Tommy Bridewell “leaving no stone unturned” in efforts to make Honda “better” in BSB

Brands Hatch hosts the fifth round of the 2025 British Superbike Championship this weekend, and Tommy Bridewell has vowed to leave “no stone unturned” as he searches for improvements with the Honda CBR100RRR-R.

Bridewell competed at the UK World Superbike round in the gap between Knockhill and the race at Brands Hatch, crashing out of Race 1 and Race 2 but finishing 18th in the Superpole Race.

This weekend (25–27 July), 2023 BSB Champion heads back to the circuit that has seen him come out on both sides of closely fought title battles in the past two seasons after a Knockhill round that saw him on the podium in Race 1.

“Rather than sitting at home for the last couple of weekends, I had the opportunity to ride in the World Superbike Championship round at Donington Park and was pleased to be right on the pace of my teammates all weekend,” Bridewell said ahead of this weekend’s Brands Hatch race.

“Now we’re back to BSB and I have such amazing memories from Brands Hatch – from lifting the championship title in 2023, and most recently, being part of probably one of the best races, arguably, of British Superbike history last year for the championship.

“It is a circuit of two halves for me. The Honda worked really strong in certain areas of the circuit and then in others we suffered a little bit, so I think this year for me has been very hard to predict our performance beforehand if I am honest.

“Snetterton was obviously a really strong round and then into Knockhill, it was ok, but the weather certainly made it a lot more difficult.

“I think from mine and Honda’s side it is the usual; we are leaving no stone unturned, we are working hard and we are trying to find solutions to make the bike better so that we can be where we need and want to be.”

Irwin: Knockhill top-10s “gave the team something to work with”

Andrew Irwin arrives in Brands Hatch having been in the top-10 twice at Knockhill last time out.

The Northern Irish rider says this should give him a bit more of a base to build on at Brands Hatch this weekend, a circuit where Irwin has been on the podium three times in his BSB career, including last July.

“We can be positive about the last round at Knockhill: three solid finishes were what I needed to get back under my belt and they also gave the team something to work with, so that when we get to Brands Hatch we can be more confident,” he said.

“We have a few changes, maybe some new parts, and I’m looking forward to that.

“I’ve had quite a few podiums at Brands over the years in Superbikes and in Supersport as well.

“It’s a track that you always enjoy; it’s somewhere that Honda is always competitive, and Tommy [Bridewell] and I stood on the podium together last year. We have to stay realistic and not expect to move from eighth or tenth to winning races.

“I feel really good, I think we will take a good step, and just keep reeling in the guys at the front.

“I think it’s better to have your bad luck at the start of the year rather than later in the season, and we can still achieve a lot in the races ahead, starting this weekend.”