The 2012 British Superbike season was the 25th British Superbike Championship season. For the 2012 season, MSVR announced a number of changes to the technical regulations of the spectacle of them British Superbike Championship. The championship will be limited to 32 entries, with 16 teams each entering two bikes. This was designed to be a way of rewarding teams that have had a history of competing in the BSB regularly. Teams who had competed in the 2011 season were given automatic entries, whilst teams who wish to graduate to the BSB class had to buy an entry.

The championship was tightly contested between Shane Byrne, Josh Brookes and Tommy Hill, with the title battle lasting until the final round at Brands Hatch. The first race saw Byrne taking the victory, after Alex Lowes' crash caused the red flag to be thrown. The second race also resulted in a win for Byrne, taking the points standings to 658 for Byrne and 635 for Brookes. The final race thus became a decider, with Byrne only having to finish 13th to win the championship, whilst Brookes needed Byrne to retire, or finish in 15th place to win the title. On the penultimate lap Byrne passed Brookes and became the British Superbikes champion for 2012.

Rule changes All bikes on the grid had to become part of the Evo class, creating a single-class championship. All bikes had to run a standard ECU (Electronics control unit), and the ECU did not include electronics such as traction control and launch control. 2012 spec bikes were run during the end of the 2011 season, with MSS Colchester Kawasaki's Gary Mason and Team WFR's James Westmoreland running the bikes for 3 and 2 rounds respectively.

Calendar 2012 Calendar Main Season Round Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning rider Winning team 1 R1 Brands Hatch Indy 9 April Josh Brookes Alastair Seeley Jon Kirkham Samsung Honda 2 R1 Thruxton 15 April Tommy Hill Alex Lowes Ian Lowry Padgetts Racing R2 Josh Brookes Josh Brookes Tyco Suzuki 3 R1 Oulton Park 6 May Tommy Hill Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha R2 7 May Tommy Hill Graeme Gowland Chris Walker Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki R3 Shane Byrne Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki 4 R1 Snetterton 300 27 May Josh Brookes Michael Laverty Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha R2 Michael Laverty Michael Laverty Samsung Honda 5 R1 Knockhill 24 June Tommy Hill Tommy Hill Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki R2 Michael Laverty Michael Laverty Samsung Honda 6 R1 Oulton Park 7 July Tommy Hill Alex Lowes Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha R2 8 July Josh Brookes Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha R3 Tommy Hill Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha 7 R1 Brands Hatch GP 22 July Shane Byrne Josh Brookes Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki R2 Shane Byrne Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki 8 R1 Cadwell Park 27 August Alex Lowes Tommy Hill Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha R2 Alex Lowes Tommy Hill Swan Yamaha 9 R1 Donington Park 9 September Josh Brookes Josh Brookes Josh Brookes Tyco Suzuki R2 Josh Brookes Josh Brookes Tyco Suzuki The Showdown 10 R1 TT Circuit Assen 23 September Alex Lowes Tommy Hill Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki R2 Josh Brookes Josh Brookes Tyco Suzuki 11 R1 Silverstone Arena GP 30 September Alex Lowes Tommy Bridewell Alex Lowes Team WFR Honda R2 Alex Lowes Alex Lowes Team WFR Honda 12 R1 Brands Hatch GP 13 October Alex Lowes Alex Lowes Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki R2 14 October Josh Brookes Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki R3 Josh Brookes Shane Byrne Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki Notes: 1. – The Oulton Park Race1 on 6 May is the rescheduled Brands Hatch Race 2, postponed after track cleanup. 2. – Tommy Hill was demoted 5 places on the grid for having the tyre warmers on the bike after the 3 minute warning.

Entry list 2012 Entry List Team Constructor Bike Riders Rounds Swan Yamaha Yamaha Yamaha YZF-R1 1 Tommy Hill All 41 Noriyuki Haga All Tyco Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 2 Josh Brookes All 34 Alastair Seeley All Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R 3 Stuart Easton 1–4, 7–12 67 Shane Byrne 1–8, 10–12 303 Keith Farmer 6 MSS Bathams Kawasaki Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R 4 Michael Rutter All 60 Peter Hickman 1–3 83 Danny Buchan 6–12 Padgett's Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 5 Ian Lowry 1–11 Jason O'Halloran 12 99 Luca Scassa All Samsung Honda Honda Honda CBR1000RR 7 Michael Laverty All 10 Jon Kirkham All Hardinge Sorrymate.com Honda Honda Honda CBR1000RR 8 Jenny Tinmouth All Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R 9 Chris Walker All 14 John Laverty 11–12 28 Victor Cox 10 37 James Hillier 1–3, 5, 7 101 Gary Mason 6, 8–9 Moto Rapido Racing Ducati Ducati 1199 Panigale 15 Matteo Baiocco 11 36 Abdulaziz Binladin 1–8, 10, 12 88 Scott Smart All Splitlath-Redmond Racing Aprilia Aprilia RSV4 1000 14 John Laverty 1–9 17 Troy Herfoss 9–11 18 Mark Aitchison 7–9, 12 21 Florian Marino 1–6 96 Jakub Smrž 10–12 Quattro Plant Kawasaki Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10R 18 Mark Aitchison 6 52 Nick Waters 12 68 Karl Harris 7–12 70 Tom Grant 8–11 78 Freddy Foray 1–3, 5–7 101 Gary Mason 1–4 Buildbase BMW BMW BMW S1000RR 19 Dan Linfoot 1–4 60 Peter Hickman 5–12 77 Barry Burrell All Doodson Motorsport Honda Honda Honda CBR1000RR 20 Tom Tunstall 5–12 25 David Anthony 6–7 127 Robbin Harms 8–12 Jentin Doodson Motorsport Ducati Ducati 1199 Panigale 20 Tom Tunstall 1–4 53 Alessandro Polita 1–4 Team WFR Honda Honda CBR1000RR 22 Alex Lowes All 27 James Westmoreland All 81 Graeme Gowland 1–8 Supersonic BMW BMW BMW S1000RR 24 Patric Muff All 46 Tommy Bridewell All GBmoto Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 33 Tristan Palmer All 51 Luke Quigley All Lloyds British Ducati Ducati 1199 Panigale 53 Alessandro Polita 12 A Plant Suzuki Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 64 Aaron Zanotti AllKey Regular Rider Wildcard Rider Replacement Rider

