A constant presence in the British Superbike paddock since 2016, in a short time the FS-3 racing team could become the benchmark team of the Akashi manufacturer. A “small” structure that has been supported directly by Kawasaki Motors UK since last year, but is well organized. After his first podium places and successes, Nigel Snook’s team is preparing for a second challenging season to fight for the title. The prerequisites for a good performance are all given, starting with the driver pair consisting of Lee Jackson and newcomer Rory Skinner, without forgetting the brand new Ninja ZX-10RR. An updated bike, especially in terms of aerodynamics, and a new workshop (bigger and more spacious) for every need. An extremely ambitious project to finally establish itself in the BSB.
Jackson: “Important to get into the showdown”
After a successful two-year stint on the UK SuperStock 1000, Lee Jackson had the best season of his career in 2020 in terms of top-class results in the UK Championship. Always close to the top 5 and in the points in 17 of the 18 planned races (!!), at the same time he was able to earn the satisfaction of returning to the podium three years after the last time.
“Yes, it was really a fantastic season and somehow my best in the Superbike class. The team was brilliant across the board and the bike was amazing so I could concentrate on the job. I think the experience with the bike and the team was key, as was our consistency throughout the season. It was, of course, a bit of a strange season as it was a bit shorter and had no fans, but I think we showed what we can so I’m really looking forward to taking another step forward this year. “
Of the achievements that brought him eighth place and an automatic contract extension for 2021, if the goal will be to keep the “green machine” high and move into the final playoffs, he said:
“By the time we get to testing it’s always hard to know where everyone is and how their bikes are doing, but I’m really confident that we will have a great season. It will be very important to stay on the same team because that means we can focus on building on our performance from last year. This year will be more of a traditional season, which should help us. We scored points in all but one race last year, which is very important to get into the showdown. That is definitely my goal for this season; I go races to win, so From the first lap on, we’ll try to fight for podiums in every race and secure our position in the showdown. I’m curious to see how the new aero package will affect the bike and also the advantages of the higher speed range. The test cannot come soon enough! “
Skinner: “I want to go out there and win races”
As proof of the championship’s excellent health, we will see another British “champion” in 2021 with Rory Skinner. He wrote a chapter in history by graduating as the British SS600 Champion (the youngest to ever succeed) after turning down numerous offers from the World Championship, the Perth man then decided to take the big leap into the BSB to venture by signing with FS-3 Racing.
“I can barely wait for it! 2020 was a great season for me and after winning the Supersport title I knew it was time to move up. This year I will ride a 1000cc machine for the first time. but over the winter I was in Spain with a Superstock ZX-10RR and got used to the size and performance of the bike. I usually work with my dad in his motorcycle shop, but the lockdown meant that I actually had more time for my training and testing. “
A two year contract aimed at making the talented Scots easy to grow and free from pressure. But the desire to surprise everyone immediately is great.“I think it will be great to work with just one team from your family tree. They have shown that they can be at the front of the pack in a BSB race, so they know what they are doing. I was also very impressed with the team and the way they work. My dad and I went to their workshop and we discussed it on the drive back to Scotland and everything just seemed to be right. It’s also great to have a two-year contract. You made it clear that there is no pressure to perform, but two years together mean that we can take our time and build ourselves up. It’s really hard to know until I ride the superbike for the first time. I have my own goals for the year that I want to achieve and of course I want to go out and win races, but it’s a big step up and the competition at BSB is so tough. So for me it is important to take every race as it comes and see where we can improve – then comes the showdown, who knows where we could be! “