BSB: Ryde Clinches Maiden Career Win in Silverstone

Kyle Ryde claimed the first win of his BSB career at the Silverstone National Circuit and became the seventh different winner of the 2020 campaign.

The Suzuki rider ran in the front group throughout the 30-lap race and managed his position well in the final stages to secure victory.

Glenn Irwin continues to lead the championship with his advantage now up to 32 points. Josh Brookes has moved past Tommy Bridewell into second, but holds only a single point over his fellow Ducati rider.

Kyle Ryde (Buildbase Suzuki) stole the holeshot from third on the grid but ran wide, allowing Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) through. Punches were exchanged between the two riders and the battle took them both wide, Ryde managing to stay in the lead while Mackenzie had to surrender second to Josh Brookes (VisionTrack Ducati).

Behind the front trio, Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) lined up in fourth ahead of Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing), Danny Buchan (Rapid Fulfillment Fs-3 Kawasaki), Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati), Luke Mossey (Rich Energy OMG Racing) and Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing).

The lead changed hands on Lap 2 when Brookes claimed Ryde and left the Suzuki under immediate attack from yesterday’s winner Mackenzie. The Scotsman looked determined and dived down Ryde’s inside at Brooklands a lap later to move up into second.

The trio pulled away from the field while behind them Andrew Irwin took O’Halloran for fourth on Lap 8. The position was short-lived for Irwin though as he ran wide at Luffield a lap later and dropped down to sixth.

O’Halloran gradually closed in on the leaders and opened a gap between himself and Buchan, Andrew Irwin, Iddon and Glenn Irwin behind him.

Mackenzie’s race meanwhile was over on Lap 13 when his bike locked going into Brooklands and the Yamaha ran well wide. Mackenzie was cruising with evident issues on his machine and retired at the end of Lap 14.

The battle was on in the chasing group and both Irwins overtook Buchan for fourth and fifth respectively. Glenn Irwin swiftly swept past his brother and started to make a breakaway with his eyes set on the leading trio.

Buchan ran into more trouble and had to surrender sixth to Iddon on Lap 16. To make matters worse for the Kawasaki rider, Bradley Ray (Synetiq BMW Motorrad) and Lee Jackson (Rapid Fulfillment FS-3 Kawasaki) were all over him and the BMW moved past on Lap 18. Jackson’s charge was hampered on Lap 19 though when he ran wide and allowed Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing) to close in on him.

Out front Brookes was running metronomic lap times and dragged Ryde and O’Halloran with him away from the pack. Glenn Irwin was running a similar pace, but already had too much of a gap to overcome.

Ryde executed what would be the race-winning overtake on Lap 27 when he lunged past Brookes going into Copes. Brookes tried everything to hold on to his position but had to surrender the lead. Once he hit the front, the Suzuki rider pulled the pin and immediately set the fastest lap of the race.

Ryde edged away from his opponents at great pace and took the chequered flag for his maiden victory 1.7 seconds ahead of Brookes. O’Halloran just missed out on second by less than a tenth and rounded out the podium.

Despite strong rhythm late in the race, it was too little too late for Glenn Irwin who crossed the line off the podium in fourth but still extended his championship lead. Ray prevailed in the chasing group and equalled his best finish this season in fifth. Bridewell’s comeback from 10^th on the grid ended in sixth ahead of Jackson and Buchan.

Andrew Irwin dropped positions late in the race and crossed the line in ninth from Hector Barbera (Rich Energy OMG Racing), Peter Hickman (Global Robots BMW) and Gino Rea (Buildbase Suzuki). Christian Iddon struggled heavily with his tyres in the late stages and came home in 13^th ahead of Joe Francis (Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad) while Storm Stacey (GR Motorsport) secured the final point on offer in 15^th.