2025 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch - Race Results (1)

The first British Superbike race of the weekend at Brands Hatch saw  Bradley Ray able to pull out his now trademark gap for his tenth win of the season, but his first ever home success at his local track, Brands Hatch.

The Raceways Yamaha rider started from pole and was straight into the lead through Paddock Hill Bend, but under early pressure from Christian Iddon. That later became Kyle Ryde, with Scott Redding closing on the final laps. By then Ray had done enough to manage his gap and an issue with his bike, adding in parc ferme that it sounded different for a lap in the closing stages, to take his first ever BSB podium at Brands in style - with a win.

Ray was handed his trophy by his nan, who made a swift exit as the podium trio opened their Prosecco.

After earning a front row star in just his second race weekend since his return, Scott Redding was just on the back of the chasing riders over the first half of the race, sat in fourth.

A move at Hawthorns on lap eleven took the former WSBK rider to third, with his pass on Ryde at Surtees taking him to second. In his rhythm, consistency saw him able to lower the gap, with a final attack for the win putting pressure on Ray, with the Hager PBM Ducati rider pulling out a late fastest lap of the race - which will see him on pole for the Sunday sprint. It was too late for an impact in race one, as Ray responded, leading over the line by 1.085s.

Ryde had to fight back from a slow start and was struggling around half of the circuit, particularly getting his bike stopped at Druids, but strong on the second part of the track, which saw him able to hold third for OMG Nitrous Competitions Yamaha.
 

• 2025 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch - Practice Results
• 2025 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch - Qualifying Results

Iddon brought home his best result of the season so far in a much improved fourth after fighting for the podium spots for AJN Steelstock Kawasaki.

Also showing progress, Danny Kent was back in the mix just behind at the chequered flag for fifth for McAMS Yamaha.

Tommy Bridewell was again the top Honda in sixth, ahead of Max Cook on the second AJN Steelstock Kawasaki in seventh with Rory Skinner at the back of the same battle for position.

The Cheshire Mouldings rider mounted a comeback to fight in that group on pack, starting seventh the Scottish rider was up to third on lap one before a huge drop after several times running wide on track, which had seen him down in ninth.

Josh Brookes was also running a recovery race, just off the pace all weekend so far, the DAO Racing rider made late moved on the last two laps after a race that had been quite static by BSB standards, with some late hard passing propelling the Australian to ninth.

Lee Jackson, lost out, pushed back a place to compete the top ten behind his teammate.

Jackson had enough of a gap over eleventh placed Andrew Irwin to be confident of holding position, with the Honda Racing UK rider holding an even bigger gap over Charlie Nesbitt, who was a distant twelfth.

The remaining points on offer went to Knockhill podium finisher Fraser Rogers in 13th for TAG Honda, top rookie Scott Swann in 14th for Send My Bag Racing by IWR Honda in 14th (rival John McPhee was 17th) and Luke Hedger who picked up 15th for Whitecliffe CDH Racing Honda.

Official British Superbike Brands Hatch Records:

Lap record: Tommy Bridewell (Honda, 2024) 1m 24.767s

Brands Hatch in 2024:

Round 6:

Qualifying: 1 Vickers (2 Kent, 3 G. Irwin)

Race 1: 1 Vickers (2 Bridewell, 3 A. Irwin)

Race 2: 1 Vickers (2 Bridewell, 3 Ryde)

Race 3: 1 Vickers (2 Iddon, 3 Ryde)

Round 11 (Showdown):

Qualifying: 1 Vickers (2 Jackson, 3 Brookes)
Race1: 1 Kent (2 Vickers, 3 Bridewell)

Race 2: 1 Bridewell (2 Ryde, 3 Vickers)

Race 3: 1 Ryde (2 Bridewell, 3 Vickers)

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

Peter Hickman and Glenn Irwin remained long term absentees.

After a weekend of engine changes and breakdowns, Storm Stacey was heading to the back of the grid when, on the sighting lap, the #79 needed to pull off track again. On returning to the grid the Bathams BMW team pulled his bike back to the pits.

On the warm-up lap a frustrated and fuming Leon Haslam pulled into the pits. The Moto Rapido Ducati rider ventured back out to check to see how his bike was running, while ensuring he got a lap in ready for the Sunday sprint grid, where he will start 12th.

There were no crashes out of the race.

Championship Standings

Ray remains in control of the championship standings, growing his lead over Ryde from 52 to 56 points, now with a total of 210.

Ryde has 154 in second with Skinner moving into a clear third on 130 after Haslam failed to score, leaving him on 122.

Bridewell completes the top five on 111 - the only other rider with over 100 points.

McPhee remains ahead in the rookie standings, staying on 29, with Swann moving onto 19.