British Superbike STK/SS/Junior STK Saturday round up from Brands

2023 British Superbike Championship
Round Six – Brands Hatch GP Circuit
Saturday

Superbike Qualifying

Tommy Bridewell delivered an inch perfect performance in a wet Superpole session at Brands Hatch to take Pole Position ahead of the Saturday afternoon BikeSocial Sprint Race.

Bridewell had the edge over his rivals to hold an impressive 0.643s advantage at the chequered flag after the 12 minute wet session where the 15 riders battled for their place on the grid this afternoon.

The front row positions constantly changed in the closing minutes as the riders continue to adapt to the first wet session since pre-season testing at Silverstone earlier in the year, but Bridewell had the edge from Ryan Vickers, who had topped the dry times yesterday.

Josh Brookes fired the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad into the final place on the front row as three manufacturers locked out the top three positions with Jack Kennedy surging to fourth in the final minute to head row two.

Kennedy is joined by Leon Haslam and Danny Kent, with the pair both eased onto the second row in the final minute of the session as Glenn Irwin climbed to seventh on his final push for a time. Kyle Ryde and Jason O’Halloran complete the third row and Peter Hickman rounded out the top ten.

Superbike Qualifying Results

Superbike Race One

Ryan Vickers claimed his first British Superbike victory at Brands Hatch on Saturday afternoon in a shortened BikeSocial Sprint race. The LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rider held off Danny Kent before a red flag for track contamination. The race was not restarted and half points were awarded as two-thirds race distance had not been completed.

At the start, championship leader Tommy Bridewell launched into the lead, but Vickers was determined and as the BeerMonster Ducati rider had a big moment, he took advantage and made his move at Stirlings.

Kent was in close contention too and as the leading trio crossed the line for the start of lap three, he was able to get better drive out of Clearways to take second and ease Bridewell back into third place.

Vickers and Kent were controlling the race at the front, with a slight edge over their rivals as the pair, both fighting for their first Bennetts BSB race win, made a break from the chasing pack.

Vickers had a few moments, but he was able to keep Kent at bay, but behind Christian Iddon had moved his way into third and he was bidding to close down the pair. However, the race was red flagged for track contamination, and was not restarted due to track conditions.

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That meant Vickers became the sixth different race winner in 2023 Bennetts BSB with Kent and Iddon sealing podiums for the first time this season, making it nine different riders to score top three finishes so far this year and the first in the series for the Lovell Kent Racing Honda team.

Jack Kennedy and the Mar-Train Racing Yamaha team also took advantage of the conditions, with the reigning Quattro Group British Supersport champion celebrating his best result in Bennetts BSB with a fourth place, edging just ahead of Jason O’Halloran and McAMS Yamaha.

Leon Haslam was sixth for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team, meanwhile Bridewell dropped to seventh, but still maintains his championship lead with 26.5 points now separating him from his BeerMonster Ducati teammate Glenn Irwin who finished in tenth place.

Storm Stacey was eighth after a hard-fought performance for Starline Racing Kawasaki ahead of Peter Hickman who led the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team effort.

Superbike Race One Results

Ryan Vickers – LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha

“I am so happy to have taken my first win and I can’t thank the team enough. It is an amazing feeling. There have been times in the last couple of years when I didn’t think winning would happen again, but I had people who believed in me, and with this team and package I am in a really good place.

“It is difficult to know what a rider is doing behind you, especially in the wet as Danny was stronger in some areas, but then I was stronger in others. You don’t know when someone will make a move, but I was riding my own comfortable pace. There was one corner that was tricky, but I was consistent and I just was hitting my markers and was focused on my own race.

“I felt comfortable leading and I felt happier being there, especially in wet conditions. I could see my pit board was +0.1 and it was difficult – I just tried to make no mistakes. We feel in a good place for tomorrow, I need to thank everyone who has supported me as without them over the last few years I wouldn’t be able to experience this amazing moment and I am going to enjoy every minute of it.”

Bennetts British Superbike Championship Standings

Superstock 1000 Race One

Alastair Seeley became the first rider not on a Honda to take a series win this season as he beat Joe Talbot by 1.467secs at a wet Brands Hatch.

As points leader and polesitter Dan Linfoot crashed out while running in sixth position on lap nine, Billy McConnell took third ahead of Richard Kerr, as Lewis Rollo rounded out the top five.

Brayden Elliott recorded a top ten finish on the DAO Kawasaki.

Superstock 1000 Race One Results

Superstock 1000 Championship Standings

Supersport / GP2 Sprint Race

Richard Cooper was back on the top step of the podium for the second time in as many hours after destroying the opposition to take the Sprint win.

Aboard the Russell Racing Yamaha, Cooper was running second on lap two when championship leader Tom Booth-Amos retired.

Hitting the front, Cooper put his head down and quickly built up a solid lead to eventually win by 5.135secs.

Ben Currie was second after fighting back through the field after being down in 15th on lap one – and went back to the top of the points standings as a result – while a delighted Zak Corderoy celebrated his first class podium in third.

Rhys Irwin was fourth and off the podium for the first time in a while, as Eugene McManus was fifth on the Completely Motorbikes Triumph to make it five different manufacturers in the top five.

Tom Toparis was ninth across the line on the Macadam Yamaha. Countryman Seth Crump went out of the race early.

Over in GP2, Harry Rowlings took his first class win this season as he finished 12th overall, with Joe Collier second and Cameron Fraser third.

Supersport / GP2 Sprint Race Results

Supersport Points

GP2 Points

Supersport Cup Points

Junior Superstock Qualifying

Sam Laffins will head the grid for Sunday’s Junior Superstock race at Brands Hatch, after beating Owen Jenner to the top spot by 0.068secs.

With championship leader Aaron Silvester left languishing in 22nd after a crash, Louis Valleley ended the session third to take the final front row spot.

Just behind, Cameron Dawson will lead the second row with Declan Connell alongside him in fifth.

Young Aussie Jacob Hatch will start from 24th on the grid.

Junior Superstock Qualifying Results