1997 British 250cc Championship he graduated into the 500cc MotoGP Championship for 1998 and then rode selected races in the 1999 World 250cc Championship, before contesting the domestic Supersport series for three years, taking runner-up spot in final term. Smart joined Hawk Kawasaki, not only riding their machines, but also helping prepare the bikes, and giving them a first victory at Mondello Park in 2004. He joined Rizla Suzuki for 2005 but left half way through the season for Vivaldi, later giving them their sole success in the top flight at rain-lashed Donington Park in 2006. Smart returned to the Hawk team last term where he continues in 2008.

Simon Andrews

14/08/1983

First race - July '06, Oulton Park Races - 27 Wins - 0 Best result - 8th, Brands Hatch, Oct'06

Evesham

Multiple school boy champion prior to switching to circuit acion at Mondello park in 1997. Ran for two years in British 125GP, finishing ninth overall in 2000, then moved into British Supersports, finishing 18^th overall but also in that year second in the Irish 125cc Championship. In 2002, with three wins, third in British Supersport, he won the Euro Superstock race at Assen and took the Irish Supermoto crown for a second year. In subsequent years fourth, then third in British Supersport, ending 2004 with triple victories at the Sunflower International to earn regular British superbike rides with Paul Bird’s team in2005 and 2006. Lat year he was the dominant force in the British Supersport Championship, winning the crown.

Michael Rutter

18/09/1972

First race - Donington Park, April 1995, Races - 277 First win - Donington Park 1995 Last win - Oulton Park 2005 Wins - 25

Kirkby Mallory

One of motorcycle racing's top all-rounders, Rutter has a winning pedigree in both the North West 200 and the Isle of Man TT races, not to mention a string of victories in the Macau Grand Prix. Michael is vastly experienced in domestic Superbike action having enjoyed victories with Ducati, and then on re-joining factory-backed Honda in 2004, giving their Fireblade instant success on its racing debut at Silverstone. The veteran continued with the factory Honda effort in 2005, looking set to gain the crown for the first time in his career, but a shoulder injury proved costly.

Michael Laverty

07/06/1981

First race - Brands Hatch, March 2005 Races - 42 Wins - 0 Best result - 2nd at Snetterton, 2005

Toomebridge

Michael was a multiple schoolboy motocross champion prior to switching to circuit action at Mondello Park in 1997. He ran in the British 125GP for two years, finishing ninth overall in 2000, then moved into British Supersports, finishing eighteenth overall. In 2002, with three wins he placed third overall in the British Supersport championship, won a European Superstock race at Assen and took the Irish Supermoto crown for a second year. In subsequent years Laverty finished fourth, then third in British Supersport, ending 2004 with triple victories at Sunflower International to earn a regular British Superbike ride with Paul Bird's team in 2005 and 2006. Last year Michael was the dominant force of British Supersport, winning the crown for the first time.

James Ellison

19.09.1980

First race - Silverstone, March 2004 Races - 26 Wins - 0 Best result - 5th at Thruxton, 2005

Kendal

The run-away winner of the British Superbike Cup in 2004, James also enjoyed a mid-table finish in the main event, with a best result of 5th at Thruxton. This presented the opportunity to race in MotoGP for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and then, amid a career that included Endurance action, he opted to move into the American Superbike series before being tempted back into British Superbikes by this new look team.

Guy Martin

4/11/1981

First race - Brands Hatch, April 2007 Races - 12 Wins - 0 Best result - 10th at Oulton Park, 2007

Kimington, N.Links

Guy is a fun-loving but highly motivated and determined rider who has made his name on the roads, being hugely popular in Ireland having won the 2003 Road Racing title. In 2005 the Lincolnshire lad finished as runner-up in the Irish Road Race Senior Championship. Also on the public roads, Guy is a multiple winner at the Ulster Grand Prix and a podium finisher at the Isle of Man TT where he is the second fastest rider to have ever ridden round the Mountain Course. Martin's career on the short circuits began in the Junior Superstock Championship, moving through Supersport and last year featuring in Superbikes. 2008 will be Guy's first full season in Britain's premier class.