2026 British Superbikes: Assen - Qualifying Results

After a Superpole style session at the last round at Cadwell Park, qualifying in Assen a return to a full Q2 session for the first Showdown round of the BSB championship, with  Leon Haslam  securing pole position after mastering the wet conditions at the TT Circuit.

The Moto Rapido Ducati rider went straight out on intermediate tyres, and was faster than those who ventured out on wets, with the slick tyre riskers heading straight back in to change.

The number 91 immediately set the best time, which he then lowered before the weather worsened to a 1’ 43.90s to secure pole for race one.

Ryan Vickers looked set to go faster than his then second place, but pulled into the pit. The Honda Racing UK rider , who had been quickest in the earlier drizzly FP3 session, was sure from his track time that a intermediate rear and front wet would work best for him. Vickers had dropped to seventh by his return to track, but then used his tyre change to go back to second, a closer 0.129s behind Haslam.

Danny Kent was also quick to a tyre which suited him, allowing the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha rider to complete the front row.

Championship leader Kyle Ryde had slipped to seventh before bouncing back to third, only to start dropping back again, The Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions rider found himself behind Max Cook for a tow on his final lap to the chequered flag to move back up to fourth, and ahead of nearest title rival Scott Redding.

Scott Redding finished fastest on Friday in mixed conditions, as title rivals Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde both fell, to lead the way to the Q2 session. Like for many a change of tyre was needed for the number 45 before he secured fifth for Hager PBM Ducati.

Jason O’Halloran was briefly second when running with team-mate Vickers on his way to sixth, with Rory Skinner the best of the Q1 graduates in seventh on the second Cheshire Mouldings entry.

Storm Stacey was late to set a lap before popping up in third heading into the final five minutes, before being pushed back to eighth on the Bathams AJN Ducati.

Glenn Irwin was ninth quickest on the second Nitrous bike, while Cook finished as the top bimota in tenth.

Ilya Mikhalchik had planned another run on different tyres, but the change was not done in time, so it was gloves off in the ROKiT BMW Ducati garage, finishing 11th as the top rookie in the session.

Bradley Ray was on pole at the last round and posted the best time on Friday in FP2, which was quicker than the more vital Practice session, but still had no time set deep into the session, with his late dash only enough  for 12th for the McAMS Yamaha team.

Official British Superbike Assen Records:

BSB lap record: Bradley Ray 1’ 35.579s (Yamaha, 2025)
Pole record: Bradley Ray 1’ 35.579s (Yamaha, 2025)
Race lap record : Scott Redding 1’ 36.032s (Ducati, 2025)

2025:

Qualifying: 1 Bradley Ray (2 Scott Redding, 3 Charlie Nesbitt)
Race 1: 1 Scott Redding (2 Leon Haslam, 3 Danny Kent)
Race 2 (sprint): 1 Christian Iddon (2 Rory Skinner, 3 Bradley Ray)
Race 3: 1 Scott Redding  (2 Leon Haslam, 3 Kyle Ryde)

Q1 - Rory Skinner gets early lap to lead as rain arrives

The rain was spitting as the BSB bikes headed out on track for the first qualifying session, with early laps guaranteeing Q2 passage.

Skinner was solo for the best lap in the session with DAO Racing rider Lee Jackson (14th in Q2) and MasterMac Honda’s Rhys Irwin (12th in Q2) setting their best runs right after the Scottish rider.

The rain worsened rapidly, with umbrellas up and bikes in with nine of the fifteen minute sessions left to run.

That left Christian Iddon in fourth, shuffled out of the top three in the short time on track, having gone to the top of the times on his lap aboard the Sencat Yamaha behind Josh Brookes, for 16th on the grid.

Iddon did head back out when the rain flags were removed but did not improve his position in the wet.

Andrew Irwin was fifth in Q1 on his return from injury with MET fonaCAB Racing.

The departure of Charlie Nesbitt at TAG Honda sees Scott Swann make a return to the class in Assen. Currently third in National Superstock in 2026, he qualified 22nd. BSB also no longer features Brayden Elliott or the NP Racing Honda bike.

Full results from BSB Qualifying: