Race 1
In a thrilling opener to the 2024 Bennetts British Superbikes season, Ryan Vickers of OMG Racing showcased his prowess by fending off his teammate Kyle Ryde to secure the coveted first victory. As the lights went out to signal the start of the race, Vickers spearheaded the charge into turn one, leading a Yamaha trio with Ryde in close pursuit and Danny Kent of McAMS Yamaha Mar-Train in third, forming an all-Yamaha front row spectacle.
However, Kent’s start wasn’t as stellar, as he found himself pushed back to third place, with Ducati’s Glenn Irwin hot on his heels, vying for the third spot. Meanwhile, Peter Hickman of FHO Racing exhibited a strong performance in sixth place, contrasting with his teammate Josh Brookes, who faced a setback down in 16th. Defending champion Tommy Bridewell struggled to make significant headway, holding onto 12th position.
Rory Skinner, despite nursing an arm injury from a testing crash, remained in contention, closely trailing the leading quartet. On lap four, Ryde intensified the pressure on Vickers, executing a decisive move to claim the lead at turn nine.
However, Vickers faced a setback on lap six, running wide and conceding a position to Kent. Brookes suffered a crash at turn nine, curtailing his race prematurely, while Storm Stacey retired to the pits, ending his race early.
Amidst the frontrunners, a fierce battle ensued for sixth place involving eight riders, ranging from Christian Iddon to Kawasaki’s Jason O’ Halloran. Alex Olson emerged as the highest-placed Pathway rider in 19th, while Tom Neave endured his third crash of the week at turn one.
On lap 13, Vickers utilized slipstreaming tactics to surge past Kent on the home straight, reclaiming second place and setting his sights on teammate Ryde. With five laps remaining, Ryde received a track limits warning, adding to the tension as Vickers closed in.
Ryde’s error at the final corner on lap 17 proved costly, allowing Vickers to capitalize and regain the lead with three laps to spare. Displaying remarkable pace, Vickers extended his advantage over Ryde and Kent, setting the fastest lap of the race on the penultimate lap.
Ultimately, Ryan Vickers delivered a sensational performance to clinch victory in the inaugural race of the 2024 BSB season, with Ryde securing second place, thus securing a Grilla OMG Racing one-two. Kent completed the podium, ensuring a Yamaha domination. Irwin settled for fourth, unable to match the late-race pace of the Yamaha YZF-R1s, while Skinner marked his return to the championship with a commendable top-five finish despite nursing an injured left arm sustained during pre-season testing.
BSB: Ryan Vickers Does the Double at the Circuito de Navarra
In a thrilling conclusion to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Ryan Vickers showcased his dominance by clinching two consecutive race victories, propelling him to the top of the championship standings.
As the final race got underway, Kyle Ryde secured pole position, flanked by Danny Kent in second and Glenn Irwin in third on the grid.
Ryde wasted no time as he stormed off the line, leading the pack into turn one, while a few riders encountered early challenges navigating the corners. Unfortunately, Irwin found himself pushed back to 11th place, leaving the Yamaha trio of Ryde, Kent, and Vickers to dominate the front positions once again. Fraser Rogers experienced a dramatic high-side incident at turn four, but fortunately emerged unscathed.
Tommy Bridewell surged into fourth place, closely trailing the Yamaha frontrunners. By lap three, Vickers emerged as the fastest competitor on the track, with Bridewell closing in just over a second behind, while Leon Haslam held onto fifth place.
Bridewell continued his charge, posting the fastest lap on lap five, as Kent seized control of the race at turn one on lap six, aiming for a breakthrough victory for the McAMS team.
However, Rory Skinner encountered a technical issue, prematurely ending his race. Vickers made a decisive move on his teammate, setting the stage for a thrilling battle among the leading Yamaha contenders. While Ryde appeared to lose pace, Bridewell capitalized, applying pressure from behind. The exchanges between Vickers and Kent allowed Ryde and Bridewell to join the fray for the lead.
Bridewell successfully overtook OMG Racing’s Ryde for third place, while disaster struck Honda as Bridewell was forced to retire due to a technical issue.
