BSB Round 2: Race 1 – Brookes Battles To Victory

Josh Brookes held off Tommy Bridewell to take the spoils in a shortened Race 1, after an oil spill from Joe Francis’ Lloyd and Jones BMW machine forced the scheduled race start to be aborted.  

Weather: Cloudy but Dry – Air Temperature: 10oC / Track Temperature: 25oC

Despite being considerably faster than anyone else in qualifying, Brookes (PBM BeWiser Ducati) was forced to fight all race long by Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati). On near identical machinery, the duo quickly pulled clear from the rest of the field, and treated the tens of thousands packed onto the trackside viewing banks to a thrilling display of close quarters racing. Bridewell hounded the Australian relentlessly over the 17 laps, but just could not find a way through. Brookes, pinpoint accurate with his braking markers and positioning as he defended his lines on countless occasions.

Brookes took the chequered flag just 0.204s ahead of Bridewell. Joy for both teams. Relief for the BeWiser Ducati rider, who has gone a considerable way to making amends for a disastrous opening round at Silverstone. 25 points and a first win of the season in BSB for himself and the all new Panigale V4R.

Danny Buchan (FS3-Kawasaki) claimed the final spot on the podium after a surge of pace in the latter stages of the race saw him dispatch with Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha). O’Halloran had looked strong in the opening laps, keeping the two charging Ducatis within sight. It appears likely he wore out his tyres too soon as, he had no response to Buchan when the Essex man stormed past. Nevertheless, fourth place for O’Halloran will be gladly accepted by him and the team, after the double non-finish last time out. The podium being the target for race 2.  

Such was the relentless pace by the front runners, the chasing pack behind fractured into several groups on track. Scott Redding (PBM BeWiser Ducati) and Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) had the honour of fighting it out to be best of the rest. The pair spent the entirety of the race locked together – the brilliance of BSB on show: a multiple grand prix race winner duking it out with the fastest man around the Isle of Man TT course. Despite having superior cornering speed, Hickman was powerless against the Ducati horsepower down the straights and ultimately had to settle for P6. Redding secured P5, and another solid result in his fledgling BSB career.

Almost going unnoticed was the recovery ride by Tarran MacKenzie (McAMS Yamaha). Having endured a difficult qualifying the 23-year old grafted his way from the fourth row on the grid, securing a solid result in P8. In doing so, he takes over as the championship leader. MacKenzie finished the race locked in the middle of a scrap for P7. Keith Farmer (Tyco BMW) claimed bragging rights, with Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki) finishing just behind in P9.

BSB Race 1: Result (Top 10)

1: Josh Brookes – 27″07.841

2: Tommy Bridewell – +0.204

3: Danny Buchan – +3.543

4: Jason O’Halloran – +7.307

5: Scott Redding – +10.529

6: Peter Hickman – +10.648

7: Keith Farmer – +15.758

8: Tarran MacKenzie – +16.147

9: Ryan Vickers – +16.859

10: Josh Elliott – +19.364