April 17, 2022

Difficult Day For MCE Ducati At Silverstone

The MCE Ducati pairing of Tom Sykes and Josh Brookes had a challenging day at Silverstone today with Brookes’ 11th place finish their best result in the two Bennetts British Superbike Championship races which comprised the opening round.

With conditions again perfect and following yesterday’s points scoring rides by both riders, the opening 30-lap race around the 1.64-mile National circuit saw Australian double BSB champion Brookes start from 14th on the grid with Sykes one row further back, which meant both riders had plenty of work to do to battle their way through the field on the factory-supported MCE Ducati Panigale V4Rs.

 

Unfortunately, the race ended early for Yorkshireman Sykes as the former World Superbike champion spectacularly crashed from the action on just the fourth lap, fortunately escaping injury, which left Brookes to fly the flag for Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team.

A good start saw him move up to 11th early on but although he dropped back at one stage, Brookes quickly regrouped and, lapping quicker than what he had done the day before, fought his way back up to 11th at the chequered flag for five more hard-earned points.

 

Brookes again started from the fifth row for the third and final race of the weekend with a battered and bruised Sykes again a row behind. The duo were immediately running inside the points and in the top 15 and by lap six it was Sykes who was the better placed in 12th, one place ahead of his teammate.

 

But as the race wore on, the duo were unable to move forward and, instead, slipped back through the field, the eventual result at the end of the 30 laps seeing Tom outside the points in 16th and Josh two places behind in 18th.

 

Josh Brookes: “We came here with high expectations particularly as we took two podiums last year but whilst we’ve been able to match our times from 2021, the pace has obviously moved on. We had a few issues in the last race so can’t really use that as a reference but we need to try a few things at the Oulton Park test next week to try and improve both the grip and the lap times. We tried a few settings this weekend and did make progress but not enough clearly, so we’ve got work to do. The test obviously has more importance now but it’s a circuit I like and suits the Ducati, so we’ll be working hard to get back to where we need to be.”

 

Tom Sykes: “The results certainly weren’t what we were expecting but it’s a unique circuit and in a lot of places the bike was working really well so I’m not panicking yet. The first race today was far from ideal and left me a bit battered, but the team made a few changes for the final race which helped. I got held up a by another rider and was losing about 0.4s in one sector so by the time I’d got by, the group ahead had gone. We definitely found something with the bike though so, all things considered, a top ten could have been possible so it’s something to take away. We’re playing catch up, but it gives us something to build on so let’s see what Oulton Park has to offer.”

 

Johnny Mowatt. Team Co-ordinator: “We’ve clearly struggled this weekend and, it has to be said, more than we thought. It’s never been our greatest of tracks, but we didn’t think we’d be out of the points so fair play to the lads at the front, they set a terrific pace all weekend. They’ve moved on whereas we’ve stayed stagnant so it’s back to the drawing board and, hopefully, the Oulton test will show we’re not as far away as we think. We’ll put this one behind us and start again at the next round.”

 

Round two of the series takes place at Oulton Park on April 30-May 2.

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (30 laps)

1 Glenn Irwin (Honda)

2 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) +0.079s

3 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki) +0.994s

4 Lee Jackson (Kawasaki) +4.032s

5 Andrew Irwin (BMW) +4.321s 

6 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha) +4.979s

11 Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +11.748s 

DNF Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati)

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race three (30 laps)

1 Glenn Irwin (Honda)

2 Bradley Ray (Yamaha) +0.864s 

3 Andrew Irwin (BMW) +2.487s 

4 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki) +2.550s

5 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha) +2.693s

6 Danny Buchan (BMW) +2.969s

16 Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +14.388s

18 Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +17.386s

 

Championship Standings (after round one)

1 Glenn Irwin 75pts

2 Ryde 46

3 Skinner 42

4 Andrew Irwin 37

5 Ray 36

6 O’Halloran 32

12 Brookes 8

16 Sykes 4

 


Images courtesy of Double Red: Josh Brookes (25) and Tom Sykes (66).

PODIUMS, POINTS AND PRIZES FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI

