Three third places “the maximum” for Bradley Ray at Oulton Park BSB

Bradley Ray insists he had no margin to improve his results at the Oulton Park BSB despite finishing third three times.

Ray was a BSB winner at Oulton Park at the 2025 season opener and again last October when he started 14th on the grid.

This year’s first Oulton Park round, though, saw Ducati dominate, filling four of the first five positions in two of the three races and having three bikes in the top-four in Race 3 as well. 

McAMS Yamaha rider Ray was the only non-Ducati rider to finish on the podium at round one, but he was unable to seriously challenge for victory in any of the races, or get the better of Leon Haslam for second, despite starting the last race from pole position.

Despite missing race wins, Ray was content with his first round, feeling he’d got everything out of the weekend he could.

“Honestly, to come away with three thirds, every race we absolutely done the maximum we could,” Bradley Ray told Crash.net after Race 3 at Oulton Park.

“We improved the package into Race 3; obviously starting pole I knew I had to try and get out in front and set my rhythm which was good enough to stay there for quite a few laps. 

“But there was nothing left out there, especially that last race; I tried to do everything perfect and we can be proud of the job we’ve done as a team – non-Ducati and we’ve been in the fight with the Ducatis this weekend, especially that last race we made a good step. 

“We should be proud of what we’ve done, hopefully we can go to Donington, try and find a little bit more. 

“Obviously, top speed is the main thing – we’re able to get out of the corner well, but just losing a bit on top end. So, nothing down to the team, the next Yamaha is miles down and there aren’t many others in the top where we are that aren’t Ducatis. 

“The job we’ve done is really good: three podiums, three solid results, points on the board. Just got to keep working.”

Ray added that the Yamaha is able to get off the corners competitively compared to the Ducati, but that that as the engine speed rises the Panigale V4 R’s advantage over the R1 grows, despite the Yamaha being in the best shape it’s ever been in his opinion.

“The Yamaha’s strength is corner speed and when you’re behind the Ducati it’s difficult to do what you want to do on the Yamaha,” he explained.

“It’s just cat-and-mouse a little bit in the race: they gain, so I have to push a lot more on the front of the bike to gain lap time. 

“But it’s just [that] as the revs go up the Ducati keeps pulling and we just sort of stay still a little bit. 

“But the bike’s the best it’s ever been, the Yamaha is in the best window it’s ever been: the chassis’ good, the engine is strong, the lap times are super-strong, unbelievable, really.

“We’re doing, as a team, the maximum we can do, so we’ve just got to be proud of that and keep working on that way.”

McAMS Yamaha team owner Steve Rodgers echoed Ray’s thoughts that being the one non-Ducati rider at the front of the races was something to be encouraged by.

“A great start to the championship,” Rodgers told Crash.net.

“It’s difficult, obviously, the new Ducatis are very good. He’s [Ray] the only one that’s taking it to them and we’re doing our best, and see what we can do at the next round.”

Rodgers added that the Raceways team had been able to increase the power output of the bike on corner exit to try to stay with the Ducati, and Ray has to “deal with it”.

“We’ve improved it quite a bit over the weekend,” Rodgers explained.

“If you look through the speed traps, we’ve gained 6mph since FP1. 

“We’ve never had as much power dialled into the bike, especially second, third [gear], where we’d [previously] be more conservative just to get grip. 

“Now we’ve sort of got to put everything we’ve got in and let him deal with it.”

Ray left the Oulton Park round 12 points adrift of Kyle Ryde, who was unbeaten at the season opener.