ThePitcrewOnline

17th October 2022

Irwin and Hickman share the spoils as Ray takes the Championship.

Bradley Ray – Bennetts British Superbike Champion for 2022 – Image Courtesy of Official BSB

Bradley Ray continued his run of consistency on Saturday at Brands Hatch, needing only 9 points to crown him the 2022 British Superbike Champion. Title rivals Glenn Irwin and Tommy Bridewell knew nothing but race wins would be enough to see their championship fight continue into Sunday’s Race 2 and 3.

Glenn Irwin was up for the job on the day, with a dominant victory in Race 1. Followed closely throughout the race by FHO Racing BMW’s Peter Hickman and Synetiq BMW’s Andrew Irwin, neither BMW were able to put any manners on the Honda Racing U.K. Fireblade as Irwin managed the gap and pace, living up to his ambition of having one last race victory, in 2022 with the Honda.

Tommy Bridewell followed along in a hard-fought 4th place but, unfortunately Irwin and Bridewell were also relying on some bad luck on the part of Brad Ray to aid in their title challenge.

The Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider came home in a steady 5th position meaning Ray had done everything he needed to do to be crowned the new champion. Saturday’s task for Brad Ray had been achieved. The emotion could be seen flowing through pit lane as Ray’s family, friends and team filed out to heap praise on the young rider.

Unfortunately for Ray, it seemed the curse of the number 1 plate kicked in after a lap 2 crash in Sunday’s Race 2 saw his Yamaha arriving through the gravel on Paddock Hill bend due to a cold tyre crash. Thankfully with Saturday being the important day, all pressure was off. Ray went on to take a 6th place finish for Race 3. In a statement to the media after racing, Ray said: “Pre-season was good and I knew that this would be my best chance to fight for the championship with Yamaha, with Rich Energy OMG. We just got our head down the whole season, took everything in our stride, maximised everything race by race and that allowed us to come to Brands Hatch and have a difficult round like we have.”

“Obviously it would have been nicer to be fighting for victory and fighting for podiums [this weekend] but we’ve done enough work throughout the season to prove that we’re worthy champions. Just a big shout out to the team, family, friends and everyone who came out to Brands to support me this weekend.”

A good result coming at the perfect time also for Danny Kent, Charlie Nesbitt, Josh Owens and Jack Kennedy for their own reasons. Danny Kent, as its contract time and he would like to maximise his potential ride for the 2023 season, likewise for Josh Owens. Jack Kennedy has shown good form to get his first points on the board before competing full time next year aboard the Mar-Train Yamaha R1 after he and his team decided to step up a class for next year. Charlie Nesbitt for again showing he could be about to hit the ground running after rumors circulated the Buildbase team have already signed him for the 2023 season.

Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki Josh Owens – Image Courtesy Rapid Training

Race 1 Results

1	Glenn Irwin – Honda Racing UK
2	Peter Hickman – FHO Racing BMW
3	Andrew Irwin – Synetic BMW Motorrad
4	Tommy Bridewell – Oxford Products Ducati
5	Bradley Ray – Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
6	Jason O’Halloran – McAMS Yamaha
7	Danny Buchan – Synetic BMW Motorrad
8	Danny Kent – Buildbase Suzuki
9	Kyle Ryde – Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
10	Tom Sykes – MCE Ducati
11	Charlie Nesbitt – Buildbase Suzuki
12	Josh Owens – Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki
13	Takumi Takahashi – Honda Racing UK
14	Jack Kennedy – Mar-Train Racing Yamaha
15	Davey Todd – Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles Honda

Race 2

Again a fight between BMW and Honda. The M1000RR v the CBR1000RR in the form of Peter Hickman and Danny Buchan vs Glenn Irwin. In another classic Brands Hatch style race, Buchan and Irwin followed Hickman around the circuit but just didn’t have the edge to make a move and snatch victory away from him. Peter Hickman became the 10th different winner this season.

