Superbikes: Josh Brookes vows to launch title bid

Brookes has shown impressive pace at times this season but has been unable to record a podium finish. He has yet to get the best out of his bike in qualifying, and currently languishes outside the top ten in the standings.

The Australian knows he needs to start picking up top-three finishes if he is to get among the top six ahead of the end-of-season showdown.

Brookes has gone well at the Fife track in recent years, securing a pole position and three podiums in the past two seasons, and he hopes to produce more of the same this weekend.

Brookes said: "This weekend it is time to step it up again. We had two bad weekends at the start of the season and then the plan was to have a minimum of two rounds where we had no strive or drama and score points without any crashes.

"I have learnt a lot about the bike and I really want to have a good weekend for the Relentless Suzuki boys and give them something to be proud of.

"I am mentally prepared for this weekend and I know we need to approach qualifying slightly differently so we don't have so much work to do in the race, and then the final part of the plan is to come away with two podiums."

Another man in need of a good weekend is defending champion Ryuichi Kiyonari. The Japanese HM Plant Honda rider endured two nightmare rounds at Croft and Thruxton, managing a best finish of just tenth across the four races, and he now lies seventh in the championship, 71 points adrift of series leader and team-mate Shane Byrne.

He said: "The last two rounds have been disappointing for me and I haven't had the results that we need for the championship.

"At Knockhill I need to come back and be fighting with Shakey (Byrne] and the other riders so we can be back in the top six which is so important.

"I know I have said it before, but I am not happy unless I am winning or on the podium, so we need to find a good setting in practice and qualifying so I can push again in the race."