Season finishes on the podium
Tommy Bridewell put in an impressive performance in the wet during the first of Sunday's races at the British Superbikes Brands Hatch season finale this afternoon.
Starting from the 3rd row of the grid in 8th, Tommy started well to climb 4 places on his opening lap around the GP circuit.
Tommy went on to pass Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) on Lap 5 for 2nd and then passed Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) to lead the race for a couple of laps.
As the thrilling race went on, the leading group of riders swapped places several times with Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki) briefly leading before crashing out. With Haslam pulling a very slight gap out at the front in the closing stages of the race the battle for 2nd was between Tommy and O'Halloran. Tommy took the position from O'Halloran on the penultimate lap to bring his Panigale R home in a strong 2nd place, matching his season-best result scored at Oulton Park with the Moto Rapido Ducati team.
Tommy Bridewell (Moto Rapido Ducati #46) - 2nd
"To be honest, just to carry the strong momentum on we've been building really. I feel really, really happy with my riding, I have done for a while now. Assen was just a bit unfortunate to be honest but it's one of them. It's been a busy time. Yesterday wasn't ideal. But it was a great race, really enjoyable. Like Jason said, it was certainly one of them races I'll remember for sure. I just sat back and watched Leon make some lunges and I thought if they both don't come down then fair play. It was a really respected race, I feel that every pass, it was thought of. Really, really enjoyed it. The downside is now I've got to try and dry out ready for Race 2. Massive thanks to Moto Rapido Ducati."
Riders Cup for Bridewell
The final British Superbike race of the season at Brands Hatch took place in wet conditions at the Kent circuit. Lining up in 4th, Tommy Bridewell didn't get the best of starts on his Moto Rapido Ducati Panigale R but by the end of the opening lap around the GP circuit had moved back up into 4th before passing the 2018 BSB Champion Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) for 3rd position. A couple of laps later Tommy put a move on Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) for 2nd place behind Buildbase Suzuki's Richard Cooper.
The two riders then gapped the rest of the field as the race went on. Tommy posted two consecutive fastest laps, but ultimately Cooper's pace proved too much to compete with. Tommy opted to bring his Panigale R home safely to claim another 2nd place, with a 7.5s lead over third-placed finisher Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki).
Tommy's double podium was enough to see him move up into 7th in the championship and claim the Rider's Cup, finishing the 2018 season on a high.
The last race of the season did not go to plan for Be Wiser Ducati, with Glenn Irwin running outside a points-scoring position and pitting on Lap 11. Andrew Irwin was on course for a Top 10 finish but crashed out of his last race for the team in the slippy conditions on Lap 18 of 20.
Despite retiring from the race, Glenn had already done enough to cement 3rd in the 2018 British Superbike Championship. Andrew finished in 17th, just behind the injured Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne he replaced at Round 4 at Snetterton.
Tommy Bridewell (Moto Rapido Ducati #46) - 2nd, Rider's Cup Champion
"To fight back from the start of the year to standing here now with another double podium, finishing 7th in the championship, it's a big achievement for me and the team. We've only just taken stride after stride after stride. Credit, absolute hats off, to the Moto Rapido Ducati. They put every penny they've got into that team. A special shout out to Ollie and Sue at Solent Scientific, longest lasting sponsor, and all my sponsors and everyone who believes in me and keeps me going. As always, dedicated to my brother Ollie. He's the one that keeps me motivated, keeps me focused. Never give up, never drop my head and I never will. So, I'm looking forward to next year. New bike, new challenge. Nothing's been announced yet but It’s going to be a phenomenal year with a super-fast teammate."
Steve Moore - Moto Rapido Ducati Team Owner
"Joining half way through the season, the Showdown was mathematically possible but realistically not, so the best we could expect from the season was P7 in the championship and get the Rider's Cup. And that's tough. That's really hard to do. They're fast guys out there. Coming into this weekend, I think we were 11th when we came here after the crash at Assen and then to have a pretty good weekend today is remarkable. Over the moon with it. We've had a little sweet spot with the bike for the setup in the wet, which we knew from Oulton Park already. Tommy felt good in the wet and we know that he's strong in the beginning of the race, so it went to plan. Very, very pleased."
Bridewell set for Ducati debut with Moto Rapido at Brands Hatc
BREAKING: Bridewell set for Ducati debut with Moto Rapido at Brands Hatch
Tommy Bridewell will make his return to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship this weekend (July 20/21/22) after securing a last minute deal with the Moto Rapido Ducati team ahead of Brands Hatch.
Bridewell and the Winchester-based dealer team will work together for the first time on Friday for the opening free practice session as the Bennetts BSB race winner prepares for the new challenge as he lines up on a Ducati for the first time in his career.
Bridewell said: “I am happy to be back racing this weekend, especially at Brands Hatch. Ducati is the only manufacturer I haven’t raced with so this will be a completely new venture and experience for me. Yes we are starting straight off with free practice but it doesn’t worry me at all, I am feeling optimistic and hopefully I can click straight away with the Ducati and can be competitive from the outset.
“From the research I have done, the Ducati seems to have similar characteristics to the Yamaha I used to race and that still is one of the best bikes I have ever raced in BSB, so I am hoping that we can just get stuck in with free practice and build from there. It’s going to be an interesting weekend for us that’s for sure!”
Team owner Steve Moore commented: “It’s been a busy ten days since Knockhill but we met with Tommy and worked out a deal. It was the obvious choice for good reason; riders like Tommy don’t get left on the shelf for long so I’m happy to have secured him.
“Now we have a massive challenge ahead at Brands Hatch this weekend. As no testing is possible, the sensible and maybe smart thing to do would be to miss this round and start a proper test program - even just a few days testing to sort the basics. But instead we have decided to go racing against established riders and teams with thousands of miles under their belts and well set up bikes, but where better to test than at a live race weekend?
