Leon Haslam starts the Bennetts British Superbike Championship season finale with an outside chance of adding a second crown to his 2018 title victory, as the stage is set for the Brands Hatch Showdown finale next weekend (17/18/19 October).

The Moto Rapido Ducati Racing team arrive holding third in the championship standings with a maximum of 105 points up for the taking across the three races on the Grand Prix circuit next weekend. Haslam obviously knows how quick fortunes can change in the final battle for the crown, having experienced the heartbreak in 2017, before rebounding to claim the title in 2018.

Haslam and the Moto Rapido Ducati Racing team have been the highest points scorers over the previous two Showdown rounds at the TT Circuit Assen and also Oulton Pak, but arrives at the finale determined to add to his podium tally, which has gained serious momentum in recent rounds.

Haslam said: “Obviously the last few rounds have been really positive, we’ve been the highest scorers at both Assen and Oulton Park. I’ve scored the most points out of everyone and we’ve battled for the win in pretty much every race.

“There’s obviously still the niggle of being beaten on the last lap a couple of times, but from my side of things, we have to take the positives of the results we’ve achieved. We’re one of only three that can win the championship and yes, I’m a little bit of an outsider with how much further back I am from the other two on the Yamahas.

“For me, Brands Hatch mid-season was a tough weekend, so I want to try and finish the season on a high, get another win and aim for the podiums. We’ll wait and see, anything can happen in the championship and at the minute we’re still in with a chance to win it, so if we can finish the year out with a few podiums and we’ll see what happens with the other guys. We’ll still be in the top three of the championship.”