Tommy Bridewell brought his four-year-old GSX-R1000 across the race two finish line at Croft just two seconds behind factory Worx Crescent Suzuki star Sylvain Guintoli - despite a deflating front tyre!

"It was good to be battling with the likes of Guintoli on the factory Suzuki and the works Kawasakis and Yamahas out there, but they have so much more grunt than my old girl, it's unbelievable,” said the Team NB rider after finishing 12th and 14th overall.

“I thought if I could just hang in there in race one as this is the first time I've raced a Superbike at Croft, I'd be OK and it was and then in race two, I was feeling good when the front tyre started to feel a bit odd.

“We were parked up in Parc Ferme afterwards and was about to go onto the podium when one of the guys came over and pointed out the front tyre was flat so that explained it!" smiled the 21-year-old.

Despite the tyre problem, Bridewell still recorded third and second in the Mirror.co.uk race results and is now fifth in the British Superbike Cup battle. Title leader Gary Mason won both Cup races.