McAMS Yamaha Rider Claims Second Victory of the Season After Brilliant Late Charge While Kyle Ryde Extends Championship Lead

The 2026 Bennetts British Superbike Championship produced another spectacular contest as Bradley Ray returned to the top step of the podium in Race One at Oulton Park, delivering a perfectly judged ride to secure his second victory of the campaign.

Round Six marked the championship’s second visit to the Cheshire circuit this season, but unlike the opening round, this time it was Ray who emerged victorious after timing his attack to perfection in an intense multi-rider battle that featured championship leader Kyle Ryde, Scott Redding, Leon Haslam, Storm Stacey and the AJN Steelstock Bimota pairing of Max Cook and rookie Joe Talbot.

While Ray celebrated a welcome return to winning form, Ryde once again demonstrated why he remains the rider to beat in 2026. Charging from tenth on the grid to finish second, the reigning champion extended his advantage at the top of the standings and maintained his remarkable record of finishing on the podium in every race this season.

The race also highlighted the continued rise of Bimota, with Max Cook dominating the early laps before late drama ended his challenge, while rookie teammate Joe Talbot delivered another mature performance to finish as the leading rookie.

Record Pole Position Sets Up Oulton Park Showdown

Cook Continues Bimota’s Remarkable Progress

Saturday’s qualifying session had already hinted that Race One would be something special.

Max Cook produced a stunning lap record during Q2 to secure pole position for AJN Steelstock Bimota, continuing what has become one of the biggest success stories of the 2026 season.

The British rider has transformed Bimota into a genuine race-winning package, and starting from the front row gave him every opportunity to convert that pace into victory.

Alongside him, rookie teammate Joe Talbot also produced an outstanding qualifying performance before preparing for one of the biggest races of his young British Superbike career.

With championship contenders Bradley Ray, Scott Redding and Kyle Ryde all lining up behind the front row, the stage was perfectly set for another classic Oulton Park encounter.

Lightning Start From Talbot Shakes Up The Field

Rookie Joins Cook At The Front

When the lights went out, it was not only pole-sitter Max Cook who made an excellent getaway.

Joe Talbot launched brilliantly from fifth on the grid, immediately forcing his way into the leading group and giving AJN Steelstock Bimota a dream start with both machines fighting at the front.

Cook wasted no time establishing himself as race leader while Talbot slotted alongside his experienced teammate during the opening corners.

The sight of two Bimotas leading Britain’s premier superbike championship underlined just how far the project has progressed this season.

Bradley Ray quickly recognised the danger.

The McAMS Yamaha rider refused to allow the Bimota pairing to escape and immediately settled into third position, ensuring the leaders remained within touching distance.

Lead Group Continues To Grow

Six Manufacturers Feature In Early Battle

As the opening laps unfolded, more riders joined the fight for victory.

Storm Stacey produced another aggressive opening stint aboard the Bathams AJN Ducati, while Leon Haslam soon arrived to add yet more experience to the front-running battle.

Behind them, championship rivals Kyle Ryde and Scott Redding steadily worked their way forward after more difficult opening laps.

Within only a few laps, what had started as a battle between Cook, Talbot and Ray had expanded into one of the largest lead groups seen all season.

Position changes became almost continuous.

Cook initially controlled proceedings before Storm Stacey surged into the lead, while Ray remained patient, resisting any temptation to force unnecessary overtakes during the opening half of the race.

Instead, the Yamaha rider concentrated on preserving tyre performance while carefully monitoring the pace of those around him.

Ray Waits For The Perfect Opportunity

McAMS Rider Times His Move To Perfection

Rather than attacking immediately, Bradley Ray chose a more measured approach.

The former British Superbike Champion remained firmly attached to the leading group while allowing several of his rivals to battle among themselves.

His strategy proved decisive.

As the race entered its closing stages, tyre wear began affecting several riders around him.

Seeing the opportunity develop, Ray launched his first decisive move on Lap 11.

He overtook Leon Haslam through the final corner before immediately attacking Storm Stacey as the field accelerated onto the following lap.

Within moments, Ray had moved to the front.

Unlike many earlier lead changes, however, this one proved decisive.

Once clear of the chasing pack, the McAMS Yamaha rider immediately increased the pace.

Producing the fastest lap of the race, Ray quickly built an advantage of more than one second, finally breaking the tow that had kept the leading group together throughout much of the contest.

Although that margin reduced slightly during the closing laps, Ray remained comfortably in control before taking the chequered flag to claim an outstanding victory.

His measured race management and perfectly timed attack demonstrated exactly why he remains one of the championship’s leading contenders.

Ryde’s Stunning Recovery Extends Championship Lead

Reigning Champion Charges From Tenth To Second

If Bradley Ray produced the ride of the race, Kyle Ryde was not far behind.

