2026 British Superbikes: Thruxton - Practice Results

Kyle Ryde had planned to do an out lap, fast lap, then head back to the pits in the final session of the day, Pre- Qualifying, and the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions rider needed no more than that, finishing the day with a new fastest BSB lap of Thruxton.

Ryde showed that, at least on one lap pace, fears that the Ducati would not perform at the Hampshire track were unfounded as just minutes into the session, on a first and only run, the number one plated bike pulled out a 1’ 14.530s lap, starting behind Bradley Ray and Ilya Mikhalchik who then pulled away, finishing the remaining three sectors solo.

Max Cook came closest to the time on the AJN Steelstock bimota, appearing on track heading into the final ten minutes to also only put out one run and finish the session in the pits, 0.309s slower.

The first rider to head sub 1’ 15s on Friday, Scott Redding was also only on track for three laps, finishing third for Hager PBM Ducati.

Joe Talbot completed the turnaround for the bimota team, having been down in 15th and 16th in the earlier FP2 session, the top rookie was fourth, and the last rider within half a second of the new record benchmark lap.

Rory Skinner was the top Yamaha for Cheshire Mouldings, in fifth, ahead of a much improved Christian Iddon in sixth for Sencat Yamaha.

Danny Kent was lower than in the previous two sessions, but still safely heading straight to Q2 from seventh on the second Cheshire Mouldings bike.

Ryan Vickers also experienced a position drop - the number seven had been second in FP2, but was a solid eighth in PQ - the top Honda for Honda Racing UK.

Ray had topped the Friday results at the last round, a return to Oulton Park, but this time out was ninth for McAMS Yamaha.

Jason O’Halloran picked up four places heading into the final ten minutes to take him to tenth on the second Honda UK bike, still holding the position at the chequered flag.

Lee Jackson was taking his turn at being the DAO Racing rider to make it directly to Q2, in 11th, all the more impressive given the number 14 missed the round last season - and well ahead of team-mate Josh Brookes in 17th after a difficult opening day for the Australian.

The final progression slot went to Mikhalchik. The rookie, the only BMW rider left in the class, finished twelfth despite some late pressure.

That came from Leon Haslam. The Moto Rapido Ducati rider had topped Q2, so looked to have top five pace, but late out of the pits, the former champion saw his first flying lap cancelled for course cutting, with his next effort leaving the Ducati rider 13th.

Further back, Glenn Irwin was the victim of several different electrical issues over the course of the day, leaving him low on track time and 19th on the second Nitrous Competitions entry.

Bathams AJN rider Storm Stacey did not make it onto track for the final PQ session- his oil cooler issue was not fixed in time, leaving him last with no laps set.

Graeme Irwin (22nd) continued as long term cover for his brother Andrew at MET fonaCAB Racing, while Joe Sheldon-Shaw (21st) returned as cover for Luke Hedger at Whitecliffe CDH Racing, who injured himself at work before the last round at Oulton Park.

Full results from Thruxton BSB PQ:

Official British Superbike Thruxton Records:

New outright BSB lap record: Kyle Ryde 1’ 14.530s (Ducati, PQ, 2026)
Old outright BSB lap record : Josh Brookes 1’ 14.655s (Ducati, 2019)
Pole record: Kyle Ryde 1’ 14.143s (Yamaha, 2025)
Fastest lap record :Bradley Ray 1’ 14.539s (Yamaha, 2025)

2025:

Qualifying: 1 Kyle Ryde (2 Bradley Ray, 3 Leon Haslam)
Race 1: 1 Kyle Ryde (2 Danny Kent, 3 Max Cook)
Race 2(sprint): 1 Danny Kent (2 Kyle Ryde, 3 Bradley Ray)
Race 3: 1 Danny Kent (2 Bradley Ray, 3 Christian Iddon)

FP2

The second session was just 25 minutes, with Haslam’s top time set with 15 minutes to go still the best lap at the chequered flag. The Ducati rider was under observation during the session for a possible technical issue, but was never shown the black/orange flag.

Vickers had a purple sector three heading into the final two minutes on track, which helped elevate the Honda rider from 13th to second, 0.082s slower in a much closer session, with Ryde’s FP1 effort at the time faster as FP2 ended with the temperature on the rise.

Redding had led before Haslam, remaining third quickest, with Ray and Kent completing the top five, just ahead of team-mate Skinner.

There were mixed fortunes at DAO Racing with Jackson seventh, While Brookes was still struggling in 20th.

Ryde was eighth on an old tyre and the last rider within half a second of Haslam’s lap.

Brookes was not the only rider with issues in the second session -  signs were already not positive for Glenn Irwin, who, as with FP1 spent more time in the pits than on track, in 18th.

After his huge run in FP1, by contrast FP2 saw O’Halloran do the least laps, just five, leaving him in 22nd ahead of big improvements in PQ.

FP2 Results:

FP1

Time constraints at Thruxton shorted the sessions, with FP1 weighing in at 50 minutes. That saw most of the riders back in the pits after the first ten minutes as they adjusted their runs accordingly.

Ryde was sat in 18th in the early part of the session, but was untroubled, returning to first move to a solid sixth, then go top, improving his lap further for a 1’15.087s session best.

Haslam also improved to finish second, with long term leader Ray pushed back to third.

Kent looked on form at a more favoured track, finishing his opening stint fourth, but over half a second from Ryde, with a 0.735s gap. Stacey was in a similar area time-wise, to complete the top five, just ahead of a close Cook in sixth and Redding in seventh.

Glenn Irwin did the least laps in the session, with just eleven under his belt after a prolonged stint in the pits, finishing ninth.

The opposite was true of O’Halloran, keen to re-learn the track on his return, the Australian put in 31 laps to finish 16th, tied on times with 15th placed Skinner.

Mikhalchik was the best of the rookies in 11th.

FP1 Results: