BRADFORD'S Dave Brook, in his fourth season competing at Thundersport GP level, secured a third place and two fifths after a solid opening weekend at Brands Hatch.

The Clayton Heights man, who thought about switching to the higher level British Superbikes Championship over the winter, eventually decided to stay with the Thundersports, where he was fourth overall last year in what is an increasingly competitive class.

Candid in his assessment of 2015, Brook said: "I moved up the rankings but didn't progress as much as I had hoped.

"That was down to the bike and my own decision making at times. It's an incredibly fast learning curve and there can be no room for error.

"I considered moving up to the British Superbikes but have opted for another go at Thundersport GB, which is getting more competitive and the grid is filling up with some very talented riders, so I'll have to be on my mettle."

Armed with recalibrated electronics on his Team Arkoni bike, but running at ten to 20bhp down on power as he is still using last year's Superstock engine, Brook was also hampered by a new spec shock, which was okay in the dry but awful in the wet.

Unfortunately, qualifying was in the wet, and Brook finished ninth, but, after a new shock was fitted, he had a largely positive first race and finished third.

Brook said: "Race two was dry, and I crossed the line fifth after a race-long battle with third-placed man Phil Crowe, but, given just one more lap, I am sure I could have passed two more to get on the podium as I was only 0.7sec down.

"Race three remained dry but the temperature had dropped significantly, and I couldn't get the same grip on my Dunlops in the cold as on Pirellis or Michelins.

"I manager another 16 consistent laps but just couldn't go for the half a second a lap that I needed to tag onto the front boys.

"All in all it was a pleasing weekend, but more important than the placings, the times were close to the top three that it could have gone anyone's way.

"Also the error we made in qualifying has reaffirmed our wet setting and I am looking forward to Donington Park (March 26-28), and if that ground temperature comes up, it'll really bring the Dunlop tyres into proper working range, and then who knows?"