2025 British Superbikes: Oulton Park (Showdown) - Practice Results

There was a change of format for British Superbikes with the introduction for the next two rounds of The Showdown portion of the season, with the free practice sessions followed by a dedicated Pre-Qualifying session, which finished under a red flag, with Leon Haslam fastest.

After several delays and timetable changes for the weather, the PQ session saw several changes of lead in the dark overcast weather, with the Moto Rapido Ducati rider back at the top of time times as the session was halted for a crash for Luke Hedger at Druids. With only one minute and fifty-two seconds left, there was not enough time for a lap, so the session was not restarted  - leaving the #91’s time of 1m 45.245s leading the way into Q2.

Christian Iddon had been in first moments earlier, with his time pushed down to second, just 0.080s slower as the riders who are stronger in the tricky, changeable and damp conditions continued to come to the fore.

Behind the AJN Steelstock Kawasaki was Charlie Nesbitt, who too enjoyed a spell at the top of the timesheets on his way to third for MasterMac Honda.
 

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A late surge from Josh Brookes took the DAO Racing Honda up a further four places to fourth, surpassing Raceways rider Bradley Ray, the top Yamaha in fifth after a considered performance given the conditions.

Fraser Rogers was third with five minutes remaining, shuffled back to sixth at the red flag for TAG Honda.

Storm Stacey had topped both of the two FP sessions on Friday on his way to seventh for Bathams AJN Racing BMW.

After an early assault on the clock and featuring around the top of the timesheets, championship leader Kyle Ryde settled in to finish the opening day eighth for Nitrous Competitions Yamaha.

Max Cook was a close ninth on the second Kawasaki. 

Tommy Bridewell left it to the final ten minutes of the twenty minute PQ session to arrive on track for his out lap, then struggled to stay inside the top twelve in a group of riders on similar times, frequently swapping positions on his way to complete the top ten for Honda Racing UK.

The remaining two Q2 automatic places went to Hedger, who had done enough before his late fall from his Whitecliffe CDH bike to hold eleventh and a much improved Davey Todd in twelfth for LEW 8TEN Racing BMW Motorrad.

Andrew Irwin continues his recovery from arm surgery following his Donington Park crash. Honda Racing UK have Supersport rider Dean Harrison making a BSB return as his stand-in, who just missed out on Q2 after being pushed back to 13th.

Danny Kent is also absent, with McAMS giving a British Superbikes debut to Superstock rider Kam Dixon at Oulton Park, which did not go as well, missing the PQ session after a fall in FP2.

If fit, that will leave him with Scott Redding who lacked track time at Oulton Park - the Hager PBM rider was still in WSBK at the first visit to Cheshire this season, while many riders returning from injury were cautious in the sketchy conditions including Lee Jackson, Peter Hickaman and Glenn Irwin, who will all feature in Q1.

FP2 started in the same way as FP1 with a Jamie Davis bike issue, this time a Cascades.

The second session was topped by Stacey, comfortable in the wet, with Nesbitt again running well on the damp track in second, and Bridewell third.

Ray was again ahead of Ryde, this time in fourth and fifth respectively.

Rory Skinner was a faller again in the second session, crashing at Knickerbrook with 14 minutes left to run. The Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider was taken to the medical centre for a check up.

He Scottish rider had company as replacement rider Dixon slid off again, this time at Hizzy’s.

Official British Superbike Oulton Park Records:

Bradley Ray (2025 QP R1 - 1m 32.851s)

Oulton Park in 2025:

Round 1: 
Qualifying: 1 Ray (2 Ryde, 3 Haslam)
Race One: 1 Ray (2, G irwin, 3 Haslam)
Race  Two: 1 Haslam (2 G Irwin, 3 Ray)

Oulton Park in 2024:

Round 2:
Qualifying: 1 Ryde (2 G Irwin, 3 Vickers)
Race One: 1 G Irwin (2 Iddon, 3 Ryde)
Race Two: 1 G Irwin (2 Bridewell, 3 Iddon)
Race Three: 1 G Irwin (2 Iddon, 3 Vickers)

Round 9 (Showdown):
Qualifying: 1 Ryde (2 Brookes, 3 Bridewell)
Race One: 1 Ryde ( 2 G inrwin, 3 Vickers)
Race Two: 1 G Irwin (2 Kent, 3 Haslam)
Race Three: 1 Ryde (2 Bridewell, 3 Stacey)

The day began abruptly for BSB with a weather contingency timetable seeing the class on track sooner than expected.

It was not enough to dodge the start of the incoming wet weather, with the rain flags out for showers during the session.

That did not slow the riders in FP1, with Bathams BMW rider Stacey returning to the top of the timesheets on his last lap on track with a wet best of 1m 45.470s.

Bridewell put in the joint most laps as he tried a series of small changes on his Honda UK bike to second 0.091s behind. Iddon, Nesbitt and Haslam, all at one point at the top of the standings over the session, completed the top five.

It was safety first for the title contenders with Ryde inn 14th and Ray 16th in the changeable conditions.

Davis was first out of action with a technical issue while the weather was still just overcast, at Dentons.

There were several crashes as the rain arrived, with replacement Dixon off at Old Hall,  Skinner slipping away at Lodge while McPhee needed a medical check after his spill.