A rollercoaster of an opening BSB round for Oxford Products Racing Ducati

Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Team Manager Ian ‘Hammy’ Darbyshire reports back on the opening Bennetts British Superbike round held at Navarra last weekend.

To start we had a week of testing. In short, we found another good feeling with the Superbike and found a really impressive race pace, giving all of us confidence coming into the race weekend. Ben also had a good test on the Supersport bike. He very clearly had pace from the off being top of the sheet regularly. Although things did get a little more complicated after a crash at 156mph which put the team on the back foot. A late-night rebuild and loss of track time meant qualifying was going to be a little unknown.

Qualifying
First out was Ben on the Panigale V2. The bike went out after a short warm up and certainly not with the feeling or confidence we had before the crash. Ben found his inner dog and bit the screen on his last lap to put us P2. After such a huge crash and a bike that was built hours before the session Ben showed his class, so huge credit to him.

Christian then went out for Warm Up and instantly felt comfortable. Previous track action and good pace saw us straight through to Superpole.

Superpole
We had such good promise for Superpole. Unfortunately, Christian just didn’t have the same feeling he had on the Wednesday test, mainly down to the high track temperature. He dug deep and 10th on the grid is where we started. He clearly pushed hard as there were a few moments, but as Navarra is such a hard track to pass we knew it was going to be tough.

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Supersport Race 1
Race 1 came and Ben was fired up and wanting to reward the team’s hard work from the week with a good result. Many will know the race didn’t go our way. After lots of battling and really good racing within the rest of the field we saw ourselves faced with a long lap penalty. Ben simply didn’t see his board or the race gantry. Failing to serve saw us with a ride through. Due to missing this we ended the race P2 at the flag but with the time penalty added the official finish result was P11.

Supersport Race 2
Ben’s fastest lap saw us start from P2 again. After a mega start Ben settled into what is a field full of class this year. A few laps in Ben and Stapleford clearly had the pace on the day and started to pull from the pack. Wheels to wheel, the boys swapped positions before Luke’s pace showed to be stronger. Ben looked to just settle into a rhythm and bring strong points home. But around two seconds behind, and just short of the finish line, Luke’s bike cut out meaning Ben took the win just over the line. Never the way we like to win, but this is racing, and maximum points is always the aim. But we felt for Luke as he rode faultlessly all weekend, so credit to him.

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Superbike Race 1
Starting P10 on the grid here we always knew it was going to be a tall order. It’s a circuit with seven first gear corners, little room for errors, and the fastest corner on the calendar. The lights go out and Christian sets off making a good start and taking a few places, finding himself for a fair few laps fighting it out with Hickman before breaking through and settling into the race. Other than Nesbitt showing some pace behind him it was a case of bringing it home as strong as he could. P10 to P6 was actually a fantastic result which the team were very pleased with. Christian’s fastest lap however saw us starting Race 2 from 13th.

Superbike Race 2
Starting P13 was going to be a huge ask to finish at the sharp end. The lights go out and Christian gets a ‘lightning’ start. A few laps in and he’s sitting behind the front pack as seven of them breakaway from the field very quick. Front pack all hit mid race distance and the Yamahas show their strength at this circuit and start to break the pack. Christian settles and gets into his own race pace and looking really strong. With seven laps to go Haslam was in front of Christian but was looking to lose some grip, with Christian making nearly a second on him each lap. Unfortunately, we ran out of laps and Christian came home in 5th. But this from 13th felt like a top three result. Huge credit to him for never giving up. These two races showed a clear path of where the rider needs to focus, and also where the team needs to focus.

We head into Round 2 fifth in the Supersport championship, fourth in the Superbike championship, and third in the team standings.

With the winter season not only seeing huge bike development, there has also been big change with staff and structure. We are so pleased with the round, and mega proud of the team’s aptitude towards what was a really challenging week.

We left Spain ready for a couple days off but are more motivated than ever to build on the opening round and show everyone what we are capable of. Thank you to everyone for the amazing support this weekend.

Oxford Products Racing Ducati make a successful start to their 2024 BSB season at the R&G Official Test at Donington

Oxford Products Racing Ducati were in action at Donington Park over the weekend for the R&G Official Test, the first event on the 2024 calendar for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Christian Iddon and Ben Currie had many new parts to evaluate on the Panigale V4R and V2 respectively. Both riders were very happy with how the team’s and their own efforts over the winter break had paid off, with all now firmly focused on the next test and opening race round, both taking place later this month at Navarra, Spain.

SBK: Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #21)

“First test of the year in the bag. I've been doing this a long time, but it never gets any easier. You still get the nerves, and you still get the anticipation of going out and going hard.

I've done a bit over testing over winter on a Ducati V2. They’re just as hard to ride fast as the V4, but you've got more time to work on yourself and I think it’s stood me in really good stead.
So, for the first day at Donington, instead of me trying to get myself up to speed, I felt pretty much that from first run out that we were assessing the bike straight away rather than waiting for me. I went out on last year's set up. We had all the new physical parts on but went out on last year's electronics and I was really surprised how difficult the bike was to ride, especially having been on the V2 over winter, and off the race bike for several months. It was almost like seeing it with fresh eyes and I was surprised at how difficult it was.

The boys then put the electronics package in that they've been working on over winter and instantly it just completely changed the bike. It was incredible. It's really rare that you get a moment like that, where it's such a such light bulb moment where it just flicks the switch, and the bike so much better, instantly much more rideable. It was doing things that felt more normal as a bike, and I was super happy.

The new physical components on the bike have all been really positive. We've got different fuel tank, subframe and exhaust, and it seems to have really grounded the bike on entry to the corners. So yeah, all in all it's been really, good. I've not been particularly setting the world alight in terms of times, but I feel super happy with the way the bike, team and myself are going about our business.

I've been really good later in the runs on old tyres too, which is important in this championship. If we can box off that one lap speed just for qualifying and getting towards the front to start with, then we've got all the pace, as much pace as anyone, towards the end of the race. So, a positive test. Massive thanks the team over winter. Last year was hard, but they’ve all come out swinging this year, so it should be good.”

SSP: Ben Currie (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #1)

“There are a lot of new parts that are homologated for this year on the Ducati V2, so it’s a bit like a brand-new bike. We’ve changed the bike quite a lot and I know Wilf’s put a lot of work in designing the bikes’ chassis, pre-set up if you like. There’s been a lot of months of homework and analysis to try and come here to the Donington test with a pretty good base.

The key in the pre-season was designing the package. Wilf and the guys did an amazing job on the chassis modelling program, Zero Chassis, they nailed it.

Day 1 we started off just working through the programme we planned, evaluating each separate part; what it does, the positives, the negatives. We’ve been trying to fine tune an overall package. The weather played ball, the temperature was good, so the first day testing was an absolute tick.

Going into Day 2 it was just a matter of waiting and hoping that the weather would play ball so we could pick up where we left off. Unfortunately, in the morning it was just a little bit hit and miss, with weather blowing in and even more severe wind. The wind was always going to be one of the main factors of this test, more than the temperature. But luckily in the afternoon, despite some little spits of rain, I felt we managed to piece it all together and go out there and push. It was really the first time throughout the whole test that we really dug in to try and do a lap.

But what an amazing job the team have done to fine tune the bike. We haven’t been doing massive changes during the test, but they’ve really tuned those fine details and given me the confidence to push. Even with those spits of rain and 30mph gusts we were only two tenths off last year’s pole time I did here. Hats off to the boys, our hard work has paid off over winter.

Now we pack up and head to Spain, evaluate the data, see if we can make another step, and go start the season properly.”

Ben Currie ends his Championship winning on a high despite a crash in his final race

Ben Currie got his last race of the 2023 season off to flyer on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati Panigale V2. Starting from pole he had already amassed a lead of 1.234s by the end of his first lap around the Brands Hatch GP circuit but his charge was put on hold after the safety car came out briefly after multiple riders crashed out at the Cooper Straight.

By half race distance Ben's advantage was 1.294s and he looked like he was going on to wrap up his winning year in style with another victory to his tally. But with four laps to go and a 3s lead, Ben lost the front on the left hander at Surtees, bringing his season to a premature end.

Ben Currie
Oxford Products Racing Ducati #1
2023 British Supersport Champion
"We've wrapped up the championship obviously a round ago, but we're here to do the celebration. It's been a fantastic debut season on the Ducati and with the Oxford Products Moto Rapido V2.

