A selection of motorcycle racing images taken by Southampton photographer Chris Martin
Sete Gibernau Sete Gibernau crashing out of the MotoGP race at Donington Park while championship rival Valentino Rossi rides past in the background. This picture made the front page of Motorcycle News and made standing in the poring rain for hours on end worth it! My sleeves kept filling with water and I had to lower my arms from time to time to empty them.
Tommy Hill Tommy Hill on the last lap of the last race of British Superbikes at Brands Hatch. Tommy's bike hit the barrier right where I was standing. The afternoon sun was quite low illuminating his face clearly.
Craig Jones Craig Jones during a World Superbike race in Valencia Spain. This is a very fast corner near the end of the lap and the bikes come into sight over a blind crest making this panning shot very difficult. Craig was looking "through" the corner giving the impression he is looking straight at the camera.
Shakey Shane "Shakey" Byrne during a winter test session for Rizla Suzuki at Almeria, Spain. I stood on top of the garages to get a clean rear quarter angle shot showing spray and a bit of a reflection.
Jamie Robinson and Matt Layt Jamie Robinson and Matt Layt fighting for the same pice of track during a British Supersport Championship race at Oulton Park in Cheshire. This was taken exiting Druids corner where there is often a good action shot to be had.
Cal Crutchlow approaching Hilltop at Oulton Park in Cheshire. I was working for the team (Northpoint Ekerold Honda) and wanted a shot with a clean background and knew the light would be coming from the right direction to illuminate Cal's face.
Cal Crutchlow Cal Crutchlow again going for a seemingly impossible overtaking manoeuvre. He actually got past the other rider right along the very edge of the tarmac.
John Reynolds John Reynolds during practice for the British Superbike Championship at Silverstone. The tyres were worn out and John decided to have a bit of fun sliding the bike out of the last corner. Note how the wheels are out of line and the tyre is spinning shown by the smoke coming off the rear tyre.
Josh Brookes Crash Assen Josh Brookes' bike airborne at Assen in Holland. I was commissioned by the Sunday Times, Australia to cover the World Superbike Championship and knew Josh was about to enter this corner. I was unsighted as I approached the embankment and as I neared the top I saw Josh fall off and instinctively lifted my camera and grabbed this shot.
Josh Brookes Nosedive Josh's bike nosedived and stayed in a vertical position for an instant!
Michael Laverty Crash Michael Laverty being hit by Karl Harris' Honda at Silverstone during a British Superbike Round. Amazingly Michael was not seriously hurt and flew home to Ireland the same evening.

Dean Thomas - British Superbike Championship - Oulton Park.

