Leon Haslam

Leon Haslam

Haslam signing an autograph at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2010 wearing Alstare Suzuki World Superbike team colours
Nationality English
Born (1983-05-31) 31 May 1983
London Borough of Ealing
Current team JG Speedfit Kawasaki
Bike number 91
Website leonhaslam.com
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Superbike World Championship
Active years2003–04, 2009–present
ManufacturersDucati, Honda, Suzuki, BMW
Championships0
2014 championship position7th (187pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
182 3 27 1 4 1556
British Superbike Championship
Active years2005–2008
ManufacturersDucati, Honda
Championships0
2008 championship position2nd (357pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
100 16 53 11 13 1552

Leon Haslam (born Leon Lloyd Haslam, 31 May 1983, in the London Borough of Ealing)[1] is a motorcycle road racer based in Derbyshire, England. For 2016, he is contracted to race in the British Superbike Championship aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R.

He began racing at an early age and by the time he was in his late teens, he had raced in most of the significant British and international championships. After the 2004 season on a Ducati in World Superbikes with team mate Nori Haga, between 2005 and 2008 he was a regular front-runner in the British Superbike Championship. For 2009 he returned to the Superbike World Championship, riding for Suzuki, BMW, Honda and Aprilia for 2015. Haslam is nicknamed 'Pocket Rocket' and is the son of former road-racer 'Rocket Ron' Haslam.

Early Days 1998–2003

Haslam was first exposed to motorcycle racing as a baby, often travelling with his parents to his dad's races. He was 1995 and 1996's National Youth Motocross champion,[2] and 1998's MCN Young Rider of the Year after finishing 7th in the British 125cc Championship. He did an assortment of 125cc races in 1999, but quickly advanced into international racing after that. Leon spent the 2000 season with the underprepared Italjet team on their return to the 125cc world championship, then racing a privateer Honda NSR500V in 2001 (scoring five points finishes, as the youngest rider ever to compete in the series), and a 250cc Honda in 2002 (again scoring points five times). At this stage, having never ridden on competitive machinery, he had valuable experience but little in the way of results, leading him to return home. For 2003 Renegade Ducati signed him to ride in the British Supersport championship, but he was promoted to the full blown Superbike after the departure of Sean Emmett,[3] also riding in six World Superbikes races with a best finish of sixth at Assen and Magny Cours.

World Superbike Championship 2004

For 2004 he did the full WSBK season for Renegade alongside Noriyuki Haga. He was 8th overall with a best of 3rd, finishing as the rookie of the year. Haslam also had an impressive victory in a British Superbike race at Brands Hatch on one of the team's 3 ventures into the series. In torrential rain, this was the only Ducati win in the series all year, even though this was the title-winning bike in both 2003 (Shane "Shakey" Byrne) and 2005 (Gregorio Lavilla).

British Superbikes 2005–2008

With Renegade switching to Honda machinery and cutting to one rider[4] Haslam moved to BSB with the reformed GSE Racing Squad, now known as Airwaves Ducati. Haslam finished 4th overall behind only team-mate Lavilla and the two HM Plant Hondas of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Michael Rutter.

2006 saw Leon once again on the Airwaves sponsored GSE Ducati 999, partnering Lavilla. In the first 12 races of the 2006 season he finished 2nd no less than 8 times, without winning a race but taking 3 poles and lying 2nd overall. The wins came later; he was particularly proud of a win in the wet at Croft.

He managed to push for the title all the way to the last race of the season at a rain soaked Brands Hatch where Leon, Lavilla and Kiyonari all had a chance to win. Leon was running second to Kiyo in the first race when it was stopped after Byrne crashed heavily, and despite storming to victory in the second race, he ended the season in second place and Lavilla (who crashed in race one) was third. Leon did however drive off in the £50,000 Audi convertible which was his prize for scoring the most points in the Audi pole position competition.

While Lavilla won the first four races and lead the championship after eight, Haslam struggled to match these results. However, two-second places at Oulton Park in round four moved him up to fourth overall. He ultimately finished 3rd, behind Kiyonari and Jonathan Rea's Hondas but ahead of a fading Lavilla.