“Thanks to our sponsors and my team who have made this all happen. Tommy has never ridden a Ducati or twin cylinder Superbike so we have a busy few first sessions. I can’t wait to see what happens.”
Moto Rapido Racing continue Hel Performance Motorstar campaign in 2018
After a successful season for the Case Moto Rapido Moto3 team in 2017 with 16-year-old Thomas Strudwick, the team have confirmed that they will continue their Hel Performance British Motostar project this year.
Strudwick made his debut in the British Superbike Championship paddock in the Santander Consumer Finance KTM British Junior Cup, before progressing into the Motostar class. After claiming three race wins last year, the youngster from West Sussex finished the season in third place.
Alongside Strudwick's Moto Rapido Ducati commitments, he will also feature in the inaugural season of the British Talent Cup.
Strudwick said: "I feel I had an amazing experience with the Case Moto Rapido Moto3 team last season and I'm glad we have been able to continue into the 2018 season together! It is going to be a busy season for me, challenging in two British Championships but I'm confident the training and testing that we have been doing will allow me to be successful. I'm really excited to be working alongside Taylor Mackenzie this year; he is someone that has always impressed me on a motorbike so I'm confident we can have a good season together!
“I've been working hard on my fitness and also my attitude towards racing, which from my testing so far, seems to be proving successful! I felt I finished 2017 great, being the highest points scorer in the final quarter of the season, it's crucial we can replicate this throughout the full 2018 season! I'm excited for the season to start."
Team Owner Steve Moore commented: “We are very excited to have Thomas continue on board the Case Electrical standard Moto3 for the 2018 season. We feel the project with Thomas worked really well in 2017, helping him develop his skills as a professional rider and gain the experience needed to challenge for such things as the British Talent Cup.
"The results showed that Thomas can run at the front and challenge for the championship. Our team testing plan starts in March in Spain along with Taylor on the Superbike before Thomas starts his journey to the British Talent Cup official practice. We all learnt a lot last season and there is so much more to come from the ‘Nipper’."
Taylor Mackenzie joins Moto Rapido Racing
2016 Pirelli National Superstock 1000 champion Taylor Mackenzie will return to the 2018 British Superbike Championship this season, joining the Ducati dealership-based Moto Rapido Ducati team.
The team scored multiple podium finishes in last year’s championship with John Hopkins, who continues his recovery. The Winchester based team are now looking ahead to their opening pre-season test in Spain next month, determined to build on their previous campaign with further updates from Ducati Corse.
Mackenzie returned to the premier class in 2017 following a title-winning season in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship, where he lifted the title after winning six races and scoring a further two podium finishes.
Mackenzie said: “I had an up and down year last season; developing a new bike is always a difficult task, even more so in BSB when the racing is at such a high level. I managed to grab a fifth and a seventh place when I was fit. Unfortunately for me when the big improvements came with the bike I was forced to sit and watch so I didn’t get to reap the rewards of the development work that we’d done throughout the year.
“I’m really excited to be riding a Ducati, it’s my first time riding one and a different style of riding to what I’m used to but we’ve got plenty of testing to get stuck into before the season starts so I can get to grips with it. I rode with John at points last year and was always blown away by how fast it was so I’m very excited to get the chance to ride one.
“It doesn’t really feel that strange for us because we’re best friends off the track and we train and ride together almost every day. We’ve helped push each other to be better than we ever would have been on our own. When I won my championship two weeks before Taz there was no way on earth he wasn’t going to win his. People keep asking me if I’m worried about him being in the same class but it’s not me that should be worried because I know how fast he is!
“I’ve got a completely new challenge ahead of me with a new bike so I’d like to start with finishing inside the top ten and then keep chipping away all season. I’ve raced in BSB long enough to know how hard it is and there’s no guarantees with racing either so we’ll just keep our heads down as a team and work as hard as we can. Everything is in place for me to have my best year yet so I’ll be doing everything in my power to make sure it is.”
Team Owner Steve Moore commented: “We are very excited to have secured Taylor for the 2018 Superbike season. While the official Hopper news was recent, John had been keeping me updated of progress through winter and realistically we knew it would be asking too much to get back to racing so soon. Our plan was always Hopper for two seasons and while we kept the ride open as long as possible for him, I have to thank John for his honesty and making the tough decision not make the start of the season.
“So I had been speaking with other riders and Taylor had been on our radar since last year. I like the idea of a new generation of British riders bringing a new wave of talent into BSB so Taylor fits well with our plan. He clearly knows how to win a title as Superstock champion and his couple of BSB seasons are valuable experience.
“Now it’s time for him to be part of a team where the focus is entirely on him and his development. I’m sure we have the package of bike, team and technical ability to bring him to the next level and stand on the podium.
“We have a testing plan that starts in March in Spain which is when he’ll see the Ducati and meet the team for the first time. We have some more updates from Ducati Corse this season and I’m looking forward to the first test. We’ll be doing our best to continue our teams progress, score more points that last season and make Taylor a Superbike contender, which will probably mean I can’t afford him for 2019, but we’ll discuss that when it happens!”
Hopper update
We send our best wishes to John Hopkins on his continuing recovery… Words from the man himself:
“Hi all, hope everyone enjoyed the holidays & are having a great start to 2018 ! Just wanted to give an update on my long road to recovery.
“Although finally up and starting to weight bare, sadly run into complications with my right knee soft tissue damage & excess scar tissue in the joint.
Still may need more ops but regardless, sadly still have a long road to full recovery forcing me to miss the start of the 2018 season!
100% motivated & doing everything possible to ensure full recovery! Thank you to all friends, family, fans and sponsors for continued support!”
We are speaking to riders for the 2018 season. News soon…