I was hoping to get this shot and was relying on the reflection from the dashboard reflecting light into Dean's face. It shows the immense amount of concentration the riders need to race at speeds of up to 200 mph.
Rizla Suzuki - Croft Test James Haydon during a very cold winter test session at Croft circuit. I have placed the bike to the right of the frame to show the trail of spray left behind the bike.
James Haydon - Croft Test During the same test as the shot above. The sun came out and gave a nice backlit effect to this shot. It had actually stared snowing which put and end to the action for the day.
Scott Smart Scott Smart, nephew of Barry Sheene, at Brands Hatch at Easter 2010. I used a slow shutter speed to blur the surroundings to help give an impression of speed.
Shakey - Almeria Shane Byrne testing the Stobart Honda at Almeria. There are no barriers at this part of the circuit allowing a clear shot from a low angle with a clear view of the mountains in the background.
Chris Walker - Almeria Chris Walker testing the Rizla Suzuki superbike at Almeria, Spain. The brief was to get a shot with plenty of space for copy so I opted to keep the bike at an angle in the bottom right hand corner of the frame and take the shot so the bike was against the snow capped mountains in the distance.
Shane Byrne - Croft BSB A Rizla Suzuki superbike during a British Championship race at Croft. I used a shutter speed of 1/80 sec to get a blurred background giving an impression of speed. I also chose to position the bike to the right of centre.
Jonathan Rea - Cadwell Park Jonathan Rea getting some air under his Red Bull Honda at Cadwell Park. I particularly wanted to get the shot from this angle with just a small part of the track showing and the treeline in the background giving more of an impression of height.
Steve Plater - Cadwell Park Steve Plater substituting on the Rizla Suzuki at Cadwell Park. I noticed the sparks on a previous lap and waited until it happened again to get this shot.
Bob Collins - Brands Hatch Bob Collins post race celebration at Brands Hatch. Bob won the British Superstock Cup Championship.
Shakey looks back at Lavilla Gregorio Lavilla at Knockhill in Scotland. His team mate is looking back.
Cal Crutchlow - Knockhill Cal Crutchlow looking back at Knockhill, Scotland. I liked the way the bikes were brightly illuminated in the foreground at this point on the circuit.
Chris Walker - Knockhill BSB This shot of Chris Walker at Knockhill was taken as part of a brief for a publicity brochure. I needed to get the track to run corner to corner across the frame. Suzuki used a similar shot of mine on the brochure.
Richard Britton - Ballykelly The late Richard Britton testing a Suzuki for the North West 200 road race in northern Ireland. This shot was taken at Ballykelly army base and the helicopter decided to chase the bike along the airfield. The bike passed me at 187 mph so I was using a high shutter speed. The helicopter was not planned otherwise I would have chosen a slower shutter speed to blur the rotors.
James Toseland - Donington MotoGP James Toseland, Tech 3 MotoGP team, Donington Park. Slighty overhead panning shot taken at Goddards bend.
Kenny Gilbertson - Cadwell Park BSB Kenny Gilbertson jumping the Mountain at Cadwell Park, Lincolnshire. I used a slow shutter spped to blur the background.
Cal Crutchlow - Mallory Park BSB Cal Crutchlow navigating the bus stop chicane at Mallory Park. I positioned myself so I could capture the whole bike in the gap between the kerbing and the tyres on the exit. Again, I wanted to capture the expression on Cal's face.
Cla Crutchlow- Mallory Park Test This shot was taken from the inside of the hairpin at Mallory Park. Photographers are not generally allowed to stand so close to the edge but I was given permission for this shot for the team. The riders actually rub their leathers against the wall here!
Crash - Mondello Park, Ireland, Cal Crutchlow Cal's unfortunate off at Mondello Park in Ireland during a British Superbike Championship race. I was amazed how high the gravel went into the air.
Nicky Hayden - MotoGP Valencia Nicky Hayden on is way to winning the 2006 MotoGP Championship title in Valencia, Spain. The back wheel was spinning here and he was travelling at approximately 135 mph. You can just see the black line left by the spinning rear tyre.
Steve Plater - Snetterton BSB Steve Plater exiting Sear corner on the Aim Racing Yamaha at Snetterton circuit in Norfolk. It took me a few laps to capture the flame coming out of the exhaust.
Craig Jones - WSB Brands Hatch The late Craig Jones exiting Druids at Brands Hatch. I liked the way the white kerb acted as a fill reflector for this shot. Craig unfortunately lost his life at this circuit two days after this shot was taken.
WSB Brands Hatch Noriuki Haga leads the pack at a World Superbike Championship race at Brands Hatch. This was taken with a 500mm lens which compresses the perspective.
David Checa losing control of his supersport bike at Brands Hatch. One of those instinctive shots.
David Checa - World Supersport - Brands Hatch David Checa running over his own arm! I have never seen this happen before or since. David was knocked out in the crash but raced the next day and finished 6th.
Assen A European Superstock rider at Assen in The Netherlands. You can just see the rear tyre severely distorted as he takes this extremely fast right hander. I was asked to move from this spot after taking this shot. Taken while sat on the floor hand holding a 500mm f4 lens. You can just see the concentration on the riders face.

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