"I was top Yamaha, taking fight to Ducati" on my BSB comeback - Bradley Ray

2022 BSB Champion Bradley Ray marked his return to the British Superbike Championship with a victory in Race 1 at the Oulton Park BSB, and followed that up on Monday with a third place in Race 2.

It meant a solid start to the season for the rider returning from World Superbike, and for the hastily organised Raceways Yamaha team, who formed in the final weeks of the winter break to provide a ride for Ray after the temporary collapse of OMG Racing.

“It’s really good,” Ray summarised after BSB Race 2 at Oulton Park.

“Obviously, a lot has happened in the winter with the [OMG Racing] team and luckily Steve [Rodgers] and Raceways have put something together literally probably four weeks ago now coming into round one.

“It was a bit touch-and-go for a while, but it couldn’t have gone any better.

“I haven’t ridden, or raced competitively, for the last two years, obviously World Superbike was quite difficult for me; but to be up front and have that winning feeling again and that fire back in me was really good.

“I can’t really complain about the weekend with the win and the third.

“Overall, happy, the team did a mega job, and it’s just the start – we’ve still got 30 races to go this season.

“So, a lot of work to do but we’re in a good place, I feel good on the bike, and the more I ride the more faster I get and the more comfortable I feel.”

Ray was also pleased to have been able to fight against the Ducati riders, such as Glenn Irwin and Race 2 winner Leon Haslam – both of whom seemed to have better tyre life than Ray.

This was something that the Raceways Yamaha rider felt was about his lack of time on the bike, rather than a specific advantage of one machine over another.

“I don’t know if it’s an advantage, I think I just need more time with this bike and a bit more testing,” he said.

“But I was top-Yamaha all weekend, always taking the fight to the Ducati; the Ducati was very strong this weekend and it was difficult to make a pass when they got in front.

“But, overall, being the fastest Yamaha and fighting with the Ducati was good.

“I think we’re not a million miles away on setup, we just need more time.”