BSB tyre concerns eased at warmer Oulton Park test

A cool and windy test at Donington Park had been the first time the BSB field had ridden with this year’s newer, slightly softer rear tyre in the UK, but concerns that emerged in the Midlands over tyre life were eased somewhat at a warmer test in Oulton Park.

The Cheshire circuit will host the opening round of the 2025 British Superbike Championship on 3–5 May, and provided much warmer conditions than at the preceding test at Donington Park when it hosted the final preseason test on 23–24 April.

Following the test at Donington Park, Leon Haslam told Crash.net of his own concerns over tyre life, saying “I think everyone had a bit of an issue here with the new tyre,” while adding that he expected the Oulton Park test to be “a different story”.

Speaking to Crash.net at the Oulton Park test, Danny Kent said that he, too, thought that “the whole grid” has been struggling for tyre life at Donington, and added detail that there is an issue with the performance of the tyre after it has been heat cycled – meaning it’s been used on-track, put back in a tyre warmer after the rider has pitted, and then used again.

“At Donington we were struggling – not just me, I think it was the whole grid, really – that, with a new tyre, the grip was good but when you came in and put the tyre warmers on and [went] back out, the tyre would drop off massively,” Kent said, adding that he felt the warmer temperatures at Oulton Park had helped the problem at the final preseason test.

“[It was] probably something to do with the track temperature and the cold wind, but coming here the tyre life seems much better than it did at Donington,” he said.

“That was one thing that we knew could be a problem for the coming season, but it’s been better here.”

He added: “At Donington it was really bad. We’ve come here and it doesn’t seem to be as bad as what it was.

“We’re just putting it down to track temperature and wind. So, I guess it’s going to depend on weather on the day.”

DAO Racing Honda rider Josh Brookes confirmed Kent’s comments, and added that Donington’s surface could also be a factor in the difference between the tyre performance there compared to Oulton Park.

“In Donington, the wind chill factor was higher than [at Oulton Park], so that cools the surface of the tyre obviously,” he said.

“Then also Donington’s surface, since they’ve resurfaced it, is generally – no matter which bike you’re on – harder on the tyre, it does sort of grain the tyre surface up unless you’ve got a really sweet setup.

“So, I think it’s a combination of two factors there.

“Here, he’s [Kent] right and I’ve experienced the same thing; it wasn’t as bad [at Oulton Park] as Donington but it’s still something to worry about if we don’t find a solution.”