Jack Kennedy predicts “five or six rider battle at the front” of 2025 British Supersport races

After securing a fifth British Supersport title in 2024, Jack Kennedy says he is anticipating stronger competition at the front of the field in 2025.

The British Supersport Championship welcomes rookies such as National Sportbike runner-up Edoardo Colombi on a Ducati Panigale V2 run by TAS Racing, and former British Talent Cup rider Carter Brown on a JDM Racing Yamaha, in 2025.

But it was a rider familiar with the Supersport class who perhaps made the biggest impression at the recent Oulton Park BSB test, as Rhys Irwin was fastest in-class on a Suzuki GSX-R750.

Kennedy, though, was only 0.065 seconds adrift of his compatriot’s time, although also behind 2024 rival Luke Stapleford.

“I think there’s a lot more people in it this year, and I’d like to think there will be a five- or six-rider battle at the front instead of two or three like last year,” Honda Racing UK’s Kennedy said when speaking to Crash.net at the Oulton Park test.

“There’s a lot more entries in it, there’s even more manufacturers in the class again, so I think the class is stacked and hopefully it provides great racing.”

The Dublin rider was positive about his test, even though with the Supersport and Superstock classes on-track at the same time during both tests there was not a lot of free air to be found.

“Really good,” Kennedy summarised. “A lot better [at Oulton Park] than Donington, obviously, with the weather, some consistent dry days and no spitting rain, so that’s been good.

“The track was very busy with riders, so it was hard to get a clear lap, but I feel like we worked through a lot of stuff, we got back up to speed with this track, familiarising ourselves with the track and the new [asphalt] on one of the corners as well.”

Expanding on the new surface, Kennedy said that Island Bend had been resurfaced to eliminate the bump on the exit where there was previously a join.

“Island Bend has been resurfaced, so there’s no join in the [asphalt] on the exit which makes it better for the exit, but at the apex there’s more of a bump now than there used to be,” he said.

“So, that’s not ideal, so we have to hang a bit wide to avoid the bump. So, although there were some improvements with it there’s still some issues at Island Bend.”

In general, though, Kennedy was able to draw positive conclusions about the final test before the first round.

“I feel like it’s been a successful test, even though we’re P3 overall and not P1 it’s not the end of the world, it’s only testing, and we’re only 0.065 seconds off pole, so there’s literally nothing in it between the three of us,” he said.

“So, looking forward to the race weekend here and I know we will find more time when it comes down to race weekend you push that extra bit.”