Starting only tenth on the grid left the reigning champion with significant work to do, particularly around an Oulton Park circuit where overtaking opportunities can often be limited.

Yet Ryde once again demonstrated the qualities that have defined his title defence.

Lap after lap he worked methodically through the field, avoiding unnecessary risks while steadily closing the gap to the leading group.

Unlike some of his rivals, Ryde carefully managed tyre wear during the early stages before unleashing his pace over the closing laps.

His final lap proved particularly impressive.

The Ducati rider produced his fastest lap of the race on the final circulation as he closed rapidly on Bradley Ray.

Although he ultimately finished 0.651 seconds behind the Yamaha rider, second place represented another hugely valuable result.

More importantly, Ryde maintained his extraordinary record of standing on the podium in every race so far during the 2026 season, extending that remarkable sequence to sixteen consecutive podium finishes.

For a championship leader, it was another demonstration of consistency under pressure.

Leon Haslam Returns To The Podium

Moto Rapido Ducati Rider Holds Off Late Pressure

Behind the leading pair, Leon Haslam secured his first podium finish since the opening round of the championship.

The experienced Moto Rapido Ducati rider spent much of the race battling inside the lead group before eventually emerging in third place.

His closing laps were anything but straightforward.

Storm Stacey remained glued to the rear of Haslam’s Ducati and looked capable of snatching the final podium position after capitalising on a slight wobble from the veteran rider during the closing corners.

However, Haslam responded expertly.

Using all of his experience, he adopted a defensive line through the final turns to deny Stacey any opportunity to attack before the finish line.

The result marked a welcome return to the podium and continued Ducati’s impressive presence at the front of the field.

Stacey eventually crossed the line fourth after one of the strongest rides of his British Superbike career, having led several laps during the opening stages before narrowly missing out on a maiden podium finish.

Scott Redding completed the leading group in fifth after remaining firmly involved in the battle throughout the race without quite finding the pace needed to challenge for victory.

Haslam Returns to the Podium After Consistent Charge

Moto Rapido Ducati Rider Holds Off Late Pressure

One of the strongest rides of the afternoon came from Leon Haslam, who celebrated his first podium finish since the opening round of the season with another trademark display of consistency.

The Moto Rapido Ducati rider quietly worked his way into contention as the race developed, avoiding unnecessary risks during the frantic opening laps before positioning himself perfectly as the leading group began to battle among themselves.

Haslam briefly looked capable of challenging for victory as the race entered its closing stages, but Bradley Ray’s decisive move at the final corner and Storm Stacey’s late attack meant the experienced former champion had to switch his attention to defending third position.

The closing laps became an intense fight between Haslam and Stacey.

The Bathams AJN Ducati rider looked increasingly confident after spending several laps at the front of the race and almost snatched a maiden British Superbike podium in the closing corners.

A small mistake from Haslam briefly opened the door, but the veteran immediately reacted by positioning his Ducati defensively through the final sequence of corners.

That experience ultimately proved decisive as Haslam crossed the finish line just ahead of Stacey to secure another valuable podium finish.

After a difficult run of races, the result represented a welcome boost for both rider and team.

Storm Stacey Continues His Rise

AJN Bathams Ducati Rider Produces Career-Best Display

Although narrowly missing out on the podium, Storm Stacey produced arguably one of the finest rides of his Bennetts British Superbike career.

The AJN Bathams Ducati rider looked comfortable throughout the opening half of the race and even spent several laps leading the field after Max Cook slipped backwards from the front.

Stacey showed impressive composure under pressure as established race winners began closing in behind him.

Rather than making mistakes, he continued producing consistently fast lap times while controlling the pace at the front.

Only once Bradley Ray launched his decisive attack did Stacey begin to lose ground.

Even then, the young Ducati rider refused to surrender and continued fighting all the way to the chequered flag.

His fourth-place finish may not have delivered silverware, but it confirmed the significant progress he has made throughout the 2026 campaign.

Redding Salvages Valuable Championship Points

Ducati Rider Limits Damage After Difficult Afternoon

Scott Redding endured a more frustrating afternoon than many expected after entering the weekend as one of the championship favourites.

The Hager PBM Ducati rider eventually crossed the line fifth after remaining inside the lead group for much of the race without quite finding the pace needed to challenge Bradley Ray or Kyle Ryde when it mattered most.

Unlike previous rounds where Redding has frequently dictated the race from the front, Oulton Park proved a much more tactical contest.

With overtaking opportunities limited around the Cheshire circuit, maintaining track position became increasingly important.

Although unable to secure another podium finish, fifth place ensured Redding still collected useful championship points and remained Ryde’s nearest challenger in the title standings.

Ryan Vickers Delivers Another Solid Honda Finish

Sixth Place Rewards Consistent Performance

Ryan Vickers enjoyed another productive afternoon for Honda Racing UK.

