Image: Supplied.

Jason O’Halloran endured a luckless weekend in his racing debut with McAms Yamaha at Silverstone’s opening round of the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB).

The Australian started race one from P2 on the grid, controlling the encounter until the final lap, where teammate Tarran Mackenzie made contact with him in a desperate attempt for victory, knocking the number 22 down and out of the race. Mackenzie was later handed a three-second penalty and denied of the win.

O’Halloran’s woes continued in the second outing, where a technical issue ultimately forced him to retire just three laps in, recording his second DNF from as many starts.

“That’s bike racing,” O’Halloran declared. “We had a really strong weekend and worked hard all through practice, qualified on the front row of the grid and then got to the front in race one and led 29 and three quarter laps. I felt really comfortable on the bike so fair play to the guys.

“I’ve never felt so comfortable and in control of a race, but unfortunately we had the coming together at the final corner. In race two, the bike felt slow from the start but I was still coming back through when we had the issue.

“Oulton Park will be round one for me, we need to forget this weekend and focus on the positives. In my whole career I have never had so much pace, or so much control on a bike so I’m looking forward to the year ahead.”

Compatriot and former BSB champion Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) also suffered a difficult weekend, accepting a double DNF. Fellow Aussie Ben Currie (Bournemouth Kawasaki), on debut in the premier class, lodged a DNF-13 scorecard. BSB returns on 4-6 May at Oulton Park.