Haslam was released by Airwaves Ducati for 2008, when they initially withdrew from the series over questions about the legality of the Ducati 1098 under the new BSB tuning rules.[5] He joined Airwaves' rivals HM Plant Honda, but the Ducati proved to be the faster bike, with Shakey Byrne dominating the championship. Haslam struggled early in the season[6] and was generally outpaced by younger team-mate Cal Crutchlow, and was excluded from race 2 at Oulton Park after a racing incident with Tom Sykes.[7] Despite several podium finishes his first win did not come until round 8 at Knockhill, when race leader Byrne crashed heavily.[8] He then took a double win at Cadwell Park, despite not starting on the front row[9]

Haslam also made two wild card appearance in the World Superbike Championship at Donington Park and Portimão. A competitive showing at Donington ended with disappointing results. In race one he ran with the leaders after a red flag, but eased off after seeing a white flag with a red cross, which means the surface is slippery in WSBK, while in British Superbike, that indicates a safety vehicle is on course (typically a full-course caution period to neutralise the race with the deployment of the safety car). The time he lost here proved costly, as he was taken out a lap later. In race two he crashed out of fourth place with just three laps to go. At Portimão he finished third in race two, with a German flag above him on the podium, implying that the officials expected Max Neukirchner to overhaul him.

World Superbike Championship 2009–present

WSBK remained his target for 2009,[10] and he joined the Stiggy Honda team for their first World Superbike campaign,[11] starting the year strongly with a third place finish at the first round at Phillip Island in race two. The Dutch Grand Prix at Assen was also a very successful weekend as Haslam finished on the podium in both races with a third place in race one and a second place in race two. He finished the season 6th overall, comfortably the top privateer.

Haslam finished the 2010 season as runner-up to Max Biaggi.

Haslam's impressive results for Stiggy led to Alstare Suzuki signing him to partner Sylvain Guintoli for the 2010 season.[12] He took his first WSBK pole in the 2010 season opener at Phillip Island.[13] He then went on to win his first World Superbike race in race one, narrowly beating Michel Fabrizio by 0.004 seconds at the line in the closest finish ever recorded in a World Superbike race. Haslam was also in control of race two until 3 turns from the end he was overtaken by the eventual winner Carlos Checa. He took two-second places at round 2 in Portugal.[14] These strong results continued in the early part of the season, before a run of four successive wins for Max Biaggi's Aprilia. This led Haslam to publicly ask Suzuki Japan for more resources, to prevent their title challenge from faltering.[15] Haslam beat Biaggi in both Silverstone races, to trim Biaggi's championship lead to 60 points.[16] The championship went down to the penultimate round at Imola with Haslam needing to win, in race one both Haslam and Biaggi made mistakes, Biaggi ran straight on at turns 3 and 4 the Villeneuve esses cutting across the track right in front of the competitors and was lucky not to be hit or fall off, he recovered to finish 11th while Haslam was 2nd going into the final lap, coming into rivazza one Haslam tried to go underneath race leader Carlos Checa, Haslam however could not stop the bike and ended up in the gravel and could only manage a 5th place,[17] in race 2 Biaggi made a much better start and was right at the front from the start, with Haslam. Haslam made a mistake on lap 7 which dropped him back to 5th place, trying to make his way back up the field going through the Villeneuve esses his engine blew up, this was the Suzuki's first mechanical failure of the year.[18] This handed the title to Max Biaggi who came home 5th, with wild celebrations on the slow down lap.[19] On 27 September Haslam was released from his two-year contract with Alstare Suzuki by mutual consent, team manager Francis Batta citing the lack of response to the call for help from the Suzuki factory.[20]

Haslam on the BMW S1000RR at the Donington round of the 2012 Superbike World Championship season

On 28 September 2010, Haslam signed a two-year contract with the BMW team to ride in the 2011 Superbike World Championship season,[21] and for the 2013 season he joined Ten Kate Honda Fireblade WSB[22] operating as Team Pata Honda, with Ulsterman Jonny Rea as team-mate.[23]

In July 2013 Haslam won the prestigious Coke Zero Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race in Japan, partnered-up for the race with Team Pata World Supersport rider Michael van der Mark – debuting at Suzuka – and 2010 winner Takumi Takahashi in the MuSashi HARC Pro Honda team.[24] The trio repeated victory for the 2014 Coke Zero Suzuka 8 Hours.

