Emmett: I hope Dean doesn't get better!

Former BSB championship contender Emmett had been due to ride the team's Ducati 1098 Superstock machine, but was promoted to the Superbike seat when Thomas injured his ribs during free practice. Emmett went on to finish ninth in both of Sunday's wet races.

"It was fantastic," Sean told Crash.net Radio. "I got the chance to ride the Samsung Suzuki courtesy of Dean breaking two ribs on Friday. Enzo [di Clemente] just asked me if I wanted to ride it and obviously I jumped at the chance. I've never ridden a Suzuki Superbike so I was intrigued anyway and it's a really good bike.

"It's John Reynolds' championship winning bike from 2005. It's a really well sorted bike with good speed - both in the wet and the dry. I adapted to it really quickly, which always shows it's a decent bike, and today I had two ninths. And they were really good, solid, ninths - they weren't gifted to me. I'm really pleased. The problem is I just want to be back on a Superbike now!"

So how does it feel to be returning to the Superstock championship for Oulton Park?

"Well I'm hoping Dean doesn't get better!" he smiled. "But I think he may. He's broken a couple of ribs, so they said two to six weeks. If he doesn't get better then I'm back on it there, if he does then I'll just have to bite my lip, get back on the Superstock machine and hopefully get something for next year"

Emmett was clearly fired-up after his Superbike return and the former grand prix rider admitted Knockhill had been just the boost he needed after several hard seasons on uncompetitive machines.

"I've had a tough few seasons and it can be a bit soul destroying; you get down and you start thinking 'am I really enjoying my racing?'" he explained. "I've definitely got two or three years left in me and today has been a great fillip for me. I've got more motivation now; I realise that I do like racing bikes, I've still got something to give to the sport and I want to be on a Superbike."