I'm absolutely over the moon to be a part of this team. I'm looking forward to the future with them. It's been an absolute crazy season really. We just got stronger and stronger, almost a fairy tale finish with a win, but unfortunately with a few laps to go, I crashed out of a three second lead. But we’ll put that one behind as we go into the winter with a big smile, a big gold number one, and ready for next season.

I can't wait. I just want to thank everyone that's involved. All my sponsors, friends, family, everyone that supported me. I couldn't do it without them, honestly. We'll see you next year."

Christian closes his 2023 BSB season at Brands with a sixth place finish

The end of Christian Iddon’s BSB season didn’t go to plan at Brands Hatch today. He was looking strong in the penultimate race running in fourth, only to suffer a high side on the exit of Druids.

Christian was taken to the medical centre but was declared fit to take part in the final race of the season, where he finished in sixth place to take ninth in the championship with a total of 306 points.

Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #21)
"That's the 2023 season done and dusted. It's been quite a long way off where we expected it to be. But there's been some flashes of some real nice times. We've definitely made progress from the start, where we were really sort of bit lost at sea and we've ended the season pretty strong to be fair. I think if I hadn't of had that crash today, then we could have been fighting a lot harder in that last race.

But it is what it is, and we'll learn and come back stronger next time. A big thank you to the team, to Ducati, to Oxford Products, to all the sponsors of the team and to all my personal sponsors, I really appreciate everything. Let's come back stronger next year."

Ben Currie charges through the field to finish his penultimate race of the season in sixth

After wrapping up the Supersport title last time out Donington Park, Ben Currie’s Oxford Products Racing Panigale V2 proudly sported the number one plate for the final round of the season at Brands.

Sadly a technical fault saw him unable to post a competitive time in qualifying meaning a 27th place grid start in tricky conditions.

On a charge, Ben was up to 19th by the end of his opening lap around the Brands GP circuit and took another five positions the following lap. 

He continued to push throughout the Supersport sprint race, setting consecutive fastest laps and going on to take the chequered flag in sixth and see him start the final race of the season from pole.

Ben Currie (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #1) – 6th
“Bit of a rollercoaster. First qualifying this year that we’ve had a disaster, qualifying back in 27th position, obviously not what we’ve set out to do on the back of four pole positions. But I managed to pick my way all the way through to sixth place. Ten laps I had, managed to do the fastest lap of the race and put it on pole for tomorrow. Couldn’t be happier.

Luckily enough the championship’s wrapped up so we can afford these little mishaps and enjoy these races. Huge thanks to the team, tricky conditions out there, they gave me a great bike. Roll on tomorrow where we can hopefully battle for the win.”

Fifth for Christian Iddon at Brands

The final Bennetts British Superbike round of the season kicked off at Brands Hatch this weekend. But a sudden downpour put a halt to proceedings for a while, resulting in a delayed Sprint Race of just 10 laps this afternoon around the Brands Hatch GP Circuit.

Christian Iddon lined up for the opening race at the back of the third row in ninth. But a great start saw him up to sixth by the end of lap one, climbing another couple of places in the following lap. And by lap three Christian was up into third position behind Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) and Jason O'Halloran (Yamaha).

A pass by Tommy Bridewell at Surtees put Iddon slightly wide on lap four, dropping Christian back down to sixth behind the charging Glenn Irwin.

Iddon was still sat in sixth at two thirds race distance behind Leon Haslam, only for the Kawasaki rider to crash out at Surtees ending his own title hunt.

Christian took the flag in fifth behind the BeerMonster Ducati teammates, but with an advantage of 1.883s over Peter Hickman (BMW) in sixth.

Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #21) – 5th “The weekend so far has been pretty good here. I felt good on the bike in all conditions, because we’ve had every condition going. The race then was a little bit frustrating really. I got a really good start from my ninth place grid start and managed to work my way into third at one point and felt pretty good.

Tommy came up the inside and as he did I just ended up on the damp patch and it meant I lost a few more places and got in a battle. I then had a funny feeling with the bike, and as the race went on I trusted it less and less so hopefully we can rectify that. We’d used a different tyre than what I used all weekend so it’s probably just a case of that.

I think we could have had a podium, but we didn’t, so something to work on for tomorrow.”