After a disappointing 2014 season on the Ten Kate Pata Honda with injuries and average results, Haslam signed to race Aprilia for Red Devils Roma Team in 2015,[25] together with Spanish team mate Jordi Torres.[26]

Personal life

Leon has two sisters, Emma and Zoe.[27] In 2010, he married his long term partner, former glamour model turned TV presenter Olivia Stringer in Sweden,[28][29] who gave birth to their daughter Ava May in December 2011[30] and Max Peter on 11 August 2013.

Haslam owns the snooker cue that Peter Ebdon used to win the 2002 World Snooker Championship, and has it framed on his wall. He also enjoys playing poker, pool and golf, and supports Manchester United F.C.. His training partners include his wife, and the Formula Renault front-runner Riki Christodoulou. At Mallory Park he also made his debut in the British Rallycross Championship in a Suzuki Swift,[31] for which he then stated he had plans to run in the series part-time in 2010.

Career statistics

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos Pts
1998 125cc Honda JPN MAL SPA ITA FRA MAD NED GBR
17		 GER CZE IMO CAT AUS ARG NC 0
1999 125cc Honda MAL JPN SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR
19		 GER CZE IMO VAL AUS RSA BRA ARG NC 0
2000 125cc Italjet RSA
22		 MAL
19		 JPN
Ret		 SPA
17		 FRA
DNQ		 ITA
22		 CAT
10		 NED
18		 GBR
19		 GER
Ret		 CZE
17		 POR
Ret		 VAL
22		 BRA
Ret		 PAC
Ret		 AUS
17		 27th 6
2001 500cc Honda JPN
13		 RSA
17		 SPA
16		 FRA
DNS		 ITA CAT
WD		 NED
13		 GBR
17		 GER
Ret		 CZE
Ret		 POR
Ret		 VAL
16		 PAC
15		 AUS
19		 MAL
15		 BRA
11		 19th 13
2002 250cc Honda JPN
Ret		 RSA
15		 ESP
19		 FRA
Ret		 ITA
18		 CAT
18		 NED
Ret		 GBR
17		 GER
13		 CZE
17		 POR
7		 BRA
10		 PAC
Ret		 MAL
17		 AUS
18		 VAL
17		 18th 19

