Recently crowned 2011 Canadian Superbike Champion Brett McCormick rounded off his remarkable year with some impressive riding at world level. Offered a late season berth with the Garnier Alpha Racing Team in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Brett managed to turn in a pair of solid performances on the BMW S1000RR in the last two races of the season.

At Magny-Cours Brett worked his way from a starting position of 19th to a credible 13th at the flag. A fortnight later at Portimao, he overcame a recalcitrant gearbox to make the run from 15th on the grid to a solid 10th place finish.

It was in post-race Superbike testing at Portimao where eyebrows were raised. On Monday's media day, Brett, doing the legwork for a Canadian bike magazine, was able to sample several of this year's class-leading superbikes. The next day Pirelli's Giorgio Barbier arranged a Tuesday afternoon test session with Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing.

On the Ducati 1098R campaigned by Jakub Smrz, and with only 30 laps available, Brett got down to work and was soon circulating consistently in the 1.44s with a best time of 1.44.2, putting him ninth fastest among the series regulars also testing on the day. Compared to riders' fastest laps in Sunday's action Brett's time of 1.44.2 would have put him right in between the 9th and 10th place finisher in both superbike races.

Currently evaluating his options for 2012 Brett has now returned to Saskatchewan in Canada to play ice hockey, his second favourite sport.