2023 British Superbikes Silverstone Race Results (2)

A very sunny Silverstone saw Josh Brookes take the race two win under red flag conditions as the first round of the British Superbike championship brought more excitement.

The first few laps saw the same kind of lead swapping the sprint race brought, with Kyle Ryde the early leader from pole despite a jolty start as the lights went green.

His wider line left him compromised with Tommy Bridewell having a stint at the front before Josh Brookes took over, initially pulling out a small gap for the first time in the race.

That was not to last and as the penultimate lap approached the red of the Ducati was all over the Australian's rear wheel, ready to make a move.

It was not to be as a late fall for Danny Buchan from eighth brought out the red flag, with the bike coming all the way back to the edge of the track. Buchan was aided away from the track on foot with the marshals.

The FHO Racing BMW was ahead when the flag waved, brining the #25 his 55th BSB win in just his second race in 2023 after a barren spell at Ducati - it is his first win since Brands Hatch 2020.

Bridewell was unlucky not to be able to act out his race winning plans in second, showing the PBM Ducati also has what it takes to feature at the pointy end this season, only 0.094s behind Brookes.

The BeerMonster team had plenty to celebrate with Glenn Irwin taking the final podium spot.

Glenn Irwin bounces back

Fifth in race two and seventh on the grid an undeterred Irwin was confident that he had found what was needed to be matching teammate Bridewell after morning warm-up.

Electrical and chassis changes made, Irwin was poised to make his way forward, only to get a poor start and fall back to twelfth.

There was a determination from the #2 bike as it powered past allcomers, looking particularly wobbly and out of shape as it bested first Jason O’Halloran and then Kyle Ryde to complete Irwin’s comeback for the final podium spot.

Kyle Ryde got his season of to the best possible start with victory in the Saturday sprint race around Silverstone’s National Circuit but couldn’t back that up with another rostrum visit despite his pole start.

Wide lines to maintain his speed did not pay off, allowing rivals to nip underneath the #77. Ryde fought back at turn one repeatedly but ran out of time to move back ahead when the red flag arrived, leaving the LAMI OMG Yamaha rider fourth.

With Irwin and Ryde making a real race for the final podium spot, O’Halloran lost a little ground in the closing stages to bring the McAMS Yamaha home in fifth. Speed was not the issue - his best lap should see him take pole for the final race of the weekend.

There was frantic work on the 91 bike on the grid before Leon Haslam got under way in race two. His Rokit BMW Motorrad was working fine in race conditions as he claimed sixth, clear of the riders behind.

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They were lead over the line by Jack Kennedy, who had impressed on his first race as he begins his first full season, finishing seventh. The Mar-Train Yamaha rider took his front row start and tried to stay in the mix, which me managed for the early laps on his way to another seventh placed finish.

Danny Kent was a distant eighth for his Lovell Kent Racing Honda team, just keeping Honda’s Andrew Irwin at bay as the race came to a premature close.

A much improved Lee Jackson was again the top placing Kawasaki for Cheshire holdings, this time squeezing out a top ten finish.

Twins Tom and Tim Neave spent much of the duration together on track, only split by a fading Ryan Vickers, who has wrist pain on the second LAMI OMG Yamaha, leaving him twelfth. Tom was the best of the brothers in eleventh for Honda, with the McAMS Yamaha 13th.

The final points on offer went to Luke Mossey in 14th for Tactix Lloyd and Jones BMW, with Josh Owens 15th (Crendon Honda by Hawk Racing).

A race to forget for Peter Hickman

Peter Hickman was eleventh in the sprint, but race two was a real race to forget for the BMW man.

The #60 slipped off on his out lap in morning warm-up at Luffield. Though he was unhurt, his bike was sent flipping and looked decidedly second-hand after the impact.

FHO Racing fixed up the BMW before race two and altered the calliper pistons looking for the solution to the strange crash - but he pulled into pit lane during the warm-up laps.

Back out in time to be a part of the race, there was clearly still an issue - the bike was slowing. Not wanting to be a danger to others on track Hickman pulled into the pits. As a real team player, despite his issues, he made sure he was the first to congratulate his teammate on the race win.

Official British Superbike Silverstone Records:

Old BSB Lap Record - Silverstone: Bradley Ray (Yamaha) 53.102s (2022)
New BSB lap record - Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) 52.953s (2023 - FP3)

2022 at Silversone:

Pole: Glenn Irwin (2nd Kyle Ryde, 3rd Bradley Ray)

Race One: 
1:Glenn Iwrin 
2:Kyle Ryde 
3:Bradley Ray

Race Two: 
1:Glenn Irwin
2:Kyle Ryde
3: Rory Skinner

Race Three:
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Bradley Ray
3: Andrew Irwin

Charlie Nesbitt appeared to hit the back of Christian Iddon, who was also having a tough weekend. That contact took the duo out of the race.

Liam Delves and Jack Scott also failed to finish before the final fall of Buchan ended the race.

There was one rider absent from the grid. Following his practice crash Luke Hopkins was diagnosed with a broken arm, dislocated finger and concussion so played no further part in the race weekend.

Championship Standings

It is very early days in the championship, but already close in the overall standings. Both Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell have 32 points, with Brookes placed first thanks to his race win.

Kyle Ryde is only two points behind in third, with Glenn Irwin fourth on 25 points and Jason O’Halloran fifth on 23.