British Superbikes: Scott Redding delivered an incredible victory in the opening ZYN British Superbike Championship race of the weekend at Brands Hatch, keeping the title fight alive ahead of tomorrow’s season finale.
The Hager PBM Racing Team rider was bullish as he battled from eleventh on the opening lap to win the race to keep his title hopes alive, reducing the gap to 48 points ahead of tomorrow’s two races with 70 points still available.
At the start of the race, Ryde hit the front of the pack from Ryan Vickers and Max Cook and the three were leading the podium fight, whilst Redding was languishing down the order in eleventh place on the opening laps.
However, the ‘Comeback Kid’, delivered just that and after holding a position in the top eight until the seventh lap, he soon began carving through the order in bullish style as the rain flags were displayed and withdrawn throughout the race.
Redding was relentless in his attack and he claimed sixth place from Bradley Ray as his rivals played it cautious because of the changing conditions, the 2019 champion was hunting and was up to fourth by lap ten.
At the front, Cook also saw his opportunity and he grabbed the lead at Surtees on lap 10, passing Ryan Vickers at Graham Hill Bend and then making his move on Ryde to hit the front of the pack.
A lap later and Ryde was having to hold off Redding, but the Hager PBM Racing Team dived down the inside at Paddock Hill Bend to move ahead and he then had Vickers to contend with for the next position. The Honda Racing UK rider traded places with Redding, before he was able to hold the edge, but Ryde wasn’t settling for less than a podium and was into third as Cook dropped to fourth.
Redding held the lead before the race was red flagged for rain on lap 15 with Redding claiming the important victory ahead of Ryde, who had forced his way ahead of Vickers at Hawthorns two laps earlier.
It means that the title fight goes down to the final day of the season at Brands Hatch tomorrow, with Ryde aiming for the threepeat as Redding aims to make the most sensational BSB title fight comeback in history.
ZYN British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 1 result:
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati)
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +0.841s
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +1.461s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +1.557s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +1.968s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +2.206s
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +2.636s
- Joe Talbot (AJN Steelstock bimota) +3.740s
- Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +3.857s
- Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) +4.160s
ZYN British Superbike Championship standings:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) 539
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) 491
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) 423
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) 378
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) 332
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) 316
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 253
- Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 185
- Joe Talbot (AJN Steelstock bimota) 176
- Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) 174
Scott Redding
Hager PBM Racing Team
“I’ve got to stop doing this, I’m going to give myself a heart attack! After qualifying I knew I had my work cut out and I thought I was going to be third or fourth, but the others must’ve done a quick last lap on the last as I was seventh. Kyle was on pole and that wasn’t what I needed.
“I got an average start and then just got absolutely abused into the first corner and that happened for like two or three laps, where I was just getting beaten up a little bit and I was just not getting the rhythm and I was being a little bit too careful.
“I thought just don’t panic. Kyle was leading and I just thought get your head down, get through and I suddenly thought, I could get there, I could do the superman moves, so just keep going.
“I was banging laps after laps, not looking at anything apart from that group in front, the rain was coming and I just thought, keep going right now. I have got nothing really to lose, and I got through and had a battle at the front but the rain was changing on the track. I just gambled the cards; I think race direction played it at the right time. I lost the rear going into Hawthorns and I thought I’ve got to finish this lap.
“I just did that out of a little bit of desperation as when you don’t have a choice you can do miracles sometimes. Yes, the weather played a part but the changes that we made on the bike helped me when I got my rhythm and so hopefully tomorrow we’ve got something that we can take to the battle.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’m ready to go to war. It’s all we can do. I think Kyle is going to protect some points, but anything can happen, so we’ll do what we can do.”
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British Superbikes:
For more info check out our dedicated British Superbikes News page
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