Without the outright pace to match the leading Ducati and Yamaha riders, Vickers instead concentrated on producing a mistake-free race.

Running comfortably inside the top six throughout, he eventually finished in a lonely sixth position after failing to bridge the gap to the leading group while maintaining a comfortable advantage over the chasing riders behind.

It was another encouraging performance for Honda, who continue making steady progress as the championship enters its second half.

Talbot Claims Rookie Honours Despite Late Fade

Fast Start Rewards AJN Steelstock Bimota Rider

Rookie Joe Talbot once again demonstrated why he remains one of the brightest young talents on the British Superbike grid.

Starting fifth, the AJN Steelstock Bimota rider produced a sensational launch that briefly elevated him into second place behind teammate Max Cook.

For several laps Talbot looked completely at home among the championship’s biggest names.

However, the relentless pace at the front gradually began to take its toll.

As the race entered its second half, more experienced rivals began working their way past, but Talbot remained calm and focused.

Rather than forcing the issue, he settled into his own rhythm and eventually secured seventh place.

That finish was enough to claim top rookie honours once again while also ensuring Bimota placed two riders comfortably inside the top ten despite Cook’s late retirement.

Heartbreak for Pole Sitter Max Cook

Promising Weekend Ends in Cascades Crash

Few riders left Oulton Park feeling more disappointed than Max Cook.

After producing a record-breaking lap during Qualifying Two to secure pole position, the AJN Steelstock Bimota rider converted that speed into an excellent start by leading the opening stages of the race.

Everything appeared to be unfolding perfectly.

Cook comfortably controlled proceedings during the early laps before gradually becoming involved in the increasingly fierce battle at the front.

Unfortunately, disaster struck with only two laps remaining.

While still firmly in podium contention, Cook crashed at Cascades on Lap 16, ending what had looked certain to become another outstanding result for both rider and team.

Although he escaped injury, the retirement represented a significant missed opportunity in both the Riders’ Championship and Bimota’s continued push towards regular podium finishes.

Strong Recovery Drives Through the Field

Irwin and Iddon Impress

Several riders enjoyed excellent recovery rides after difficult starts.

Glenn Irwin looked set for another frustrating afternoon after dropping to 15th during the opening lap aboard the second Nitrous Competitions Ducati.

The Northern Irishman refused to panic.

Gradually working his way through the field, Irwin eventually secured a place inside the top ten to continue building confidence following his recent injury return.

Christian Iddon produced an equally impressive recovery.

Starting only 14th on the grid, the Sencat Yamaha rider steadily climbed the order throughout the race before finishing ninth after several well-judged overtaking manoeuvres.

Jason O’Halloran also enjoyed a competitive ride for Honda Racing UK by bringing the team’s second Fireblade home eighth.

Rookie Battles Continue Throughout the Field

Further back, BMW rookie Ilya Mikhalchik collected more valuable championship points despite slipping backwards during the opening laps.

Unable to recover the positions lost early in the race, the Ukrainian nevertheless secured 13th place aboard the sole ROKiT BMW Motorrad machine.

Danny Kent ensured Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha finished inside the points after taking 14th.

MasterMac Honda rookie Rhys Irwin completed the points-paying positions in 15th after another consistent performance.

Graeme Irwin continued deputising for injured brother Andrew at MET fonaCAB Racing, while Joe Sheldon-Shaw remained on the grid as Luke Hedger’s replacement following Hedger’s unfortunate accident away from racing.

Dan Brooks also continued his substitute appearance for the injured Eugene McManus after stepping up from the National Superstock Championship.

Early Incidents Shape the Race

The race was not without incident.

Pole sitter Max Cook’s late accident proved the biggest talking point, but it was far from the only retirement.

Rory Skinner’s race ended early following a crash at Shell Oils Corner on just the second lap, while Fraser Rogers retired to the pit lane shortly afterwards with technical issues.

Fortunately, none of the incidents resulted in serious injury, allowing the meeting to continue uninterrupted.

Championship Battle Tightens Further

Kyle Ryde may have missed out on victory, but second place proved almost as valuable in championship terms.

The reigning champion extended his lead from 19 points to 24 over Scott Redding after another composed performance from tenth on the grid.

Bradley Ray’s victory moves him firmly into third place overall and gives the Yamaha rider renewed confidence heading into the remainder of the season.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship (After Race One)

1. Kyle Ryde – 268 points
2. Scott Redding – 244 points
3. Bradley Ray – 185 points

While Ryde continues to lead the standings through remarkable consistency, Oulton Park Race One demonstrated that the title fight remains far from settled.

Bradley Ray reminded everyone why he remains one of the fastest riders in the championship with a perfectly judged victory, while Redding and Ryde continue to trade valuable championship points almost every weekend.

With two races still remaining at Oulton Park, the momentum of Round Six could yet swing dramatically before the championship heads to its next destination.