Championship standings

Riders' Championship (key; bold denotes pole position, italics denotes fastest lap) Pos Rider Bike BRH THR OUL SNE KNO OUL BRH CAD DON ASS SIL BRH Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 The Championship Showdown 1 Shane Byrne Kawasaki 7 C 4 3 11 2 1 Ret 2 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 DNS DNS 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 683 2 Josh Brookes Suzuki 10 C 3 1 3 3 4 3 3 4 4 2 2 3 2 2 6 2 1 1 2 1 4 3 3 2 2 655 3 Tommy Hill Yamaha Ret C 2 2 1 4 2 1 Ret 2 3 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 3 Ret 4 7 7 2 6 3 612 4 Alex Lowes Honda 17 C 22 8 DNS 10 10 5 6 9 8 Ret 9 6 7 6 2 4 6 5 3 3 1 1 Ret Ret Ret 584 5 Michael Laverty Honda Ret C 6 13 6 12 7 2 1 3 1 Ret 4 5 4 4 3 3 3 2 7 7 3 5 10 3 Ret 581 6 Tommy Bridewell BMW 6 C 11 16 5 7 5 6 Ret 5 6 6 7 8 5 7 9 5 9 4 6 5 6 4 7 5 4 577 BSB Riders Cup 7 Honda 8 C 9 9 10 14 16 12 9 11 5 5 11 9 Ret 10 8 6 5 6 8 8 5 9 4 Ret 6 182 8 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha 13 C Ret 10 2 13 6 4 Ret 6 Ret 4 5 4 Ret 5 DNS DNS Ret 12 5 6 16 15 8 9 10 160 9 Chris Walker Kawasaki 12 C Ret 15 7 1 9 7 7 Ret Ret 7 12 11 6 Ret 13 11 8 10 15 14 10 8 Ret Ret 9 138 10 Stuart Easton Kawasaki Ret C 5 4 9 5 3 Ret 8 WD WD WD 8 Ret 19 14 4 7 9 10 Ret Ret 5 7 12 135 11 Ian Lowry Honda 4 C 1 5 Ret 21 13 8 4 Ret 10 Ret 6 7 Ret 8 12 7 Ret Ret 14 Ret 9 13 131 12 Jon Kirkham Honda 1 C 7 7 DNS DNS DNS Ret 14 12 14 Ret Ret 14 12 14 5 12 7 9 13 Ret 12 14 9 8 8 122 13 Alastair Seeley Suzuki 2 C 15 21 4 6 11 16 16 7 7 Ret 8 13 9 11 14 13 DNS Ret 19 20 17 18 19 Ret 19 95 14 Barry Burrell BMW 19 C 14 17 18 22 Ret 10 Ret Ret 11 10 Ret 17 11 13 16 15 10 13 12 12 19 11 6 4 5 84 15 Luca Scassa Honda Ret C 8 6 13 Ret 17 Ret Ret 16 Ret Ret Ret DNS 14 16 15 17 11 8 4 11 8 6 Ret 15 14 76 16 Graeme Gowland Honda Ret C 10 14 Ret 15 8 Ret 5 8 9 9 10 10 Ret 9 WD WD 69 17 Peter Hickman Kawasaki 16 C Ret 12 16 11 Ret 65 BMW Ret 13 8 13 12 Ret Ret 10 8 18 15 Ret 16 14 10 Ret 10 7 18 Patric Muff BMW Ret C 16 18 12 8 14 9 10 15 17 11 14 Ret 15 15 21 16 12 11 11 13 15 Ret 11 Ret 13 63 19 Michael Rutter Kawasaki 3 C Ret Ret 8 Ret 15 14 13 10 Ret 14 Ret 16 10 17 11 10 22 14 17 19 18 16 13 18 15 61 20 Dan Linfoot BMW Ret C 12 11 15 9 12 11 11 WD WD 31 21 Karl Harris Kawasaki 13 12 7 9 DNS DNS 18 Ret 13 Ret 12 Ret Ret 23 22 Robbin Harms Honda 23 22 15 Ret 10 9 11 Ret Ret 12 Ret 23 23 Luke Quigley Honda Ret C 21 Ret 14 16 18 13 12 14 15 12 16 Ret DNS DNS Ret 21 14 17 21 21 20 21 Ret DNS DNS 18 24 Danny Buchan Kawasaki 18 18 4 Ret 13 18 16 Ret Ret 17 Ret Ret 17 16 25 Gary Mason Kawasaki 5 C 13 Ret DNS 18 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 18 20 20 20 Ret 14 26 Jason O'Halloran Honda 16 11 11 10 27 Tristan Palmer Honda Ret C Ret 19 17 DNS 22 15 Ret 13 12 Ret Ret DNS 19 23 18 18 18 20 Ret 22 DNS DNS 17 Ret DNS 8 28 Scott Smart Ducati 14 C 18 22 19 Ret DNS Ret 15 Ret 16 13 15 15 17 19 17 19 16 Ret 20 Ret Ret 19 Ret 16 20 8 29 Jakub Smrž Aprilia Ret 15 Ret 11 15 15 16 8 30 Freddy Foray Kawasaki 9 C 20 Ret DNS 19 Ret 17 18 16 17 19 Ret DNS 7 31 Alex Polita Ducati 11 C 19 Ret Ret 17 Ret Ret DNS 19 Ret 20 17 Ret 5 32 Mark Aitchison Kawasaki 15 DNS DNS 3 Aprilia 16 Ret Ret DNS 14 Ret Ret 33 John Laverty Aprilia 18 C 25 26 20 24 21 18 18 18 Ret Ret Ret 22 21 20 Ret DNS DNS DNS 3 Kawasaki 21 20 18 13 18 34 James Hillier Kawasaki 15 C 17 20 Ret Ret 19 Ret DNS Ret Ret 1 Aaron Zanotti Suzuki 21 C 24 23 21 20 20 17 17 DNS DNS 18 Ret Ret 20 21 Ret 23 24 22 DNS 24 24 23 DNS DNS DNS 0 Florian Marino Aprilia Ret C Ret 24 22 Ret Ret Ret Ret 19 19 17 19 21 0 Troy Herfoss Aprilia DNS DNS Ret 18 21 22 0 David Anthony Honda Ret 18 23 DNS DNS 0 Jenny Tinmouth Honda Ret C 26 27 24 DNS DNS 19 19 20 20 20 21 Ret 22 Ret Ret Ret 25 24 Ret 25 25 25 23 21 23 0 Tom Tunstall Ducati 20 C 23 25 23 23 23 DNS DNS 0 Honda Ret Ret 19 20 Ret Ret 22 22 Ret 23 21 Ret DNS 23 24 22 19 22 Abdulaziz Binladin Ducati Ret C Ret Ret DNS DNS DNS 20 Ret 21 Ret 21 Ret Ret Ret Ret DNS DNS DNS DNS Ret Ret DNS 0 Nick Waters Kawasaki 21 20 21 0 Keith Farmer Kawasaki Ret DNS 20 0 Tom Grant Kawasaki Ret Ret DNS 23 Ret 23 WD WD 0 Victor Cox Kawasaki Ret Ret 0 Matteo Baiocco Ducati Ret Ret 0 Pos Rider Bike BRH THR OUL SNE KNO OUL BRH CAD DON ASS SIL BRH Pts

