The riding technique that caused one rider to suffer odd tyre issue at UK WorldSBK

Tommy Bridewell says his rear tyre slipped “180 degrees” in Race 1 at the UK WorldSBK because of the way he uses the rear brake.

Bridewell took a fifth-place finish in Race 1 at Donington, his equal-best in WorldSBK and one he described as "special" afterwards.

But the British rider was open post-race about his strengths and weaknesses around the track, and why those weaknesses exist where they do.

“I’m always quite open,” said Tommy Bridewell after Race 1 at Donington.

“I’m really strong sector one, I’m really strong sector two, I’m okay sector three, and I’m fucking shite sector four. 

“It’s me. Can’t say anything else bar it’s me. 

“I lose a lot through Foggy’s Esses, I lose a lot mid-and-exit of Melbourne Hairpin, and I lose a bit mid-and-exit of the last corner. 

“Honestly, it’s because I’m using the rear brake incorrectly. We saw that just before qualifying. I can’t change it. 

“We made a change then in the race on electronics to what it should be, but I go a little bit into default mode.

“Basically, I use the rear brake too early. I jump on the front brake, and then I pull the rear brake, but it’s counteracting what the engine brake is supposed to do – I’m trying to do it manually. 

“The truth of it is, what happened is it put so much strain that the rear tyre had [rotated on the rim] 180 degrees. 

“When I caught Sam [Lowes], I had so much chatter in a straight line that – exaggerating – I could almost not see the dashboard, it was that bad. 

“I knew something was wrong, but I held onto Sam as long as I could and just had to bring it home for that. Whether the result would’ve been different, I don’t know.”

Bridewell explained the technique further: “As soon as I brake on entry, I just start to turn and I just pull the rear brake because it helps me to finish a corner off. 

“But the engine brake is freer because that’s how I like it, so when I then pull the rear brake, the bike is pushing me and I’m pulling. So, it sort of fucks it all up a bit, really.”

Donington being a track Bridewell knows so well from his BSB days, it’s to be expected that he would feel more comfortable there than a circuit he hasn’t ridden before.

But, in this case, changing his riding style is more difficult at Donington than at other places because the riding there is somewhat habitual.

“When I went to Balaton and Most I didn’t have that same issue, because I was new to the track, whereas all the years I’ve rode around here I know how to ride around here [Donington], so that habit comes in,” he explained.

“On my electronics setting, had ‘Map A’ as what I should have if I don’t use the rear brake, and for about eight or nine laps in my brain I was like ‘No rear brake, no rear brake’, and it was mint.

“Then when I caught and I was up behind maybe Sam or Yari [Montella] or whoever, I didn’t lose focus but my focus went from thinking about my rear brake to thinking about where can I pass them. 

“So, then I kind of fell a bit back in the rut, if you like. 

“So, I just need a bit of time. I need a little bit more time. 

“But, honestly, what we’re doing at the minute, finishing where we are in World Superbike…

“I look my predecessors, other BSB riders that have come in – I’m not patting myself on the back, but I don’t think I’m doing a bad job.”