Ryan Vickers Thruxton BSB podium “complete opposite” to expectations
Despite recent good from Ryan Vickers was pleasantly surprised by his BSB podium finish in race 1 at Thruxton.
Ryan Vickers started sixth and, like all the riders on row two, took advantage of some poor starts on the front row to be a competitive third after the first lap, a position he would still hold after a stint in second and more than holding his own in the first race of Round seven as BSB reached round seven at Thruxton.
The Honda Racing UK rider has been working hard all season tweaking his bike to be the nearly man on several occasions in 2026 with fourth places - five in total - coming at Knockhill, Snetterton and the return visit to Oulton Park, finishing in the first off-podium position twice at the last round.
Speaking after the first race to British Superbikes, in their race reactions segment, the number 7 revealed the result had more than met his expectations after Friday, where Vickers started of the pace in FP1 before moving into second in FP2, going on to secure a safe Pre-Qualifying spot:
“It’s always exiting coming here, at Thruxton, I thought we was going to have some good results. Went out on Friday and I thought the complete opposite. I thought we were going to struggle.
Luckily, we’ve been able to make some real big progress this morning. The racing is always fantastic here, I couldn’t believe the pace, honestly.”
A previous double winner when a Yamaha rider back in 2024 with the OMG team before spending a year in the WSBK paddock, a return to BSB gave Vickers a chance to use his past success as something to use as a measure for how hard to push, as race pace and one lap pace in the earlier Q2 session was quick, despite the hot conditions at the Hampshire track, as Vickers went on to explain:
“We’ve won races around here before and we’re normal high 15s, low 16s and that’s really good race winning pace - and then my target has been completely blown out of the window across the first lap and I did a 15.3 and I went ‘okay, right, um, just commit to it now”, and that’s it. We was into it, and to be honest, I felt quite good at that pace.
I was really surprised. It felt like a 16.3 but it was a but it was a 15.3 and I was actually managing the tyre really well.”
Parc ferme shots revealed Vickers tyre to be in good shape for the weather, with the added confidence in grip helping the Honda rider stay in the mix for the podium positions, especially when Scott Redding started going backwards having led the way. The chance for a last lap charge vanished as Max Cook crashed trying to make up positions behind, with Vickers quick to add his best wishes for the bimota rider, who was later moved to hospital:
“I think I was holding my own against the guys around me. I think it was all probably in a similar position. I would have been able to have a good fight on the last lap if it would run the course, but hope Max and any one else involved was alright. I think it was quite a big one.
So yeah, really happy to be here, Honda have worked really hard and lets try to keep this run of momentum going.”
In closing, when asked what would be done overnight to prepare for the two remaining Sunday races, Vickers revealed his focus for improvements was on the electronics package, having already identified where on track he thinks gains can be made, adding:
“We lose too much time on the exit of the first complex. I was managing it there, but I seem to not be able to get that mechanical grip that these guys can get. Other places I’ve got a lot more. I think maybe we just look at a few things electronics-wise and hopefully give me a bit more oomph out the corner.”
