Shane 'Shakey' Byrne claimed an emotional victory in the second MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race at Brands Hatch to claim a record-breaking fourth title to become the most successful rider in history.

Byrne reflected in the post race press conference about his rivalry with Kiyonari after the pair fought during the season for the record-breaking fourth title and how he kept his cool during the decisive second race.

Here Byrne reflects in his own words on the second race and his emotions of winning a coveted fourth crown for the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team:

"The circumstances in which I won it weren't ideal. I would have dearly loved for Kiyo to be out there with me and to try and fight with him over these three races. We had a tiny points advantage over him and only he and I that could win the championship. The fitting thing was that the two of us had both won three before so whoever did win it was going to be the first rider to ever win four.

"That said, I never made him fall down, you know I fell down yesterday and it could have gone either way. The race plan was the same as always. I started on the third row of the grid and you know some of the guys who were up near the front there were guys that I'm not normally used to racing with and they were guys that are all really, really hungry and have absolutely nothing to lose.

"Myself on the other hand, was completely the opposite situation so I got a good start and I wasn't very aggressive at all. Guys were treating the first and second corners like they were the last lap of the race and sort of shoving and barging and I thought blimey, 'let's just try and get round the first lap'. Then I looked at the guys up the track and kept an eye on who was leading and who was doing what and thought right we'll just chip away. There was about eight or nine guys in front of me and I figured it was a 20-odd lap race so there was plenty of time. I just tried to keep the pace, pass as safely as possible, and keep myself out of trouble and eventually I found myself on the front.

"I led for a lap or two and then Howie [Mainwaring] come diving up the inside of me at Druids, and he's a good mate of mine and I thought 'oi get back, what are you doing? You're supposed to be my mate!' Anyway I managed to get back past Howie and I had to up my game a little bit so I stuck a few laps in that were a little bit quicker and maintained that pace.

"I got a bit of a gap and in the end I think I'm probably the most tired I've ever been after a race because for the last six or seven laps there I was so, so tense. All these thoughts running through your mind and I thought just back off, you've got a gap. And then I thought, 'no because every time I do that I fall off!' I just didn't know what to do with myself! I just managed to bring the thing home and we won so I think it's a fitting way to take the title with a win and I'm absolutely over the moon.

"I have to say a massive thanks to Paul Bird Motorsport and Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki, to my personal sponsors, my beautiful wife and my children and everybody that's been a part of this championship. Like I said I can't say enough how sorry I am that Kiyo's not here, and how we couldn't win it fair and square with the two of us going for it, but at the end of the day you can only race who's on the track and I raced those guys and beat them to take the title so I'm delighted."




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