FHO Racing BMW’s Peter Hickman becoming the 19th winner of the 2022 season. Image courtesy of Official BSB

Brad Ray wasn’t the only Yamaha to suffer in race 2 as an incident between Andy Irwin and Jason O’Halloran saw once again the Yamaha rider being taken out of the race in the closing stages. Andy Irwin went for an overtake under braking into the Surtees corner, making contact with O’Halloran’s handlebar sending the McAMS rider spilling onto the sidelines. O’Halloran struggled to be positive in his interview with Eurosport after the race noting 3 incidents in 3 races had basically ruined his season and all the hard work of the McAMS team. Seems the popular Australian cannot catch a break at the moment and no doubt feels like he has been robbed of a chance to compete for the British title this year. It’s no great shakes to say that had Tarran Mackenzie stayed on his bike and injury free and had Jason O’Halloran not been taken out on the same corner, in two races by two different riders, I don’t think this Showdown would have gone Ray’s way as easy. (There’s no doubt in my mind that the McAMS Yamaha team would have pushed the Ray to the last round. This is racing. If this, If that… If my aunty had balls, she’d have been my uncle etc. Such is life. We all move on.)

Andy Irwin was disqualified from Race 2’s results and given a 3-place penalty for Race 3 but this didn’t stop the determined Northern Irishman’s fight for a final podium in 2022.

McAMS Yamaha Jason O’Halloran – Image Courtesy McAMS Yamaha

Race 2 Results

1	Peter Hickman – FHO Racing BMW
2	Danny Buchan – Synetic BMW Motorrad
3	Glenn Irwin – Honda Racing UK
4	Kyle Ryde – Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
5	Tommy Bridewell – Oxford Products Ducati
6	Danny Kent – Buildbase Suzuki
7	Christian Iddon – Buildbase Suzuki
8	Charlie Nesbitt – Buildbase Suzuki
9	Josh Brookes – MCE Ducati
10	Tom Sykes – MCE Ducati
11	Josh Owens – Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki
12	Dean Harrison – DAO Racing Kawasaki
13	Takumi Takahashi – Honda Racing UK
14	Storm Stacey – Team LKW Euro Car Parts Kawasaki
15	Davey Todd – Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles Honda

Race 3

This was a race long battle again between Glenn Irwin, Andy Irwin and Danny Buchan for the podium, followed by Tommy Bridewell, Peter Hickman and Brad Ray. It looked like Buchan was on for another race win for the season until a couple of laps to go, when a moment into Surtees allowed both the Irwin brothers to pass, leaving Buchan clinging on to the rear of the group. Glenn then put the hammer down and lead the final laps to take the final race win of the season.

The rumors surrounding both the Irwin brothers during the Brands weekend would have them both riding for different manufacturers in 2023. A lot of people have Glenn on an MCE Ducati next year with Andy taking over his brothers mount in the Honda Racing fold. No doubt all the silly season details will all come out over the next few weeks as we find out what is happening with newly crowned Champion, Bradley Ray and recently de-throned 2021 Champion, Tarran Mackenzie.

Race 3 Result.

1	Glenn Irwin – Honda Racing UK
2	Andy Irwin – Synetic BMW Motorrad
3	Danny Buchan – Synetic BMW Motorrad
4	Tommy Bridewell – Oxford Products Ducati
5	Peter Hickman – FHO Racing BMW
6	Bradley Ray – Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
7	Josh Brookes – MCE Ducati
8	Danny Kent – Buildbase Suzuki
9	Christian Iddon – Buildbase Suzuki
10	Kyle Ryde – Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha
11	Tom Sykes – MCE Ducati
12	Charlie Nesbitt – Buildbase Suzuki
13	Ryan Vickers – FHO Racing BMW
14	Josh Owens – Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki
15	Takumi Takahashi – Honda Racing UK

17th October 202217th October 2022

Rally Spain 2022 Preview

We are down to the last two rounds of this season’s championship and with Kalle and Jonne having taken their first world title in the last round, will we see a completely a new level of pace from the youngest ever world champions? They will open the road throughout Friday and as we know the road will get slower as the dirt and gravel that gets pulled on with the level of cutting in the corners.

