BSB: Byrne hits out at riders looking for a tow

While being elated to take pole position for tomorrow’s opening MCE British Superbike race, Shane Byrne was left frustrated after this afternoon’s qualifying session at Oulton Park and has hit out at riders looking to get a tow from front runners like him.

Byrne said his performance in the second qualifying session was severely hampered as he looked to avoid riders looking for a tow. He wasn’t alone in voicing his concerns, with fellow front row man Leon Haslam also visibly frustrated with the number of riders looking to latch on to the back of his ZX-10R throughout the three-stages of qualifying.

“Q2 was a disaster for us because I was so pissed off with riders looking for a tow,” Byrne said. “I had to do a lap with someone behind me and it aggravated the hell out of me. All of us top guys will go out and look for clear track deliberately so we can do our lap time on our own, so when you get riders looking to get on the back of you it really grates on me.

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“If they thought about it and used their brains they’d be doing their times on their own, because when you do that and you’re fast enough at the front when you do get to ride with other people you’ll be able to find bits and pieces that will help you out. If you do all your times behind other people, you’ll never know what you’ve got when it comes to a race situation. Chances are, unless you’re absolutely perfect you aren’t going to be able to keep up anyway.

“It’s not so much that they’re in the way, but they should be doing their own work! I’ve done mine, so why should they benefit from my hard work? It’s so blatant too, riding around in the middle of the track with no speed whatsoever looking behind themselves waiting for someone to come.” 

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