Redding needed to ”ride through it” for Brands Hatch BSB comeback win

Scott Redding was dejected after having no reply for the pace of BSB sprint winner Kyle Ryde at Brands Hatch, but chose to dig in and bounce back for a victory in the final race of the meeting.

The Ducati rider, speaking to British Superbikes after the race, compared his emotions to those of Ryde after Snetterton and explained how he used them to fuel his comeback, explaining:

“I was just a little bit, I don’t know, upset, with this one. I feel a little bit like, I guess, how Kyle felt at Snet when he got the penalty with the him and Brad thing and sometimes, like you’re not upset, you’re not disappointed.

Sometimes , as a rider you just need that little bit ‘cause your fine tuning the motorcycle and sometimes you’ve just got to ride through it.”

A change of routine for the Hager PBM man helped him stay focused, sacrificing the family time that lured him back to the championship for time to work on his bike issues, while also being inspired by seeing Oli Bayliss pull off a double in the Supersport class, spurred him on, Redding added:

“Normally, like I go back, I chill, I see my son, have lunch. I didn’t - I was debriefing a long time - we put our heads together as a team. I ate food in the truck and I was just, like, I was just a bit upset really - with myself - not being able to perform how I should.

I managed to go for like a 10 minute power nap, come straight back down - saw Oli (Bayliss) got the dub - like now it’s my time, I got to do something. And i just had that feeling, like sometimes you just need that - and, for me, having such a long career, sometimes it’s easy to fall into an easier rhythm - and having these young guys just keep pushing you all the time, like - it’s good, but sometimes  you got to push over your limit a little bit more.”

The number 45 then went back to the race, describing how important the start was, especially given the pace that rival Ryde had shown over the weekend, with both riders using Ducati machinery:

“I got a dynamite start, which I needed, and normally when you need it , it don’t come, because you try too hard, but I got a mega start. Thought I was going to holeshot from the second row. Didn’t hang about  - went straight up the inside of Brad into turn two and just got my head down. I pulled a gap a 0.8 I thought, right if I can get this over, like, 1.2 I can save a bit of tyre, ‘cause I know Kyle will still be there all the time.”

Another factor that has affected the Brands Hatch weekend had been interruptions after crashes, with Redding also needing to manage a safety car release, which he did, staying ahead and re-building his lead:

Then the safety car came out, and I was like, yesterday, red flag, today safety car - like I ain’t having it.

“Safety car was a long time.Two laps - It’s quite a long time around here. The  when the safety car come in, I knew Kyle would try to have a go into turn one, so I defended that best o could and I really didn’t feel good for two laps. I felt quite slow, but no-one could pass. I was riding a bit defensive.

I felt like I was controlling the situation, and then I got a bit of a gap again. I was like ‘ oh, it’s growing, but then Kyle was coming back again, ‘cause in all fairness, he just had a little bit more pace than me.”