Ashford racer Leon Camier returned from Silverstone empty-handed after a rain-affected weekend in the World Superbike Championship.

The meeting began promisingly enough for the FIXI Crescent Suzuki rider, pictured, after he set the fastest time in practice and almost claimed his first-ever Superbikes pole position after taming the downpours during the Superpole session - only to be pipped by the Czech Republic’s Jakub Smrz.

However, with a race one podium in sight, Camier crashed on a wet part of the track at the Becketts complex with four laps left. Kawasaki's Loris Baz won the race.

Race two was reduced to just eight laps due to heavy rain, but any hopes Camier had of picking up some of the half points available ended when he was forced into retirement with an engine problem. The spoils went to Sylvain Guintoli of Ducati.

Camier returns to action in Moscow on August 26.