Donington Park BSB Sunday Round Up

Race Two Summary Bennetts Superbike Championship at Donington Park

Glenn Irwin Keeps Title Hopes Alive with Victory in Donington Sprint Race

The Donington Park sprint race delivered a thrilling four-way battle right down to the final lap, with Glenn Irwin seizing the lead at the perfect moment to claim maximum points and keep his championship hopes alive. Irwin, riding for Hager Ducati, fought hard to secure his eighth win of the season, the most by any BSB rider this year.

Starting from fourth on the grid, Irwin wasted no time making his way to the front. Riding aggressively but fairly, he made every move count. On Lap 7, he took the lead at Goddards, but struggled to tighten his line through the Melbourne Loop. Despite pulling away briefly and setting a new BSB lap record at Donington Park, Tommy Bridewell and Kyle Ryde soon reeled him back in, each taking turns at the front.

By the penultimate lap, Irwin regained control and ran a tight, defensive line, giving his rivals no opportunity to pass. He crossed the line first, just 0.241 seconds ahead of polesitter Tommy Bridewell, who pushed hard on his Honda, even nearly crashing at Craner Curves on the second-to-last lap in his attempt to overtake.

Kyle Ryde, who topped the morning warm-up session, started second on the grid for OMG Grilla Yamaha. Though he found himself shuffled around between first and fourth during the 12-lap sprint, he led briefly on Lap 11 before being passed by both Bridewell and Irwin. Ryde ultimately finished in third.

Top Performers and Notable Finishes

• Fourth went to McAMS Yamaha’s Danny Kent, who delivered a spirited performance, holding his own among the title challengers despite not leading the race.
• Charlie Nesbitt secured fifth on his MasterMac Honda, with a comfortable gap over Andrew Irwin, who finished sixth on the second Honda.
• A close battle for seventh saw Lee Jackson edge out his rivals on the second MasterMac Honda, benefitting from a late time penalty handed to Ryan Vickers for cutting the track on Lap 8.
• Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Ducati) finished eighth, just ahead of Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki), who was the highest-placed Kawasaki rider in ninth.
• Josh Brookes rounded out the top ten for FHO Racing BMW, while Vickers was demoted to 11th, splitting Brookes from fellow Australian Jason O’Halloran, who finished 12th on the second Completely Motorbikes entry.

Additional Highlights

• Peter Hickman took a lonely 13th place, while Storm Stacey narrowly beat Rory Skinner to finish 14th, with both riders earning the final points. Billy McConnell, disqualified in Race 1, missed out on points again.
• An early crash involving Lewis Rollo and Bradley Perie (21st) allowed James Westmoreland to be the top Pathway rider in 19th place. Westmoreland, riding for IWR Honda, was also the best replacement rider, stepping in after Tom Ward was forced to withdraw due to a bike issue.

RESULTS

Race Three Summary Bennetts Superbike Championship at Donington Park

Kyle Ryde Claims Victory After Red Flag Ends Race Early

Kyle Ryde secured a crucial win after the race was cut short by a red flag incident, with the Yamaha rider holding off pressure from Danny Kent, who was chasing his first-ever British Superbike (BSB) victory. The race ended a lap early, cementing Ryde’s win as he led the pack when the red flags waved.

Ryde, riding for OMG Grilla Yamaha, had already showcased his speed earlier in the day by finishing third behind title rivals Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell in the sprint race. Starting from sixth on the grid, Ryde had work to do, while Irwin, the pole-sitter, grabbed the early lead.

With his home crowd behind him, Ryde wasted no time making moves. He perfected his signature pass—lining up riders through the Esses, followed by a leg dangle and a pass through the Melbourne Loop—using this strategy to surge forward in the opening laps. By Lap 3, Ryde overtook Bridewell for second place and set his sights on Irwin.

Electric Battle with Irwin

Irwin was tough to pass, especially in the slower corners like Redgate, but Ryde was relentless. The two traded the lead over several thrilling laps, each stronger in different sections of the track. As they battled, Danny Kent began closing in, eventually passing Irwin and becoming a new threat to Ryde’s lead.

Kent, riding for McAMS Yamaha, appeared ready to challenge for the lead when a massive incident on Lap 19 triggered the red flags.

Red Flag Incident and Race Conclusion

The race was abruptly halted following a serious accident involving Billy McConnell, who crashed from eleventh place. His bike slid back onto the track, colliding with Christian Iddon. Moments later, Jason O’Halloran arrived at high speed and collided with Iddon’s bike at the Melbourne Hairpin, causing both rider and machine to be sent flying.

The BSB’s official X account later provided a medical update:

“MEDICAL UPDATE BENNETTS BSB RACE THREE: Jason O’Halloran sustained a shoulder injury and Christian Iddon sustained a fractured right foot.”

With the race ending prematurely, Ryde was declared the winner, while Kent took second, and Ryan Vickers completed the podium in third after making significant progress from seventh on the grid.

Irwin and Bridewell Fall Short

Glenn Irwin, who had been in contention throughout, narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. Despite his best efforts, the PBM rider couldn’t fend off Kent’s late charge.

Tommy Bridewell continued to struggle with his Honda setup, which had plagued him all weekend. Despite making numerous adjustments, he could only manage fifth place in the final race.

Other Notable Finishes

• Andrew Irwin started strong but faded to sixth, just behind his teammate.
• Charlie Nesbitt impressed again, finishing seventh on his MasterMac Honda, ahead of Max Cook, who took eighth as the top Kawasaki rider for Completely Motorbikes.
• Lee Jackson moved up to ninth on the second MasterMac Honda, while Leon Haslam finished tenth on his ROKiT Haslam BMW Motorrad bike.
• Josh Brookes avoided the red flag incident and finished eleventh for FHO Racing.

The accident allowed several riders to move up the standings:

• Rory Skinner placed twelfth, followed by Storm Stacey in 13th.
• Bradley Perie took 14th, while Lewis Rollo, despite starting last on the grid, secured the final point in 15th, also finishing as the top Pathway rider.

The race-ending crash marked a dramatic conclusion to an already action-packed event, with Kyle Ryde’s victory keeping his championship hopes alive as the BSB showdown continues.

RESULTS

Images:Honda Racing UK, Yamaha Racing, Hager PBM Ducati