Superbike World Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos. Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2003 Ducati SPA SPA AUS AUS JPN JPN ITA ITA GER GER GBR GBR SMR SMR USA USA GBR
Ret		 GBR
10		 NED
6		 NED
7		 ITA ITA FRA
Ret		 FRA
6		 21st 35
2004 Ducati SPA
5		 SPA
9		 AUS
Ret		 AUS
10		 SMR
11		 SMR
5		 ITA
5		 ITA
4		 GER
7		 GER
3		 GBR
5		 GBR
4		 USA
9		 USA
Ret		 EUR
Ret		 EUR
Ret		 NED
6		 NED
6		 ITA
10		 ITA
12		 FRA
7		 FRA
6		 8th 169
2008 Honda QAT QAT AUS AUS SPA SPA NED NED ITA ITA USA USA GER GER SMR SMR CZE CZE GBR GBR EUR
8		 EUR
Ret		 ITA ITA FRA FRA POR
7		 POR
3		 22nd 33
2009 Honda AUS
6		 AUS
3		 QAT
11		 QAT
11		 SPA
5		 SPA
5		 NED
3		 NED
2		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
7		 RSA
Ret		 RSA
4		 USA
10		 USA
Ret		 SMR
12		 SMR
8		 GBR
4		 GBR
2		 CZE
7		 CZE
12		 GER
6		 GER
5		 ITA
6		 ITA
8		 FRA
5		 FRA
5		 POR
Ret		 POR
Ret		 6th 241
2010 Suzuki AUS
1		 AUS
2		 POR
2		 POR
2		 SPA
1		 SPA
4		 NED
11		 NED
2		 ITA
4		 ITA
2		 RSA
3		 RSA
1		 USA
2		 USA
Ret		 SMR
8		 SMR
2		 CZE
8		 CZE
10		 GBR
3		 GBR
4		 GER
6		 GER
3		 ITA
5		 ITA
Ret		 FRA
2		 FRA
10		 2nd 376
2011 BMW AUS
3		 AUS
5		 EUR
4		 EUR
4		 NED
12		 NED
5		 ITA
3		 ITA
Ret		 USA
8		 USA
13		 SMR
Ret		 SMR
5		 SPA
9		 SPA
9		 CZE
8		 CZE
7		 GBR
4		 GBR
8		 GER
5		 GER
9		 ITA
Ret		 ITA
5		 FRA
3		 FRA
4		 POR
9		 POR
15		 5th 224
2012 BMW AUS
12		 AUS
5		 ITA
3		 ITA
3		 NED
Ret		 NED
5		 ITA
C		 ITA
2		 EUR
2		 EUR
15		 USA
10		 USA
8		 SMR
12		 SMR
3		 SPA
7		 SPA
6		 CZE
7		 CZE
7		 GBR
6		 GBR
17		 RUS
6		 RUS
Ret		 GER
7		 GER
Ret		 POR
19		 POR
Ret		 FRA
5		 FRA
Ret		 8th 200
2013 Honda AUS
7		 AUS
10		 SPA
9		 SPA
9		 NED
DNS		 NED
DNS		 ITA ITA GBR
DNS		 GBR
DNS		 POR
Ret		 POR
DNS		 ITA
10		 ITA
9		 RUS
Ret		 RUS
C		 GBR
7		 GBR
Ret		 GER
7		 GER
13		 TUR
9		 TUR
8		 USA
Ret		 USA
11		 FRA
8		 FRA
Ret		 SPA
Ret		 SPA
Ret		 13th 91
2014 Honda AUS
Ret		 AUS
6		 SPA
9		 SPA
8		 NED
8		 NED
5		 ITA
10		 ITA
8		 GBR
8		 GBR
7		 MAL
7		 MAL
11		 SMR
10		 SMR
12		 POR
11		 POR
5		 USA
7		 USA
7		 SPA
7		 SPA
8		 FRA
6		 FRA
3		 QAT
11		 QAT
10		 7th 187
2015 Aprilia AUS
2		 AUS
1		 THA
2		 THA
2		 SPA
4		 SPA
3		 NED
4		 NED
4		 ITA
4		 ITA
Ret		 GBR
4		 GBR
4		 POR
12		 POR
3		 SMR
5		 SMR
3		 USA
13		 USA
5		 MAL
7		 MAL
6		 SPA
5		 SPA
3		 FRA
16		 FRA
5		 QAT
6		 QAT
1		 4th 332

British Superbike Championship

Races by year

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts Ref
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2005 Ducati BHI
Ret		 BHI
4		 THR
4		 THR
7		 MAL
3		 MAL
5		 OUL
4		 OUL
1		 MOP
Ret		 MOP
2		 CRO
6		 CRO
Ret		 KNO
5		 KNO
5		 SNE
2		 SNE
Ret		 SIL
2		 SIL
3		 CAD
6		 CAD
1		 OUL
4		 OUL
4		 DON
3		 DON
2		 BHGP
2		 BHGP
1		 4th 350 [32]
2006 Ducati BHI
Ret		 BHI
2		 DON
3		 DON
2		 THR
2		 THR
2		 OUL
3		 OUL
7		 MOP
C		 MOP
C		 MAL
2		 MAL
2		 SNE
2		 SNE
2		 KNO
3		 KNO
3		 OUL
2		 OUL
3		 CRO
4		 CRO
1		 CAD
2		 CAD
1		 SIL
Ret		 SIL
3		 BHGP
2		 BHGP
1		 2nd 458 [33]
2007 Ducati BHGP
6		 BHGP
4		 THR
6		 THR
6		 SIL
6		 SIL
5		 OUL
2		 OUL
2		 SNE
3		 SNE
5		 MOP
1		 MOP
4		 KNO
3		 KNO
2		 OUL
4		 OUL
4		 MAL
3		 MAL
2		 CRO
5		 CRO
6		 CAD
1		 CAD
Ret		 DON
1		 DON
1		 BHI
4		 BHI
5		 3rd 387 [34]
2008 Honda THR
4		 THR
Ret		 OUL
2		 OUL
Ret		 BHGP
4		 BHGP
6		 DON
2		 DON
2		 SNE
5		 SNE
5		 MAL
2		 MAL
6		 OUL
4		 OUL
4		 KNO
Ret		 KNO
1		 CAD
1		 CAD
1		 CRO
2		 CRO
1		 SIL
11		 SIL
1		 BHI
4		 BHI
2		 2nd 357 [35]

