Brands Hatch: Team YZF Yamaha preview

NAKATOMI AIMING FOR THE TOP 15

After his good 12th and 15th positions in Brno during the last event, Shinichi Nakatomi's goal in the United Kingdom will be to score points while finishing in the top 15.

This will also be the occasion for Nakatomi to try to improve his position in the World Championship standings.

The return of the "real" wild cards

Pirelli being now the exclusive provider of control tyres for the British Superbike Championship, this will allow the possibility to see some good wild cards. It was the case in the past with great British riders like Steve Hislop who was pole position at Donington in 2001, Shane Byrne who won both races at Brands Hatch in 2003 (plus the lap record), John Reynolds pole position at Brands Hatch in 2003 and Tommy Hill position at Silverstone in 2006.

The track

Brands Hatch was opened in 1928 and lengthened in 1953 by taking advantage of the hill leading to Druid's Bend. In 1960, the Hawthorn and Westfield corners were added. That gave the track the required length (4.19 km) to get it homologated for international events. The first Brands Hatch F1 Grand Prix was held in 1964. Ideally located only 32 kms from London, Brands is an extremely popular venue. Sometimes, as many as 120 000 spectators flocked to the circuit for the world Superbike.

The way Brands Hatch has evolved explains why there are two types of asphalt here. Grip on the Grand Prix track is not the same as that of the Indy circuit and that can take riders by surprise as they go from one to the other, especially in the wet. Grip is better in the Grand Prix section than on the part where the pits and the grandstands are. Brands Hatch is quite a demanding circuit. It heats up the tyres in a similar way to tracks like Phillip Island or Monza, but that heat build up doesn't happen in the same part of the tyre.

-credit: yzf