Winner Scott Redding praises “new Max Verstappen” Max Cook after Donington BSB race one

Scott Redding was full of awe for the lead group as he took a brave win in a downpour at Donington in the first race of the second 2026 BSB round.

Speaking to British Superbikes after the race, the Hager PBM Ducati rider was quick to praise his race rivals, especially long term race leader Max Cook, who found the rain first out front in the race:

“First of all, I want to say good job to Max ‘cause honestly, I think we got a new Max Verstappen coming on for two wheels - so we will see what he grows into, but he’s looking good!

He’s looking sharp - and he did set up a great pace out there, so I was kind of struggling to hang on the back.

I was behind Kyle and I was like, ‘ damn, that’s some pace’ but I put that aside and I just got my head down and just kept, you know, keeping the pressure on myself -just keep pushing,  keep pushing.”

The number 45 feels there is still more to come as he looks to get the maximum potential from his 2026 bike, adding:

“I’m still not riding to the full of my capability at the moment, I was doing stuff in that race, like ‘oh, that’s what I was doing last year, oh, that’s how you need to do it’ - so slowly I’m getting there.”

Redding realised that to some degree when in the race he picked up the pace to drop an in-race record lap to stay in touch with Kyle Ryde ahead, who was in turn chasing back down the gap to the leader Cook.

His move on the penultimate lap at the Old Hairpin, just before the weather worsened, saw Redding pick up his first win of the season. 

Donington was a special place to do so as it marks 18 years since a 15 year old Redding won at a windy Donington in 125cc class, becoming the youngest ever world championship grand prix race winner, with Marc Marquez, who was also 15, on the podium, in third.

Redding next touched on how his long racing career helped him manage the race situation and conditions, explaining:

“Not such a long break this winter coming up, so I feel my long career of racing different bikes, I was able to manage the situation potentially a little better than these other guys around me.

It is one of my stronger points on used tyres when the bike is not acting perfectly. I feel I can adapt myself a little better.”

Redding also revealed that he went with the flow and just passed when the time felt right, which paid off as the red flag was called after a few corners of the final lap:

“There two boys are just smooth, super smooth, and don’t really make mistakes, so you got to keep the pressure on and you know, when I made the overtake on Kyle it was unexpected for myself, but it was kind of the only place I could pass him.

But last year it’s where he was passing me.

So I didn’t expect it, but then it was - there. So I was like ’okay, let’s take it’. The rain was kind of just on the edge and I was thinking if we can just finish this race.

So it wasn’t easy, for sure, The bike was definitely not riding great. I had probably seven, eight more moments where I thought I could crash.

So I need to fix that, but I’m super happy to be on the back of the top step, I don’t want to take nothing away from these two guys - ‘cause they’re riding phenomenal.”

On being asked about the huge gap back to the rest of the field, the Ducati man could not look beyond the breakaway trio for tomorrow’s two races, again heaping praise on his rivals and their different skillsets:

“Apparently it was 13 seconds -so was quite a bit. Well, sprint race I’m going to keep an eye on Verstappen over here because I think there is going to be some potential there tomorrow. I feel quite fast straight away this weekend which is good but I just feel he’s also going to go faster - and Kyle’s good at building - so we got a little bit of a mix on what the race will be.

It’s a short race, but still long at the same time. If you do go absolutely balls to the wall, you will burn the tyre out.”

Redding will be on pole for the sprint after his earlier record race lap, with the third race also held on Sunday.