References

  1. ↑ Haslam, Ron (2009). Rocket Men. Random House. p. 171. ISBN 0-553-81936-4. Retrieved 29 August 2013. [...] Ann had given birth alone in Ealing Hospital.
  2. ↑ http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/catalog/book.htm?command=Search&db=twmain.txt&eqisbndata=0593059638
  3. ↑ http://www.builtforspeed.biz/index.php?op=NEArticle&sid=892
  4. ↑ http://official.sportnetwork.net/main/s385/st61218.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2007/october/oct15-21/oct1507gseracingquitbsb/
  6. ↑ http://betting.betfair.com/betting/other/the-betfair-big-interview-leon-haslam-260608.html
  7. ↑ http://www.crash.net/motorsport/bsb/news/162950-0/haslam_excluded.html
  8. ↑ http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/mcn/2008/august/4-10/aug1008-knockhill-bsb-race-2-/
  9. ↑ Fern, Dave (25 August 2008). "Leon Haslam happy with first winning double of the season at Cadwell Park". The Daily Telegraph (London).
  10. ↑ "Haslam hungry for world glory". Derby Telegraph (Derby Telegraph Media Group Ltd.). 8 September 2008. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  11. ↑ Fern, Deve (3 October 2008). "Leon Haslam joins Stiggy Honda team". The Daily Telegraph (London: Telegraph Media Group). Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  12. ↑ "Guintoli promoted to Suzuki WSBK team". crash.net (Crash Media Group). 12 October 2009. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  13. ↑ "First mission accomplished for Haslam". crash.net (Crash Media Group). 27 February 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  14. ↑ "Haslam: I want more wins now!". crash.net (Crash Media Group). 30 March 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2010.
  15. ↑ "Haslam calls on Suzuki Japan for 'help'". crash.net (Crash Media Group). 28 June 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  16. ↑ "'Frustrated' Haslam chips away at Biaggi's advantage". crash.net (Crash Media Group). 2 August 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
  17. ↑ http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/results/163648/1/imola_-_race_results_1.html
  18. ↑ http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/163675/1/haslams_title_dreams_go_up_in_smoke.html
  19. ↑ http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/results/163664/1/imola_-_race_results_2.html
  20. ↑ http://www.crash.net/world+superbikes/news/163691/1/haslam_released_from_suzuki_contract.html
  21. ↑ "Haslam makes BMW move". Insidebikes (Carole Nash). 28 October 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2010.
  22. ↑ Team Pata Honda, 2013 CBR1000RR Race Bike page. Official Site. Retrieved 21 July 2013
  23. ↑ Team Pata Honda. Home Page. Official Site. Retrieved 21 July 2013
  24. ↑ Honda Pro Racing Suzuka result 2013, MuSashi team riders profiled and Fireblade Superbike Retrieved 3 August 2013
  25. ↑ Leon Haslam official site, November 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014
  26. ↑ Haslam gets Torres as 2015 team mate Motorcycle News, 3 December 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014
  27. ↑ http://www.rbooks.co.uk/product.aspx?id=0593059638
  28. ↑ Sloman, Cara (11 December 2010). "Leon Haslam says he has best man on his side for tilt at World Superbike title". Daily Mail (London).
  29. ↑ http://www.advancedmotorcyclinguk.co.uk/newsfeeds/race-news/superbikes/6186-leon-haslam-gets-married.html
  30. ↑ "Haslam remains as driven as ever". BBC News. January 2012. Leon's first child's birth.
  31. ↑ http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/sport/sportresults/World-Superbikes/2009/October/oct1709-haslam-to-race-at-rallycross/
  32. ↑ http://www.superbike-racing.co.uk/VitalStatistics/Statistics/2005.htm
  33. ↑ http://www.superbike-racing.co.uk/VitalStatistics/Statistics/2006.htm
  34. ↑ http://www.superbike-racing.co.uk/VitalStatistics/Statistics/2007.htm
  35. ↑ http://www.superbike-racing.co.uk/VitalStatistics/Statistics/2008.htm

External links

See also

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