The Bennetts British Superbike Championship Showdown rolled on in Assen with an action-packed Sunday that delivered both redemption and fresh storylines. After Saturday’s rain-shortened sprint, Sunday offered the chance for a full-distance battle and full points, and the riders didn’t disappoint. Across the two feature races, fans witnessed Christian Iddon finally grabbing his first win of 2025, Rory Skinner charging from deep on the grid, Bradley Ray making valuable championship gains, and Scott Redding staging a late-race masterclass to close the weekend.
Race 2: Christian Iddon Breaks Through
Christian Iddon lined up on pole for Sunday’s first contest, the AJN Steelstock Kawasaki rider brimming with confidence after showing blistering pace in the wet before his trip through the gravel in Race 1. This time, though, there were no mistakes. Iddon launched cleanly and immediately set about dictating the rhythm, but he never had the luxury of cruising away.
Bradley Ray shadowed him in the early laps, piling on the pressure and forcing Iddon to respond every time the gap dipped on the pit board. When Rory Skinner stormed through from the back to join the leaders, Iddon had to dig even deeper. Skinner, starting an incredible 18th on the grid, sliced through the pack with trademark aggression and was on Iddon’s tail by the closing laps.
The difference came down to tyre choice. While most riders ran soft rears in the damp conditions, Iddon gambled on a harder option, hoping to take advantage of drying lines. It proved a shrewd move — his pace held strong to the chequered flag. After 18 laps, Iddon crossed the line 1.241s clear, taking his first victory of 2025, his first win at Assen, and delivering Kawasaki their maiden triumph of the year.
Skinner’s ride was equally headline-worthy. From 18th to 2nd on the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati, he proved both tyre choices could work in tricky conditions. Ray, meanwhile, rode smart rather than reckless, especially after his Race 1 tumble. He secured third for Raceways Yamaha, keeping his title hopes very much alive.
Behind the podium trio, Tommy Bridewell made steady progress for Honda Racing UK, dispatching Leon Haslam late on to grab fourth. Haslam’s wide moment at Turn 1 cost him a potential rostrum and dropped him back to fifth. Charlie Nesbitt and Fraser Rogers staged a race-long duel, eventually finishing sixth and seventh.
Championship leader Kyle Ryde endured another scrappy outing. Starting ninth, he dropped to 12th as he cautiously felt out the wet Dutch track. But in the final laps, Ryde found his rhythm, set the fastest lap of the race, and muscled past Storm Stacey at the final chicane to salvage eighth. Stacey still claimed top BMW honours in ninth for Bathams AJN, while John McPhee rounded out the top ten on the second MasterMac Honda.
Elsewhere, Max Cook faded after an early charge that had him running as high as third, eventually finishing 11th. Rookie Scott Swann continued to impress with another solid points haul in 12th. Danny Kent, hampered by pain and setup issues, ended up a muted 13th after his podium heroics the day before.
Lee Jackson showed grit on his return from injury, winning a scrap for 14th, while Scott Redding endured a dismal run to 15th. After briefly surging into the lead in PBM’s special Hager anniversary colours, Redding slipped backwards rapidly, salvaging the final point by just holding off Josh Brookes. Glenn Irwin, out of the saddle more than once, could manage only 17th.
Race 2 Result – TT Circuit Assen
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki)
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +1.241s
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) +2.848s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +4.963s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati) +7.278s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +9.973s
- Fraser Rogers (TAG Honda) +10.776s
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Yamaha) +11.195s
- Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN BMW) +11.372s
- John McPhee (MasterMac Honda) +19.676s
Race 3: Redding Roars Back
The Assen weekend ended in dramatic style with the third and final race, a contest that required two starts thanks to more rain showers. The first attempt was red-flagged after just four laps when the weather worsened again. When the race restarted, the grid was reset based on positions from lap three of the original run, putting Scott Redding up in eighth after a storming early recovery.
Donning PBM’s special Hager livery, Redding smelled an opportunity to make amends for his Race 2 struggles. Once the lights went out for the second start, he charged forward with precision overtakes at Assen’s classic overtaking zones — Turn 1 and the final chicane. Soon he was locked in a three-way scrap with Leon Haslam and Kyle Ryde.
The final laps were breathtaking. Each of the trio led at one stage, with Haslam even pulling a bold double pass on both Iddon and Ryde during the first start before the red flag. This time, though, it was Redding who timed his run to perfection. On the last lap, he muscled past Ryde at Turn 1 and defended hard through the final sector to take victory by just 0.505s.
Haslam finished second, under half a second adrift, while Ryde’s smart but gritty ride earned him the last step on the podium — crucial for his title campaign. Bridewell came home a lonely fourth, frustrated by the red flag interruption but nonetheless consistent for Honda Racing UK.
Storm Stacey starred again for Bathams AJN BMW, fending off Bradley Ray in a thrilling fight for fifth. Nesbitt crossed the line seventh, with Skinner eighth after his heroics earlier in the day. Fraser Rogers took ninth, while Glenn Irwin claimed tenth to give Nitrous Competitions another solid finish.
Further back, Max Cook salvaged 11th as Kawasaki’s lone finisher, chased hard by Danny Kent in 12th. Lee Jackson, John McPhee, and Josh Brookes filled the remaining points spots. Rookie Scott Swann was unlucky to miss out in 16th.
Race 3 Result – TT Circuit Assen
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati)
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati) +0.505s
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Yamaha) +0.624s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +2.748s
- Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN BMW) +10.137s
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) +10.182s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +11.841s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +15.170s
- Fraser Rogers (TAG Honda) +17.652s
- Glenn Irwin (Nitrous Competitions Yamaha) +21.698s
Championship Standings After Assen
After three races at the Dutch TT Circuit, the championship fight remains wide open. Kyle Ryde still leads, but Bradley Ray cut the gap slightly, while Haslam, Skinner, and Iddon all strengthened their positions in the top six. Redding’s Sunday redemption also pulled him back into contention with a much-needed haul of points.
Standings
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Competitions Yamaha) – 391 pts
- Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) – 360 pts
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati) – 280 pts
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) – 268 pts
- Christian Iddon (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) – 240 pts
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) – 236 pts
- Danny Kent (McAMS Yamaha) – 217 pts
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) – 207.5 pts
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock Kawasaki) – 182 pts
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) – 158 pts
In summary: Assen delivered everything the Showdown promised — unpredictable weather, dramatic battles, and multiple winners. Iddon finally stood on the top step, Skinner proved his grit, Ray kept his title bid alive, and Redding reminded everyone why he’s still one of the biggest names in the paddock. With the points table still tight, the showdown rolls on with all the momentum — and pressure — building for the next round.
Images: Official BSB and AJN Kawasaki
