BSB Brands Hatch: Ryan Vickers doubles up with sprint race victory

Ryan Vickers continues to dominate the Bennetts British Superbike Championship meeting at Brands Hatch after winning the restarted sprint race.

Saturday’s race winner had just pulled off a stunning double move on Christian Iddon and Tommy Bridewell to take the lead of the race when the red flags were waved following two separate incidents in the opening laps of the race.

A five-lap restarted race was confirmed and Vickers led from start to finish, crossing the line with an advantage of 1.188s. Behind him, Bridewell withstood immense pressure from a resurgent Kyle Ryde to finish second once again. With Glenn Irwin failing to finish the race, Bridewell now has a 16-point lead in the championship.

Irwin was involved in a three-rider accident on the opening lap of the original race. Danny Buchan and Danny Kent came together on the run down Paddock Hill Bend on the opening lap of the original race, with both men clattering into Irwin.

Buchan appeared to be able to walk away, but Kent was taken to the medical centre. He was later declared fit to race. Meanwhile, Irwin, who looked to be in some discomfort, was stretchered away and placed into an ambulance, but was thankfully conscious and talking to the medics. Jordan Bird told Eurosport that Irwin was struggling with some shoulder pain.

Following the race, posts on BSB’s official social media channels confirmed that both Kent and Buchan had been declared fit to continue this weekend.

“Glenn Irwin was taken to the circuit medical centre and has no fractures following his race 2 crash,” an official BSB social media post said. “He has muscle spasms in his neck and will continue to have physio and will be reviewed before Race 3.”

Andrew Irwin was fourth onboard the Honda Racing UK Fireblade, ahead of Leon Haslam and Iddon. The latter’s race was hampered following contact with Andrew Irwin at the start of the race.

Lee Jackson was seventh, equalling his best result of the 2024 season, ahead of Josh Brookes, whilst Franco Bourne and Charlie Nesbitt completed the top 10.

Jason O’Halloran was the leading Kawasaki rider in 11^th, coming home ahead of Peter Hickman and Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki teammate Max Cook. Storm Stacey and Lewis Rollo claimed the final two points on offer.

Luke Hedger crashed out of the original race on lap six at Hawthorns and was being assessed by medics when the decision was taken to bring out the red flags following the two separate incidents at the start of the race. Hedger’s Whitecliffe CDH Racing Kawasaki was destroyed in the high speed accident, and he was later declared unfit with a soft tissue injury to his neck and forearm.

Billy McConnell pulled off the circuit with a reported oil leak as the riders began the warm-up lap for the five-lap restarted race.

The third and final BSB race of the weekend at Brands Hatch is due to begin at 16:00.

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Ryan Vickers put on an absolute masterclass in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Brands Hatch to claim his third victory of the season.

The polesitter led the race from start to finish in dominating fashion, crossing the line with a lead of 7.334s advantage over the field. At one stage, Vickers was 8.9s clear after setting the fastest lap on six consecutive laps.

It’s Vickers’ first victory since his double at the opening round of the season at Navarra, whilst it’s his first visit to the podium since race three at Oulton Park in May.

Tommy Bridewell fight his way to second from fifth on the grid. The reigning champion had some overtaking to do in the opening laps, and by the time he made his way into second, Vickers already had an advantage of just over two seconds and was setting fastest lap after fastest lap.

Andrew Irwin ensured that two factory Honda riders appeared on the podium in third. It’s the Northern Irishman’s second podium of the season.

Glenn Irwin had to settle for fourth, which means that he and Bridewell are once again level on points at the top of the championship standings.

Christian Iddon finished just behind Glenn Irwin in fifth position, with a healthy 1.613s gap over Kyle Ryde in sixth. Ryde got the better of Leon Haslam on the penultimate lap of the race, whilst Lee Jackson and Jason O’Halloran crossed the line in eighth and ninth respectively.

Danny Buchan completed the top 10 for DAO Racing Kawasaki, finishing the race almost six seconds clear of Josh Brookes. Max Cook and Luke Ledger were 12^th and 13^th, finishing ahead of Billy McConnell and Peter Hickman.

Dean Harrison and Alex Olsen finished 16^th and 17^th respectively ahead of Lewis Rollo, whilst Richard Kerr finished his first-ever BSB race in 19^th.

Charlie Nesbitt retired from the race on lap three with a mechanical problem, whilst moments later Danny Kent crashed out of second at Stirlings.

Storm Stacey retired to the pits at the end of lap four, whilst Franco Bourne’s race also came to a premature end due to a technical issue.

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Ryan Vickers claimed his third pole position of the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season at Brands Hatch after pipping Danny Kent to top spot.

Vickers has been quick all weekend and posted a 1:25.081 to knock Kent off of top spot. It’s his second consecutive pole position having also claimed pole at Snetterton earlier this month. The GRILLA OMG Racing Yamaha rider bagged his first-ever BSB victory at Brands Hatch last season.

Meanwhile, Kent’s lap-time of 1:25.154 was almost a full second faster than he’d been all weekend up until that point. The McAMS Racing Yamaha rider is still search for his maiden BSB victory. Championship leader Glenn Irwin completes the front row.

Josh Brookes enjoyed a successful session in fourth spot onboard the FHO Racing BMW, building on an encouraging FP3 session in-which the Aussie finished third.

Reigning champion Tommy Bridewell will start race one from the middle of the second row after a huge moment coming through Clark Curve on his final flying map. Bridewell’s rear tyre was smoking as he slid through the final turn, leaving a long black line on the Brands Hatch asphalt, whilst battling to avoid being launched off the Fireblade.

Leon Haslam qualified sixth, whilst Jason O’Halloran heads row three on the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki. Kyle Ryde qualified eighth after going through Q1, ahead of Christian Iddon and Danny Buchan. It’s Buchan’s best qualifying result of the season so far.

Andrew Irwin was 11^th for Honda Racing UK ahead of Lee Jackson and Franco Bourne, who continues to impress onboard the Rapid Honda. Charlie Nesbitt (14^th) and Peter Hickman (15^th) were the final classified riders in Q2.

Billy McConnell missed out on a spot in Q2 by just 0.042s and will start race one from 16^th on the grid as a result. Tom Neave was next in 17th, however the STAUFF Fluid Power Kawasaki rider did suffer a nasty highside whilst going through Surtees.

Lewis Rollo completed the sixth row, whilst Luke Hedger heads row seven ahead of Max Cook and Dean Harrison. Alex Olsen and Storm Stacey qualified 22^nd and 23^rd respectively, ahead of Brayden Elliot. The latter crashed at Graham Hill Bend.

Jaime Van Sikkelerus heads the final row ahead of Richard Kerr, who will start his first-ever BSB race from 26^th. The reigning Superstock champion, who currently rides in the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 category, is standing in for the injured Rory Skinner at Cheshire Mouldings BMW.

Louis Valleley completes the grid for the opening race of the weekend. The NP Racing Kawasaki rider pulled off the circuit with five minutes remaining of Q1 with a mechanical issue.

Race one at Brands Hatch is scheduled to begin at 16:15.