BSB Race 1 Result – Assen Showdown Opener

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The opening race of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship Showdown delivered drama from the very start as the series returned to Assen for the first time since 2019. Heavy rain turned the Dutch classic into a race of survival, with Scott Redding eventually declared the winner after race direction called a halt due to worsening conditions. With the event stopped before two-thirds distance, only half points were awarded.

The weather had already dictated proceedings before the lights went out. Officials declared the race wet on the grid, forcing all of the front-running contenders onto full rain tyres. The downpour left standing water across parts of the circuit, making visibility and grip a major concern from the opening lap.

Redding made the strongest start, leading into Turn 1 on his Hager PBM Ducati, though he briefly surrendered the advantage to championship leader Kyle Ryde. The former MotoGP and WorldSBK rider quickly reasserted control before the first lap was out, showing the benefit of his more recent track time at Assen thanks to his WorldSBK appearance earlier in the year. Confident and composed, he began stretching a gap that at one stage exceeded four seconds.

Behind him, the field was battling the conditions as much as each other. Leon Haslam emerged as the biggest threat, moving his Moto Rapido Ducati into second place and gradually reeling in the leader. As the rain intensified and spray reduced visibility further, several riders began to fall, underlining just how treacherous the circuit had become.

The decisive moment came at the start of lap ten when Redding raised his hand to signal the deteriorating conditions. Almost immediately, race direction opted to throw the red flag and stop the action on safety grounds. Originally, the plan was to restart with a six-lap sprint, but a fresh deluge on the sighting lap left organisers with no option but to abandon the restart. Redding was therefore declared the winner, with Haslam classified second just 1.9 seconds behind.

Completing the podium was Danny Kent, who produced one of the standout rides of the day. Still carrying hand and wrist injuries from his Donington Park crash, the McAMS Yamaha rider rolled the dice in the wet and was rewarded with third place when the results were frozen. For Kent, it was further proof of his resilience and determination after a difficult season.

Hard-earned Results Through the Field

Charlie Nesbitt, who had impressed with a front-row qualifying performance, managed to keep his MasterMac Hondaupright to finish fourth, dropping just one position from his grid slot. Christian Iddon endured a rollercoaster of a race; the AJN Steelstock Kawasaki man climbed as high as second but ran wide into the gravel on lap five. A determined recovery ride saw him claw back to fifth, setting the fastest lap in the process.

Ryde, mindful of the championship stakes, decided caution was the better part of valour. As conditions deteriorated, he eased off, ensuring he stayed upright to finish sixth for Nitrous Competitions Yamaha. That decision could prove vital in the points battle, even with only half points on offer.

The home crowd had reason to cheer as Dutchman Jaimie van Sikkelerus claimed a career-best BSB finish of seventh on the TAG Honda. Riding through pain from a collarbone injury, he put in a gritty performance that gave the local fans a memorable moment.

Another rookie who impressed was John McPhee. With years of experience riding at Assen in Moto3, the Scotsman drew on that knowledge to steer his MasterMac Honda to eighth, overcoming a few scary slides along the way. Luke Hedger was another rider making headlines, taking ninth for Whitecliffe CDH Racing Honda — his best finish in BSB so far.

Glenn Irwin rounded out the top ten after a cautious but calculated ride. Initially passed by wildcard Wayne Tessels, the Northern Irishman found extra confidence and pushed harder in the closing stages to secure a valuable finish for Nitrous Competitions Yamaha.

Riders Digging Deep in Difficult Conditions

Behind them, Scott Swann produced one of the day’s feel-good stories. Starting dead last on the grid, the rookie took advantage of the attrition and stayed on the bike to cross the line in eleventh — an impressive result given the chaos ahead. Tessels, representing local outfit Druijff Racing Kawasaki, came home twelfth to give the Dutch fans another reason to cheer.

Peter Hickman, who gambled on a late tyre change, salvaged 13th for LEW 8Ten Racing. Rory Skinner and Richard Kerr also pitted for fresh rubber, but with little to gain in the treacherous conditions, they could do no better than 14th and 15th respectively.

Further down the order, several well-known names endured a torrid afternoon. Lee Jackson, Storm Stacey, and Josh Brookes all ended the race two laps down after struggling in the worsening rain. Blaze Baker missed out on the points in 16th after also gambling on a tyre change.