Josh Brookes heads to Assen with a 22 point deficit in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings, but the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha rider is fully focused on closing down Leon Haslam in the two races on Sunday.

Brookes was the second highest points scorer in the opening Showdown round at Oulton Park last time out and the Australian is ready for his return to the Assen circuit, where he claimed a double race win in his 2015 title-winning campaign.

Brookes said:

“Assen is a great circuit and it is always a round of the season that we all get excited to get to. Every round I try my hardest because that is what you need to do and treat it as if it is our last and it is crunch time now. We have to try and dig deeper and find that little bit extra, because it is crucial to do everything we can.

“My focus and aim is to do more than we can, ride harder than we have before. 22 points is a bit difference so we need to have two good races because you can’t guarantee anything. The team have done a great job to get us to where we are now and we have done more than some people expected already this year, and now I want to do more than that again. To exceed any expectations and I want to win this title.”