BSB: Iddon Clinches Maiden Win at Snetterton in Ducati 1-2-3

Vision Track Ducati’s Christian Iddon secured his maiden victory in the British Superbike Championship at Snetterton. The Stockport rider kept his cool in a dramatic 14-lap race and became the third different race winner of 2020.

He led home a Ducati 1-2-3 as Josh Brookes and Tommy Bridewell completed the podium, the Italian manufacturer redeeming itself after a below-par start to the season.

The first of three scheduled races in Norfolk featured plenty of overtakes and drama with polesitter Danny Buchan and two-times Donington winner Andrew Irwin both crashing out.

Danny Buchan (Massingberg-Mundy Kawasaki) had a great start from pole, but Josh Brookes (Vision Track Ducati) utilised the acceleration of his Ducati and dived through at Riches to take the holeshot. Buchan did not have to wait long for a chance to pounce back though as Brookes ran wide at Williams and allowed not only the Kawasaki but also his teammate Christian Iddon (Vision Track Ducati) and Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) through.

The race quickly turned into drama for Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) who had to start from the back of the grid due to a penalty. Fighting his way through the pack, he made contact with Alex Olsen (Global Robots BMW) at Agostini on the opening lap and high-sided. His Honda was left stranded on the circuit and leaked fluid, bringing out the safety car to clean up the track. Ryde was not spared from trouble either as his engine momentarily cut out and he dropped to the bottom of the field.

As the safety car returned to the pits at the end of Lap 3, Iddon and Brookes powered their Ducatis down Senna straight to attack Buchan, but the Kawasaki rider managed to hang on to his position. Only two corners later though, the race was over for him. With his tyres having cooled down behind the safety car, he lost the front going into the Palmer left-hander and surrendered the lead to Iddon.

Iddon started to stretch out a small gap at the front while Brookes had his hands full with Bradley Ray (Synetiq BMW Motorrad) who got promoted into third due to the numerous exits. Behind them paint was being swapped in a chasing group of Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing), the two McAms Yamahas of Jason O’Halloran and Tarran MacKenzie, Lee Jackson (Massingberg-Mundy Kawasaki) and Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing).

Bridewell had strong pace and started to make his getaway from the chasers on Lap 6, steadily edging closer to the bikes out front. At the head of the field Brookes and Ray had caught back up with Iddon and the two PBM machines were all over each other. Iddon was riding defensively while Brookes looked to bide his time and wait for an opportunity for a clean move.

Brookes failed to make a first attempt to overtake at Riches stick on Lap 9, but executed the move perfectly a lap later and hit the front for the first time in the race. His lead was short-lived though as Iddon dived down his teammate’s inside at Montreal and could not stop his bike, running them both wide. While Iddon still managed to stay in front, Brookes fell behind Ray who had been waiting patiently behind the battling Ducati’s.

To make matters worse for Brookes, he was now under serious pressure from Bridewell who had closed the gap to the leaders. While Iddon was checking out at the front, the chasing group had split and Irwin was rapidly hunting down the trio of Ray, Brookes and Bridewell, dragging Jackson along with him.

While the race was Iddon’s to lose, the remaining podium positions were far from decided. Brookes lined up a move on Ray at Murrays on the penultimate lap, taking second and unsettling the BMW rider who also allowed Bridewell past as a result of the same manoeuvre and quickly fell victim to Irwin.

Iddon was untroubled by the punches exchanged behind him and took the chequered flag for his first win in the series – at the 139^th time of asking – 1.3 seconds ahead of Brookes. Bridewell just held of championship leader Irwin for third and completed an all-Ducati podium.

With a fourth place finish Irwin continues to hold the lead in the table standings, 14 points ahead of both, Iddon and Bridewell. Ray had to settle for fifth but narrowly stayed ahead of Jackson. MacKenzie came home seventh, winning a close battle with his teammate O’Halloran and Ryan Vickers (RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki).

Ryde completed an impressive comeback after his early technical issue as the last top 10 finisher ahead of substitute rider Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki). Luke Mossey (Rich Energy OMG Racing) was 12^th ahead of Peter Hickman (Global Robots BMW) and Hector Barbera (Rich Energy OMG Racing) while Joe Francis (Lloyds & Jones PR Racing) took the last point on offer in 15^th.