Bimota BSB rider hails “huge breakthrough” after Donington triple podium

Max Cook says the Donington BSB was a “huge breakthrough round” for him with a trio of podiums.

21 May 2026

Max Cook, 2026 Donington Park BSB. Credit: Ian Hopgood Photography.
© Ian Hopgood Photography

The Donington Park BSB round has been hailed as a “huge breakthrough round” by Max Cook after the Bimota rider was on the podium in all three races.

Cook was second in Race 1 on Saturday after leading more than half the race ahead of Scott Redding and Kyle Ryde. The two Ducati riders moved to the front in the final laps, before rain began falling on the penultimate lap which saw Ryde drop to third before the red flag came out as the three leaders started the final lap.

Sunday saw Cook on the podium again in both races, although he was behind both Redding and Ryde in the second and third races of the weekend.

Despite the drop in position it was a clear continuation of the form Cook had been carrying through the weekend – a milestone weekend for the third-year Superbike rider, although he predictably is not fully satisfied with mere podiums.

“I think all weekend’s been so consistent,” said Cook, speaking to Crash.net after BSB Race 3 at Donington.

“It’s a huge breakthrough round for me to achieve three podiums in one weekend. It’s nice to end up with this result, but for me I’d love it if I can get a little bit closer to Kyle [Ryde] and Scott [Redding].

“Obviously, they’re both world class riders and to be even on the podium with those boys is quite special anyway, but I still can pick out faults with my riding from throughout the whole weekend and just wanted to try and increase the pace a little bit.

“But it’s still early days for the Bimota and it can only get better, so when we come back here in September we should be even better.”

Perhaps the most notable change in Cook’s races at Donington compared to round one at Oulton Park – where he was fast but made mistakes – was his consistency, a product of being less tense on the bike.

“The team’s been telling me to relax all weekend and it goes to prove that that’s how you should ride this bike,” he said.

“Smooth is fast, and that seems to have gone well for me this weekend, so just got to remind myself to carry that throughout the season.”