May 18, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team heads home from Donington Park fired up for the rest of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike season after rider Glenn Irwin clinched a second and a third in today’s two races. Irwin narrowly missed out on what could have been two wins at the iconic Derbyshire track – but he and the team leave feeling excited about the rest of the year after a strong performance. It had been a tougher start to the weekend as the team struggled with a few niggling issues, but after topping Friday’s timesheets, Irwin clocked the third quickest time in Qualifying to line up on the front row for Saturday’s race. Moving into second position at Turn One, he settled into a good rhythm and as he found himself in a three-way battle, took the lead on Lap Eight. However, a few issues struck in closing laps which left him unable to hold off his rivals and he slipped back to fourth. Determined to make amends on Sunday, Irwin once again started from third on the grid. Getting a good start, he was up to second by the end of Lap Two and quickly began reeling in leader Bradley Ray. A move for the front at the Fogarty Esses on the fourth lap didn’t pay off but he wasn’t giving up, quickly closing back in on his rival. On Lap Eight, he tried again to dive down the inside at the same spot but wasn’t able to make it, running down the slip road and slipping back to fourth. He fought hard in the remaining four laps to catch the bike ahead, making the move into the chicane on the final lap to secure third place. It was another front row start for the final race and he held third place into Turn One, settling into position for the opening laps. By Lap Eight he was challenging Rory Skinner for third and as the race reached the halfway point on Lap 10, he made the move into Turn One and moved into second position. More than two seconds adrift of leader Ray, Irwin put his head down and pushed hard, quickly reducing the gap and with three laps to go was just 0.296 behind. Once again, he tried a move at the Fogarty Esses but wasn’t able to make it work and despite pushing on, wasn’t able to pass. He crossed the line just 0.396secs behind his rival and picked up another strong haul of points. He also set a new lap record, with a 1min 28.832s on the penultimate lap. Glenn Irwin: “We’ve had a fourth, a third and a second so we’re going in the right direction. Race one was really, really tough. We had a limiting factor with the bike on Friday and Saturday which wasn’t rectified until Sunday morning, and it was a good chunk better today. “I think the Sprint race was one that we could’ve won but we made a mistake. I think in the last race we played the right game, we were patient and again we could perhaps have won. I made a similar mistake at the same corner and it left us a lot of work to do with two laps to go. “Setting a new lap record on Lap 19 was good and we may have lost a couple of points but at this stage of the year, two points here or there is nothing and I’m quite happy either way. “Hats off to the team because they worked very hard this weekend and they gave me something that was missing and it’s so much better now. We now have a bit of a break, I’ll head to the TT for 10 days and chill out but keep training hard, working harder and trust that the wins will come.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s been a very positive weekend, very consistent, which is obviously a good sign. We got there with the bike setup, I think we’ve found what we were missing at Oulton Park. “It’s still only the second round so everyone is still getting into it, learning the bike, learning the new tyre but thank you to all the boys, they’ve been mega all weekend and have really worked hard. “Glenn rode his heart out in all three races and we are definitely in the mix…now we will just keep going and look forward to the rest of the season.” The championship now takes a break until mid June, when the pack will resume duties at Snetterton.

ROUND TWO BECKONS FOR HAGER PBM DUCATI

May 14, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati squad is heading to Donington Park this weekend as the second round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at the iconic track. The team and rider Glenn Irwin will be looking to build on their success at the opening round, where the Northern Irishman clinched two second place finishes, putting him third in the championship chase but equal on 32 points with his rivals sitting first and second. It’s been a tough fortnight where the racing community has mourned the loss of riders Owen Jenner and Shane Richardson – and the team has been particularly affected by the death of Owen, a close friend of owners Jordan, Frank and other team members. Now, hopes are high that the team and Irwin can deliver a string of podium finishes this weekend, with performances which both boys would be proud of. Glenn Irwin, rider: “Looking ahead to the weekend you almost feel a little bit guilty, because obviously we all want to continue to pay our respects to Owen and Shane’s families, and when we look back at Oulton Park, the whole event is overshadowed by this sadness. “But if I was to look just purely at the riding side of things and the teamwork, I felt we did a good job. We had some difficult moments but we did well to come from 14 th to second in Race One and particularly Race two, after four laps we were 3.3 off and eight laps later to only be 0.1 off the win was very pleasing. “I think as riders, we all know what we achieved in terms of race pace over the two races, we only ever took time out of Bradley (Ray) and Leon (Haslam) and for me that was confidence inspiring. I think we fired our own warning shots without winning races which is important for our own confidence and important to cement ourselves in the thoughts of our rivals as well. “This weekend and the whole championship in general is going to be close. The three of us who were in it at Oulton will be there, I expect Kyle (Ryde) to be there and Danny Kent to also join the party this weekend…it’s going to be a good one.” Jordan Bird, Team Co-owner: “As usual, we are ready for business this weekend - although this one is a little different. We race at Donington Park for Owen and Shane. “Of course, we have a job to do but our thoughts will never be far away from both of them and we continue to send our love and best wishes to their families. “We know it’s going to be a tough weekend in many ways for the team and for the paddock as a whole but we look forward to doing the best job we possibly can in memory of Owen and Shane.”  Round Two of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship gets underway at Donington Park this Friday, May 16 with two free practice sessions ahead of Qualifying and Race One on Saturday, followed by two further races on Sunday, May 18.
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