Stockport’s Christian Iddon narrowly missed out on a spot in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship ‘Showdown’, and a chance of a crack at the 2018 title, after riding three races at Silverstone with a broken collarbone.
Iddon had been running strongly throughout free practice at the Northamptonshire track when a fall in qualifying left the TYCO BMW rider with a broken left collarbone and seemingly out of the race weekend.
But just three hours later, with the help of the BSB medical team, Iddon was back in the saddle and joining the grid to take part in race one of the weekend’s trio of encounters.
A broken sensor left the former World Superbike rider to finish in 15th position, but more determined than ever to give it everything he had over the next two races at the Grand Prix venue and remain in contention for a Showdown spot.
Despite riding in a great deal of pain, Iddon took fifth in race two, leaving himself with every chance of pulling off the seemingly impossible.
Iddon ran as high as third position in the third and final race of the weekend, but a small mistake on lap 11, while contending with a brake problem, saw him drop a place, and despite his best efforts, and a climb back to eighth, the former Super Moto Champion would eventually cross the line tenth, and out of the Showdown.
Speaking to TYCO BMW, Iddon said; “There was a lot at stake this weekend, so I think any rider would have ridden.
“Everyone is pushing for the same thing but I had put myself in that position to start with so I just needed to crack on with the job and do the best I could.
“The guys in the team have done a great job, the bike has been really quick all weekend. I gave it everything that I have got this weekend, so I’m disappointed that we are not in the top six, but I will do everything I can to finish the season as strong as possible.”
The next round of the series is this coming weekend, September 14-16, at Iddon’s local track, Oulton Park in Cheshire, although depending on the results of a consultation with his surgeon, he is currently unsure whether or not he will be riding.
TYCO BMW team boss, Philip Neill, added: “We obviously couldn’t have asked for anything more from Christian. His efforts were nothing short of heroic and he deserves every ounce of credit for his determination this weekend.”