Any number of crews from the top teams could win this rally, and it’s worth looking at the list of the last winners of this rally. Thierry won the last two times in 2021 and 2019 for Hyundai Motorsport, whilst Citroen took the two wins before with Kris Meeke winning in 2017 and Seb Loeb in 2018.

This rally will see the final drive of Paul Nagle in the world of rallying. He has sat alongside Craig since the start of 2019, taking a number of podiums for Hyundai and then M-Sport. He took a win with Kris Meeke here in 2017, and will be much missed. Could we see a final flourish for the Irish duo this weekend? Here’s hoping!!

Let’s take a look at the stages then for this year and hear from the drivers.

After a Thursday morning Shakedown, Rally de España will officially open with a ceremonial start in the seaside town of Salou – home of the WRC service park.

Friday will see the first running of the event, with two brand-new stages for crews to contend with. Eight stages will total a competitive distance of 118.92km.

Crews will tackle a similar distance in Saturday’s seven stages, including the rally’s longest stage (El Montmell, 24.18km), finishing with a short sprint in Salou.

Four stages on Sunday will round out the event, with Riudecanyes – which features a 360° donut in front of the fans – bestowed with the honour of the rally’s Power Stage.

Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Kalle Rovanperä

“It has been nice to have a few days to appreciate what we achieved in New Zealand but we still have two rallies to go where we want to perform as strongly as possible, so the work doesn’t stop. Already last week when we got back to Europe, we were almost straight back in the car for our pre-event test in Spain. The big goal now is to win the manufacturers’ championship and it would be great if we could secure it already in Spain. It’s a really nice rally with fast and flowing roads, and the stages are the closest thing we have to a racing circuit. That means we need to be quite precise with the driving, but it’s really enjoyable when you get it right.”

2021 FIA World Rally Championship / Round 11 / Rally Catalunya/Spain / 14-17 October 2021 // Worldwide Copyright: Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT

Elfyn Evans

“Spain is a really enjoyable rally now that it’s fully on asphalt again since last year. The stages will be by-far the raciest asphalt roads we’ve encountered with this car. We were strong on the last asphalt event in Belgium but Spain could hardly be more different in character. Arguably Monte Carlo is actually the most similar, but the temperatures and conditions will obviously be completely different in Spain. It’s a rally where the margins tend to be quite tight so we can expect it to be a hard-fought weekend. The manufacturers’ championship is an important target for the team and the easiest way to achieve it will be with good results. Hopefully we will manage to score a top one for the team.”

Sébastien Ogier

“New Zealand was a very nice comeback for me after a few months away, and it was a really special weekend to be a part of. Our one-two finish also took us a good step closer to the manufacturers’ championship and this is now the next target for Spain. For me it will be good to have two events on asphalt to finish the season, and it gives me the opportunity to get back in the rhythm on this surface and be as ready as possible for Japan, which will obviously be a special event for the whole team. But before that we also have a job to do in Spain to try and get the best result possible there. The roads are always great to drive and I’m sure it will be a strong fight for the victory.”

Hyundai Motorsport

Ott Tänak 

“I would say Spain is the first true tarmac rally of the season, as it is quite smooth and at the same time quite fast. It is always difficult to find the correct balance there, so our confidence in the car will need to be high. The stages have lots of long, fast corners that make you fight with understeer, which is something we will have to get right with the setup of the Hyundai i20 N Rally1. I’m expecting it to be a fun and enjoyable rally, but it also quite important for us to be competitive and fight for as many points as possible. We showed how good our tarmac package is in Croatia and Belgium, and our aim is to continue that streak in Spain.”

Thierry Neuville 

“I think Rally de España is quite straightforward now that it is back to being a full tarmac event. The roads are flat, wide and smooth; the grip level is more or less the same across all of the stages. Being quick there is about getting a good setup and finding a nice flow with the car – then pushing as hard as you can. The gaps are always very small, so it almost feels like you are driving on a race track, fighting for every tenth of a second. It would be nice to take a third win in a row in Spain; we’ll certainly be aiming to fight at the front and finish the event on the podium again. We will try our best to perform to our maximum and secure a good result for the team.”

