October 15, 2022

Top Ten For Sykes At Brands

The final round of the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship got underway at Brands Hatch this afternoon, but it proved to be a mixed day for the MCE Ducati team with Tom Sykes taking a best result with a solid tenth for Paul Bird’s Cumbrian-based squad.

However, there was disappointment for teammate Josh Brookes as the former double BSB champion was hit by another rider at the first corner which left the bike too damaged to continue.

 

Both practice and qualifying saw a variety of conditions and although Sykes successfully progressed from Q1 on the factory-backed MCE Insurance Ducati Panigale V4R, both he and Brookes found their ultimate grid position compromised by a rain shower which fell just three minutes into Q2.

That meant they, along with several other riders, only managed one flying lap and the net result was that Australian ace Brookes qualified in ninth place and on the end of the third row with 2013 World Superbike Champion Sykes four places and two rows further back in 13th.

 

The 16-lap eBay Sprint Race got underway just after 4pm, by which time conditions at the Kent venue were fine once more but Brookes’ race was over before it began with several riders coming together at the first corner. The end result was that two riders crashed out with Josh pushed wide in the melee and heavy contact from another rider damaged the bike too much for Josh to be able to continue.

 

That just left Tom to fly the flag for the team with a strong start seeing him immediately move forward three places. Despite quickly closing up to the group of riders battling for eighth, none of them were able to make any passes on each other. That meant Tom had to settle for tenth place at the chequered flag, which consolidated his 12th place in the championship standings.

 

Tom Sykes: “I got unlucky in qualifying today as I was on a good lap when the rain came down at the far side of the circuit and that meant my starting position wasn’t as good as it could, and should, have been. I had a better feeling with the bike than what I did when we were here in July but was still finding it difficult in some areas. That was obviously frustrating as we had a couple of places where we were really strong, but we did what we could today and will look to make a few changes ahead of tomorrow’s races to end the season on a positive note.”

 

Josh Brookes: “The pace has been pretty good this weekend and things have been going well at a circuit I have a strong affinity with and although qualifying could have been better, the rain came at the wrong time. I didn’t string the lap together as well as I could but still had high hopes of a good result only to be victim of a first corner melee. People were being pushed wide and another rider ploughed into the side of me which damaged the bike with the gear lever bent right up against the motor. It was impossible to change gear and impossible to continue, which was obviously disappointing, so we’ll aim to end the year strongly tomorrow.”

 

Johnny Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “It wasn’t the best day for the team and the rain in qualifying prevented what could have been two really strong grid positions. With a great record at the circuit, Josh was understandably hopeful of a good result, but he was hit hard by another rider which damaged the bike considerably and to be forced out so early, through no fault of his own, was disappointing. Tom managed to avoid the trouble and salvaged a top ten result, but we’ll definitely be hoping for more tomorrow.”

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race one (16 laps)

1 Glenn Irwin (Honda)

2 Peter Hickman (BMW)

3 Andrew Irwin (BMW)

4 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)

5 Bradley Ray (Yamaha)

6 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha)

10 Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati)

DNF Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati)

 

Championship standings

1 Ray 1182pts

2 Irwin 1130

3 Bridewell 1117

4 Jackson 1095

5 O’Halloran 1087

6 Ryde 1058

12 Sykes 176

14 Brookes 145

 

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

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI WRAP-UP SUCCESSFUL TESTING PROGRAMME

April 24, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team and rider Glenn Irwin have completed another successful R&G Official test at Oulton Park, with the opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship now just over a week away. Irwin and the team have spent the last two days at the Cheshire track, grabbing as much track time as possible in the final days on track before the season begins. After ending last weekend’s Donington Park test on top, the team was keen to continue to push in the final two days, working through a busy schedule and trying a host of new components and ideas. Irwin ended the test second quickest overall after clocking the best lap of Thursday afternoon’s final session, banking a 1min 33.313s lap on his last run. He leaves feeling confident about next weekend’s opening round and can’t wait to get back out. Glenn Irwin: “That’s us finished pre-season testing and I’m feeling good. We’ve been working, working, working and the bike felt better today but we still have a bit of work to do. “It’s been really, really enjoyable, we’ve tried a number of different things and I think now we’re finding a bit of a balance. Today we unlocked something in that middle session, I did a good few 33s in that run so I think we’re strong. “It’s definitely been very productive. We haven’t gone for lap times, we’ve been focussed on getting the bike right and when that happens, the lap times come. That’s what we’re starting to see and I think we’re in a good place to come back next week and start the season.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s a mega way to finish, this puts us in really good stead for the season and we’ve got a lot of boxes ticked off with the bike. All the boys are working well, we’ve got everyone back into the swing of things and Glenn seems to be riding well, so we’re in a good window for the first round. “It’s been a long winter but all the hard work seems to be paying off and we’re right in the mix. It means we can come here for Round One and we’re in a great place to start from.” The opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend, May 3-5.

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI END SUCCESSFUL SECOND TEST ON TOP

April 19, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team continued its strong testing form at Donington Park as rider Glenn Irwin once again ended the two days fastest overall. Although the team is still not concentrating on lap times, Irwin picked up where he left off at Circuito de Navarra earlier this month as he led the way on Friday before going even quicker on Day Two with an impressive fastest lap of 1min 27.015s in the final session. After a strong first test where he topped the timesheets at Navarra, the team headed to the second R&G Official test at Donington Park looking to work on a number of different things. Irwin was consistently quick across the opening day, ending Friday fastest overall with a 1:27.022sec lap in the final session to end the day at the top of the timesheets with what was the fastest ever BSB lap of the iconic track. Along with most of the pack, he opted to sit out of Saturday morning’s first session due to track conditions, heading out for the second to work through a few more things. He again shot to the top of the timesheets with a lap of 1:27.468, before later going one better in the final session to clock his new fastest ever lap. Glenn Irwin: “It’s been really good, like Navarra, we’ve continued with a plan. Yesterday we had a really, really strong bike here and conditions were a little better. Today conditions were tougher with the wind but everyone still finds a way to go fast. “We probably persevered with a bike which is suited to the final sector, perhaps Turn One as well. As the day went on I realised we were losing a bit in some places but we stuck with it. “It’s pleasing because I would say that isn’t the bike of choice for here, perhaps maybe yesterday's bike was better, but to top today feeling like that, to do a lot of laps in the 27s with improved pace on old tyres is good. The test has definitely been a success.” John Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “I think it’s been a positive test where we’ve confirmed a number of test items over the two days. We had slightly better conditions yesterday than today but I think we’ve ticked a lot of boxes, gone fairly quick so it’s all positive – roll on Oulton Park. “The plan there is more of the same, just keep trying to understand the new tyre, try and work with it. I think longevity is going to be the key now for Oulton Park, we’ll do a couple of race runs, see how the tyre lasts and then get ready for Round One.” The team will now prepare for the final test at Oulton Park next Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24 which will be the last chance to get everything ready ahead of the first round of the 2025 season at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
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