The Sun reviews MCE's 'I Superbiker'

The Sun reviews MCE's 'I Superbiker'

As published in The Sun newspaper 2nd February 2011.

ON THE giant screen in front of us Tommy Hill is a broken man.

He sheds tears of anguish as his dream of winning the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship ends in tatters and twisted metal in a gut-wrenching season finale.

Tommy turned up at Oulton Park with an 11-point title lead after 11 rounds and 23 gruelling races.

But six long months of hard work on and off the race circuit is destroyed by a split-second decision to go for an overtake that ends in a championship-ending crash.

Watching his nightmare unfold all over again in cinema high-definition is almost too much to bear for the young racer as he tries to blink back the tears.

Tommy, 25, of Lingfield, Surrey, has sat through the Press screening of "I, Superbiker" - a no-holds barred documentary account of four men's ambition to win the British Superbike Championship, the world's most prestigious domestic motorcycle series.

"That was hard to watch," says Tommy. "I felt like crying quite a few times during the film. It shows exactly what racers go through. The highs are incredible but the lows are really awful."

Tommy was the great British hope of the 2010 season. He was among the favourites for the crown aboard his Worx Crescent Suzuki until his Oulton Park disaster. He topped the championship numerous times as he battled the might of the HM Plant Honda team of Aussie Josh Brookes and double BSB champion and eventual 2010 winner Ryuichi Kiyonari.

"MCE British Superbikes is motorcycle racing at its very best," said Tommy. "And this film shows that brilliantly. It's amazing to see MCE BSB on the cinema screen. It's a massive sport with a great following - now hopefully people who don't know it that well can see what an incredible event it is."

The three other riders featured in "I, Superbiker" are Brookes, Cumbrian flier James Ellison (Swan Honda) and Staffordshire-based Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki).

Gary's story is that shared by most of the paddock in MCE BSB. A man with racing in his blood and fierce determination to succeed - but cursed by technical gremlins, injury and miserable luck.

Gary, 31, said: "Racing for me is all about passion, not money. My dad raced the Isle of Man TT and his dad was speedway world champion. I've been riding since I was six years old and it's still all I want to do."

But 2010 was a wretched season for Gary and his Kawasaki team. He finished 12th after a year when his bike was plagued with faults and points were hard won and hard to come by.

He said: "Racing is 90 per cent disappointment and 10 per cent off-the-scale joy. But 2010 was my hardest season ever. When things go well you feel you could pick up the world in your hands, and even when things are bad it's still an addiction!"

Gary gives a wry smile after seeing the film. His poor race season means he hardly features on the action scenes - but we get a revealing insight into the off-circuit dedication it takes to make the starting grid in the first place. And it shows the sacrifices that have to be made by family and love ones.

He said: "As a racer I was non-existent last year. I was watching the film thinking 'there's me in the background again!'" But seeing what your family goes through as you race was very emotional. A racer has to be totally selfish with a mindset focused only on race weekends."

A fired up Julian Edwards, Chief Executive of MCE Insurance added 'I,Superbiker is definitely a cut above the run of the mill annual end of season reviews. And for any MCE Insurance BSB fan it's a rare treat to see the sport we love on a big screen. And if you thought 2010 was huge, just wait for the 2011 season!'

Gary, Tommy and Josh will all be back in MCE BSB action this year. James Ellison will be competing in World Supersport. I,Superbiker will be released on March 10th at cinemas nationwide and available on DVD on Monday April 4th, RRP: £24.99, bluray £19.99 DVD. For the full list of screenings visit www.isuperbiker.com.

You can now book your advance tickets for the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season opener on Easter weekend (22-25 April) at Brands Hatch by visiting www.brandshatch.co.uk or by calling 0843 453 9000.