Kyle Ryde reacts to second at Snetterton: “I was melting!”

Kyle Ryde was ominously over half a second away from the pace of rival and former teammate Bradley Ray in qualifying with his fellow Yamaha rider translating that into a gap of over five seconds in the opening British Superbike race at Snetterton.

The OMG Nitrous Competitions rider was pragmatic, and happy to see gains at a track where Ray has been a triple winner back in 2022, choosing to focus on gains, Ryde said:

“Very happy with how I rode in the race, in qualifying, and yesterday - Brad is very good around this track, he’s won many races round here and I’ve managed to close the gap from what I was used to  - he did an electric lap time in the race but I think overall, on pace, it was only a couple of tenths, but I was on the limit and I couldn’t keep up to be honest”.

• 2025 British Superbikes: Snetterton - Race Results (1)
• 2025 British Superbikes: Snetterton - Qualifying Results

With a win looking unlikely, the reigning champion turned his attentions to keeping a back to form Tommy Bridewell behind, pulling out a similar gap of his own over the Honda rider, adding:

“So I was just trying to keep Tommy behind me, which was difficult - it was only the last five laps I think, Tommy must have had a gap to fourth and he gave in so I gave in as well and just dropped the pace a little bit because I was melting!

The first twelve laps was a very fast race for sure - I don’t think you can go any faster than that - I mean, I think at that point probably Brad was four or five seconds in front of me, so difficult race.”

Unlike those who have found the adaption to the 2025 tyre difficult, Ryde believes that the compound today allowed them to keep the pace so high at the front despite the hot, airless conditions at the Norfolk track:

“I think the tyres helped that - it’s been qualifying in every race we’ve done, I mean I did a .471 in qualifying and a .471 in the race and Brad matched his qualifying time in the race as well so in think if it was on the tyre from last year we’d have to save it a little bit more and it wouldn’t be so hot, difficult on the bodies”

Ryde concluded his post race interview by turning his attention to the shorter sprint race to begin Sundays race action - “long story short, I’m very happy and we’ll try and find something for tomorrow, 12 laps might be a bit easier, it’s a bit cooler as well, but definitely time to find to catch Brad up, but I’m happy with how I’ve rode today.”