Leon Camier finished ninth in his opening two races of the new World Superbikes season at Phillip Island in Australia.

The 26-year-old Ashford based FIXI Crescent Suzuki rider made up for poor starts in both races – losing out to Northern Ireland’s Jonathan Rea in a battle for eighth spot first time out and then forced to battle his way through the field in the second after being taken out in the aftermath of a first-lap crash.

Camier’s race was over before it had started after the spill involving Welshman Chaz Davies and Loris Baz but battled his way through the field from the back, getting past another Brit Leon Haslam, whose chances were also hampered in the same collision.

Camier (pictured) said: "The first race was difficult and the bike just didn’t feel like anything we had been working on over the weekend.

"We struggled and made the wrong tyre choice. They were destroyed by the end of the first race."

He added: "I got a better start in race two and tried to make some places up early on.

"I went round the outside coming into the corner, there was a big crash in front of me and got taken out.

"It was frustrating because I felt in the second race we had the package to challenge the front pack."

Camier’s next race is in Aragon, Spain, on on Sunday, April 14, in Aragon in Spain.