Vickers executed a daring maneuver, reclaiming the lead from Kent and asserting his dominance once more. With five laps remaining, Haslam maintained fourth place, keeping pace with the leading trio of Yamaha riders. Despite Kent’s efforts, Vickers gradually extended his lead, while Dean Harrison suffered a front-end loss with only three laps left, and Charlie Nesbitt emerged as the leading Honda rider in ninth place.
In a nail-biting finale, Vickers navigated a tense moment at the final corner, securing his double victory as he crossed the finish line, with Kent in second and Ryde in third. Haslam clinched fourth place, followed by Christian Iddon in fifth, concluding a thrilling conclusion to the championship.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Racing Yamaha) 36
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 30
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Racing Yamaha) 30
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 21
- Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 20
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 17
- Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 17
- Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 16
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 14
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad) 11
BRITISH SUPERSPORT AND GP2 CHAMPIONSHIPS: STAPLEFORD BEATS TODD IN DRAMATIC SEASON-OPENER
Luke Stapleford emerged triumphant in the inaugural Supersport Sprint race of the season at Circuito de Navarra, seizing victory as reigning champion Ben Currie grappled with the aftermath of an on-track incident.
Representing Macadam Triumph Racing, Stapleford surged to the front on the opening lap, overtaking Brad Perie of Gearlink Kawasaki, who had initially led into turn one before running wide. From that point onward, Stapleford maintained a commanding lead, dictating the pace over the 12-lap race to secure a convincing win.
However, the battle for podium positions behind him was fraught with drama. By the sixth lap, Eugene McManus found himself in pursuit of Perie for second place, with Currie mounting a spirited charge from behind. Despite Currie’s efforts, a collision occurred as McManus attempted to reclaim his position, resulting in McManus crashing out while Currie continued.
Meanwhile, Stapleford remained unfazed at the front, while wildcard entry Davey Todd and former multiple champion Jack Kennedy maneuvered past Perie. Currie, penalized with a long lap penalty for the incident with McManus, failed to comply, receiving a 28-second penalty at the finish line. Consequently, he finished in 11th position, as Todd secured second place and Kennedy clinched third. Perie settled for fourth, closely followed by Rhys Irwin of Astro-JJR Suzuki.
In the GP2 class, the only finishers were teammates Jack Nixon and Owen Jenner of Kramer Racing. Nixon crossed the line in 12th place overall, securing the class victory, while Jenner claimed second position.
BRITISH SUPERSPORT AND GP2 CHAMPIONSHIP MAIN RACE
In a stunning turn of events at Circuito de Navarra, Ben Currie emerged victorious in the Feature Race following an unexpected mishap for leader Luke Stapleford, whose bike faltered just as he approached the finish line.
Stapleford had maintained a commanding lead since the end of the first lap when he executed a move to overtake Currie. However, disaster struck in the final moments of the race as Stapleford’s Macadam Triumph Racing machine seemed to suffer a mechanical issue, allowing Currie to snatch victory by a mere 0.024 seconds, thus compensating for his disappointment in the earlier Sprint race.
While Stapleford and Currie enjoyed relatively smooth runs, the grueling 18-lap race posed challenges for many riders, resulting in only 20 finishers. Davey Todd, competing as a wildcard entry for the weekend, secured a commendable third place after successfully fending off Brad Perie of Gearlink Kawasaki. Former champion Jack Kennedy, making his return, settled for fifth place.
Drama unfolded in the GP2 class when Jack Nixon of Kramer Racing, who had dominated every session of the weekend, retired on Lap 12. Consequently, Nixon’s teammate and reigning Junior Superstock champion Owen Jenner seized the opportunity to claim victory in the class, with Lucca Allen finishing second and Owen Mellor in third.
Championship positions after Round One:
1. Luke Stapleford 47
2. Davey Todd 42
3. Jack Kennedy 36
4. Brad Perie 36
5. Ben Currie 30
As the Bennetts British Superbike Championship sets its sights on Oulton Park for the second round of the season, Ryan Vickers finds himself leading the championship standings with a six-point advantage over his nearest rivals, Ryde and Kent.
Pictures OMG Racing and MSVR Press Release