Manufacturers' standings Pos Manufacturer BRH THR OUL SNE KNO OUL BRH CAD DON ASS SIL BRH Pts R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R3 1 Kawasaki 3 C 4 3 7 1 1 7 2 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 4 9 4 7 1 2 2 2 1 1 1 482 2 Suzuki 2 C 3 1 3 3 4 3 3 4 4 2 2 3 2 2 6 2 1 1 2 1 4 3 3 2 2 470 3 Yamaha 13 C 2 2 1 4 2 1 Ret 2 3 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 3 5 4 7 7 2 6 3 443 4 Honda 1 C 1 5 6 10 7 2 1 3 1 5 4 5 4 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 1 1 4 3 6 426 5 BMW 6 C 11 11 5 7 5 6 10 5 6 6 7 8 5 7 9 5 9 4 6 5 6 4 6 4 4 253 6 Aprilia 18 C 25 24 20 24 21 18 18 18 19 17 19 21 16 20 Ret DNS DNS 19 Ret 15 21 11 14 14 16 9 7 Ducati 11 C 18 22 19 17 23 20 15 21 16 13 15 15 17 19 17 19 16 Ret 20 Ret Ret 19 20 16 20 8 Pos Manufacturer BRH THR OUL SNE KNO OUL BRH CAD DON ASS SIL BRH Pts

References

External links The official website of the British Superbike Championship