2021 FIA World Rally Championship
Round 11, Rally de Espana
14-17 October 2021
X
Photographer: Vincent Thuillier
Worldwide copyright: Hyundai Motorsport GmbH

Dani Sordo 

“Going to Rally de España is always special for me, as it is my home event and I am lucky to have a lot of support from the fans there. I also really like the roads; they are very nice to drive and suit my style. I am excited to drive the stages with the new hybrid-powered Hyundai i20 N Rally1 car for the first time. It should be an amazing experience. Cándido and I are enjoying a good run of results, which we will do everything in our power to continue in front of our compatriots. There will be lots of people coming out to see the rally, so like every year I will do my best to deliver a win.”

Hyundai WRC2

Teemu Suninen

“I have liked Rally de España from the very beginning of my career; it is the most similar to circuit racing with nice, smooth tarmac. Wide long corners make you feel like you are driving on a track, and you have to choose the best driving line to carry your speed. It is quite an unique rally in terms of how you set up the car, so we have to do a lot of work on the pre-event test and get into a good rhythm quickly. The last time I drove a tarmac event was last year in Rally Monza, so almost a year ago, but we had a good outing last year in the Hyundai i20 N Rally2 and finished second in class. I hope we can replicate those results this time out.”

Fabrizio Zaldivar

“Spain will be our first commitment on tarmac and naturally, we really want to see how much we can achieve with the Hyundai i20 N Rally2. We are learning a little more every day. To prepare for this event, we have organized a very thorough preparation, with three days of testing on different roads in the Catalan region. Our focus in the tests will be to find the most comfortable car to face this challenge. Having engineering support every day will allow us to work very efficiently, and to adjust everything that is necessary. I want to thank my team-mate Teemu as well, who is also helping me with his experience, and he will surely contribute a lot that will benefit me at the next event.”

M-Sport Ford WRT

Craig Breen

“Spain should be nice, it’s an event that I haven’t done for a couple of years, 2018 was my last time. It’s an event that I like and the closest we ever really get to circuit racing on a rally stage with nice smooth tarmac. Hopefully the weather will be nice and dry so that we can enjoy the high grip and speeds there. We had our test before New Zealand and it went really well, the feeling was good so hopefully we can find a good feeling in the shakedown and try to get the best result possible. There are two events left on Tarmac to finish off the season so we want to try and finish on a high and see if we can turn this bad luck around.”

Gus Greensmith

“Spain is like the race track rally of the year, it has very, very smooth roads that are beautiful to drive on which is something that I think suits the Puma very well. The test went really well, we made very few changes and the car felt fantastic from the first runs so I am looking forward to it.”

Adrien Fourmaux

“I am really pleased to be back in the car and it’s a beautiful rally, we have some really nice flowing stages and I will be really happy to be back in the World Rally Championship. We had a really good test and I am really happy to drive the car in Spain and enjoy the moment, I hope for a good result for the team and all our crews.”

Pierre-Louis Loubet

“I am looking forward to Spain, I hope that we will be confident with the car like we have been all season. After our test I am really confident in the car and sure it will perform very well on the Spanish Tarmac. This will be mine and Vincent’s last time in the car this year, so we are hoping for a strong end to the year.”

Round up

We are set for a spectacular event then and anyone could take victory. The stages may suit the Hyundai with it’s longer wheelbase, but the Toyota team will want to take victory for the first time in this event for the first time since they returned to the championship in 2017. However, M-Sport Ford will want to have their say as well, and given that the Puma has shown great pace on all surfaces’ throughout this year. Enjoy!

16th October 2022

Worth the wait!

Qualifying:

Marc Marquez was back with his incredible skills at saving his Honda from crashing, once again during the qualifying.

