SPLITLATH Motorsport have made positive steps with the development of their Aprilia RSV4 machine in the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch.

Hudson Kennaugh was the only one of the team’s two riders to race at the Kent circuit this weekend after the team were forced to withdraw Jenny when her bike developed technical problems on Friday.

Due to delays in many of the parts arriving, this weekend was the first opportunity both riders had to test their new bikes, and the team came into the round fully anticipating to use it as a test.

Kennaugh took to the track for both races, but pulled in to retire late on in both.

However both Hudson and Team Manager John Dimbylow come away from the round feeling positive about what they have achieved this weekend.

John Dimbylow said:

“Well that was harder than we thought it was going to be! It was always going to be a tough weekend for us, with both Hudson and Jenny sitting on these bikes for the first time and doing all of our testing during the last two practice sessions and during the race.

“But we have got lots of positives out of this weekend. It would have been easy for us just to have packed up and gone home, but we have to be realistic, these are entirely new bikes.

“We had significant technical problems with Jenny’s bike on Friday, and then similar issues with Hudson’s, but we chose to stick at it. We are now looking forward to Oulton Park next weekend where we will get some more testing and track time in.

“Let’s just say, if this was easy, then everybody would be doing it. But they aren’t.”

The second round of the 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship will take place at Oulton Park, Cheshire next weekend, April 30-May 2, when Jenny will make her Superbike debut with the squad.