For Immediate Release

The THINK! British Superbike Championship will get a chance to run on the

famous Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit this season after track owner

MotorSport Vision announced that the series' seventh round will be held on

the daunting 2.6-mile loop. The June 19-20 meeting will be the BSB's second

visit of the year to Brands Hatch in Kent. Round two was held on the

circuit's 1.2-mile Indy configuration on Easter weekend, April 10-12.

MSV managing director Jonathan Palmer explained the decision: "On

completing the purchase of the circuits group including Brands Hatch, I

faced the challenge of starting to turn round a business that had made

losses of over £3m per year over at least the last two years. To do so is

imperative, not just for the commercial prospects of MotorSport Vision, but

to ensure the survival of, and much needed investment in, some of Britain's

best known motor racing circuits, Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park, Oulton Park

and Snetterton. From the outset, immediate action has been taken to tread

the delicate path of both cutting costs and improving customer

satisfaction, relating to both competitors and spectators.

To the surprise of many, the economics of running the major promoted race

events like British Touring Cars are fragile. The circuits are required

to provide circuit facilities free of charge, pay substantial sanction fees

and incur costs of typically over £50,000 to provide all the services

associated with handling large crowds. A big paying crowd is vital to

cover these costs and contribute to the general overheads of the circuit

operation before any profits at all can be generated.

Part of the measures I implemented was to propose to run all promoted

events on the Indy circuit at Brands Hatch, as the extra costs of providing

the Grand Prix circuit, around £30,000, were unjustified in terms of

commercial return. If the championships wished to run on the Grand Prix

circuit, I said that I was very happy to do so if a mechanism for covering

these extra costs could be found.

Although obviously coming from a car racing background, I have been

enthralled with the spectacle of the bike racing in the THINK! British

Superbike Championship. We have had three events at our circuits now,

Brands Hatch, Snetterton and Oulton Park, and each one has seen a big

crowd.

MCRCB Events, under the expert leadership of Stuart Higgs, has been a pleasure

to work with and has organised and run our BSB events smoothly and

efficiently. I also welcome the involvement of Dorna, and look forward to

working with UK Managing Director Tony Partis to continue the successful

evolution of the championship.

I have been particularly impressed with the attitude and approachability of

all the riders and team personnel that I have met in British Superbikes.

The unbelievable on track action proves these top riders really are heroes

and, crucially for the circuits, appreciate the importance of mixing with

the fans.

From the outset, BSB generally understood the reasons behind my proposal to

run both races on the Indy circuit at Brands Hatch. Some key people have

worked hard to come up with ideas to justify the extra cost of the Grand

Prix circuit. Although we have not yet been able to confirm any clear

mechanisms to achieve this, I am very appreciative of the attitude of those

involved, the quality of the show and its proven appeal to the spectating

fans.

I am therefore delighted to announce that round seven of the THINK! British

Superbike Championship will be held on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit

and look forward to a great crowd watching some outstanding action!"

Jonathan Palmer