It was Jorge Martin (Ducati) who pipped him to the post to take his 3^rd pole this season and an all-time lap record (1:27.767), with Marquez following closely behind him. Finishing the front row was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) and the other championship contenders Fabio Quartararo and Aleix Espargaro behind him, in 5^th and 6^th.

Claiming pole. Courtesy of: Moto GP website.

If qualifying was anything to go by, we were going to be in for a treat on Sunday.

Race:

Rain had poured during the night, but it was glorious sunshine that greeted everyone at Phillip Island in the morning. This race had been 3 years of anticipation and audiences were excited to see what was in store:

Lining up on the grid Bagnaia appeared to have trouble with his start device, he just about managed to sort the issue before lights went out. When the lights went green, it was Martin who led Marquez and Espargaro into turn 1. Bagnaia went backwards to 4^th place but by turn 2 he was up to 3^rd, passing one of his championship contenders.

Home-Hero, Jack Miller (Ducati) started to carve his way through the pack and on lap 2 of 27 he had made his way up to 6^th, passing Alex Marquez (Honda) and Luca Marini (Ducati) in the process. His championship hopes weren’t quite done with yet.

Marini fought back on ‘Miller Corner’ (having been named after Jack during the weekend). Miller soon took the place back though, knowing he couldn’t let the championship leaders get away. By lap 3 he had managed to also pass Espargaro to sit behind his teammate. Would team orders come into play?

The answer is no – Miller passed Pecco to take 3^rd a lap later. But Pecco was having none of it and fought back.

Meanwhile, behind them Quartararo lost another place to Marini but seconds later Fabio made a mistake and was forced to go onto the grass verge, entering back into the race in 22^nd place, behind his teammate Franco Morbidelli.

While this was all happening Alex Rins (Suzuki) had taken fastest lap and was up into 7^th place behind Marini. He soon passed him to take 6^th. Rins was seemingly on a charge. Not content with his new spot, he soon took another one, this time from Espargaro in 5^th. Could he make it to the podium?

With 22 laps still to go Martin led Marquez and Bagnaia.

All eyes were on Suzuki-man Rins as he caught Miller by surprise, claiming his spot too (for 4th) and on lap 8 he also passed Bagnaia for 3^rd. Could he manage to conserve his tyres to make it to the end of the race after pushing so hard? Only time would tell.

Miller seemed to be in the wars as Espargaro passed him for 5th (and took fastest lap), on lap 9. Marco Bezzecchi (Ducati) also managed to push Miller back to 7^th. Alex Marquez tried his luck too but instead he hit Miller from behind, narrowly avoiding hitting Marini as well, sending them both into the gravel, on ‘Miller Corner’ ending both their races early. (It was later confirmed that A. Marquez would get a long-lap penalty next round for ‘riding in an overly aggressive manner’).

Checking Miller is okay. Courtesy of: Moto GP website.

Back at the front of the race Rins and Bagnaia had a tussle for 3^rd with Bagnaia being the victor this time round.

By lap 10 Fabio had made it up into the points positions (15th) but on the next lap on turn 2 he made a mistake and crashed out of the race, taking zero points at Phillip Island. Has the dream for a second championship gone?

On the same lap Rins managed to pass Bagnaia and Marquez. Martin then led Rins, Marquez and Bagnaia into lap 12.

Rins was clearly up for fighting for the win and on lap 14 he saw his opportunity to get into the prime position, taking 1^st from ‘The Martinator’ smoothly. While positions were being swapped behind him – Bagnaia passed Marquez and Martin and then Marquez also passed Martin – he had gone from 1^st to 4^th in only 2 turns.

Marquez was the only rider though to have taken a gamble with a soft rear tyre. Would the gamble pay off?

Martin soon lost yet another place, this time to Bezzecchi and in-front of him Bagnaia had had enough of watching Rins and had taken the lead. On the next corner Marquez also followed suit and passed Rins.

With 13 laps to go Bagnaia led Marquez, Rins and Bezzecchi. How much more drama could there possibly be? If crowds weren’t on the edge of their seats already, they soon would be:

Such close racing – Bagnaia, Rins and Marquez. Courtesy of: Moto GP website.

