Thursday 23rd August 2012, 12:36

British star Chris Harris is keen to take a leaf out of Antonio Lindback’s book and get back to enjoying his racing in the FIM Fogo British SGP in Cardiff on Saturday.

The Cornishman has carried the weight of a nation on his shoulders ever since he blitzed past Greg Hancock, Jason Crump and Leigh Adams to triumph at the Millennium Stadium in June 2007. Big performances are followed by big expectations and Harris has been battling to live up to those ever since.

The 2010 world No.6 is currently 11th in the World Championship on 46 points – level with the injured Jaroslaw Hampel, who is 10th. Harris’ season has been blighted by bike problems and his battle to find some speed in the SGP series has often left him frustrated.

But after watching Lindback romp to his maiden Grand Prix victory in Terenzano on August 11, Bomber is determined to get back to having fun – just as he did in his debut season at this level.

He said: “I remember back in 2007 we didn’t put up any goals. At the start of the season, I wasn’t expected to do anything. Deep down, I wasn’t expecting myself to do anything.

“When I went into the Grand Prix, I said that if I got five points from each round, I’d be happy. That’s a point a race and I knew I was in the elite competition. But now I expect more and I know I’m capable of doing it.

“That first year in the Grand Prix was about enjoying it and having fun. Like Antonio Lindback said after winning in Terenzano, he’s having fun again and that’s what it’s all about.

“When you’re having fun, the results come. He won his first Grand Prix and he has had a lot of attempts at it. But he is a good rider, he’s started enjoying it again and we saw what happens – you get results like that.”

It’s hard to have fun as a rider when your equipment lets you down. Harris feels he can beat the best with a fast bike beneath him. 

He said: “When you have a lot of things go wrong and breakdowns when it’s out of your control, it’s tough. If engines blow up, it’s not my fault or the mechanics’ fault. If the engine goes, it’s something that has happened inside, which is what the tuners look after.

“A lot of people have criticised me this year and said that all I’ve done is whinged and moaned. They say that I’m just using the same old excuses and blaming my equipment. But people can see that when you break down, you can’t win races.

“When I’ve won races, I won them quite comfortably and I’ve beaten some good riders this year. I’ve beaten the ones at the top of the table. It shows I can do it.”

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