Just 11 laps until the end and Rins seizes his opportunity to pass Marquez for 2^nd and Martin passes Bezzecchi back. Blink and you would miss the action!

Martin had found his second wind and managed to also pass Marquez for 3^rd but lap 19 Marquez got his spot back and brought Bezzecchi with him, who managed to also claim a position from Martin, pushing him back to 5^th. On the next lap a battle commenced between Bezzecchi, Marquez and Martin. Bezzecchi managed to claim Marquez’s spot and Martin also passed him, but Marquez fought Martin off to keep 4^th. While back at the front Rins had managed to claim first position.

With only 8 laps to go Rins now led Bagnaia, Bezzecchi and Marquez.

So much action on track, no-one knew where to look!

Yet there was still more to come:

Bagnaia powered past Rins on the start-finish straight to re-take the lead and to start lap 21. Rins then got swallowed up by both Bezzecchi and Marquez to go back to 4^th. The same thing that had happened to Martin moments ago.

With 6 laps to go Rins and Marquez fought for 3^rd but it ended with Marquez going wide and Martin passing through, sending Marquez back to 5^th. Could he still put up a fight with his soft rear tyre? If there was an issue with the soft tyre Marquez was ignoring it as he soon passed Martin back for 4^th.

Bezzecchi seemed to be in trouble with Rins, with 3 laps until the end on turn 2 Rins managed to make his pass stick and was soon hunting down Bagnaia again. Meanwhile Marquez had also passed Marco to take 3^rd. Marquez wasn’t letting Rins get away – they tussled for 2^nd place, but Rins won.

Last lap:

Bagnaia led Rins, Marquez and Bezzecchi over the line but Rins passed Bagnaia shortly after and Marquez followed him. Could Marquez make the pass to snatch victory?

No, he couldn’t – Alex Rins took the chequered flag for a fairytale win for Suzuki. Followed closely by Marquez and Bagnaia.

Top Ten Finishers:

1st	A. Rins
2nd	M. Marquez
3rd	F. Bagnaia
4th	M. Bezzecchi
5th	E. Bastianini
6th	L. Marini
7th	J. Martin
8th	J. Zarco
9th	A. Espargaro
10th	B. Binder

It was such a close race between the top ten racers. But it was all about celebration: Rins became the 7^th different winner this year, Marquez took his 100^th premier class victory and Bezzecchi became Rookie of the Year!

Rookie of the Year. Courtesy of: Moto GP website.

Top Four in Championship:

1st	F. Bagnaia	233 points
2nd	F. Quartararo	219 points
3rd	A. Espargaro	206 points
4th	E. Bastianini	191 points

We have certainly missed Phillip Island these past 3 years – but wasn’t it worth the wait?!

(Featured image: courtesy of: Moto GP website).

14th October 202214th October 2022

Bridewell hoping to enjoy the end of a good, successful season.

Oxford Products Ducati rider Tommy Bridewell was upbeat about his season in a behind the scenes interview with Eurosport’s Steve Day, who caught up with Tommy after the free practice sessions.

Oxford Products Ducati rider Tommy Bridewell – Image Courtesy of Official BSB

The man sitting in third place in the Showdown standings is fully aware of the job on hand this weekend but more than anything, Bridewell is hoping for an enjoyable finish to what has been a good, successful season for himself and Steve Moore’s team.

“A good day today. It’s fairly easy really. We know what we have to do. We just have to go out and win the races, but I think ultimately, I just want to enjoy the last round of the season to be honest. There’s been so much going on outside of racing, with losing riders and that just puts it all into perspective really. In truth we are all good mates off track, but all enemies on track. I just want to have fun and enjoy racing the bike. It’s been a pleasure working with the team and having another good, successful year together. What will be will be and I’m not going to overcomplicate it. It’s fairly obvious Brad certainly has a hand (or even a hand and half) on the trophy, but when there’s that glimmer of hope, as a racer, it’s what motivates you, it’s what drives us. If I wasn’t mathematically able to win the championship, I’d still try as hard but there’s that extra little bit of fire in your belly to really say “It isn’t over till it’s over” so we are out tomorrow to have a good, safe race and see where we end up at the end of it.”

When asked about his highlights and lowlights of 2022, amongst others being the only rider to make it into Qualifying 2 every round of the season…

“Yes, I have 100% success rate for going straight into Q2. Before they brought in the new format where the top 12 are straight through to Q2, I was terrible on a Friday. It didn’t mean that much barring a bit of testing and analyzing the bike. As soon as they brought that in, it was like you HAD to be top 12, so ever since they brought that in, I’ve been inside the top 12 so it’s great to keep that one going.”

“This season all in all has been tough. We’ve had hard times on trying to understand the dynamics of the bike. The weight distribution has been a bit tricky but this last part of the year, we have really chipped away at it and got a lot better at it. I know it’s a bit late in the game, but Donington was a really good turning point for us where I got a really good inroad with it and it felt a lot better and we can translate it here to Brands Hatch.”

Bridewell sits 67 points behind Ray in the championship. He effectively needs to win all three races this weekend and Ray to DNF the entire round to take the championship. A very unlikely situation but as Oulton Park proved, antying can happen in bike racing.

14th October 2022

Glenn Irwin aiming for race wins and second place in the championship, to top off his year of achievements.

The popular British Superbike and Road Racing Superstar was interviewed by Eurosport’s Steve Day, on Friday after the free practice sessions. Asked if Glenn was satisfied with how things have come on this year, the Honda Racing UK rider responded in the typical, eloquent Glenn Irwin fashion to which he has become known for.

Honda Racing Uk – Glenn Irwin – Image Courtesy of Official BSB

“Yeah, in particular the last few rounds have been really enjoyable. It’s always enjoyable when you take a step with the bike. Probably from here back to Thruxton about 5 rounds ago, I made a step in myself with some old injuries I’ve never been able to get fixed. I’ve managed to get on top of them and since then, it’s been really enjoyable.”

“A massive task to overhaul Brad this weekend and a real strange one too. There’s been a lot going on with Chrissy Rouse and Victor Steeman, so as much as we need Brad to have a ton of bad luck you also don’t want to wish that he slips off and puts himself out of the weekend. We have seen it happen with Kiyo and I’m aware it can happen, but if something like that did happen, you have to grab the bull by the horns. I think the realistic thing is to fight with Tommy [Bridewell], Lee [Jackson] and Jason [O’Halloran] for second place.”

“It’s been a year of overachievement is how I would assess it so far to put the Honda right in amongst everyone. Two wins at the NorthWest 200, fastest newcomer at the Isle of Man TT and if we can wrap up second in the British Championship, then it’s been a real step forward.”

When asked about his current fitness and how he’s feeling after a year-long struggle with injuries resulting from a mega crash in pre-season testing…

“I feel better than ever but I also feel I can be a lot more. It was a very tough start to the year but my attitude is, [after a pause] well I just have determination. That’s my quality over everyone else. I think I am an ok bike rider that puts my heart and soul into everything to do with it and now I’m in a good place physically, I’m enjoying the Honda so let’s at least try and leave with a race win this weekend, that’s the target. Let’s go for that and see what happens.”

Glenn is currently 66 points behind Brad Ray going into the weekend and, in the same case of Tommy Bridewell, can only consider race wins to keep his title hopes alive.

14th October 2022

Ray on the highs and lows of racing, pride in his achievements and a childhood dream.

Bradley Ray is on the verge of achieving the dream. From Red Bull Rookies to British Superbikes, the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider is aware that it isn’t a done deal but has everything he needs within himself and around him, to become the 2022 British Superbike Champion.

Bradley Ray – Image Courtesy of Official BSB

Speaking to Eurosport’s Steve Day after Friday’s Free Practice sessions, Ray seems very calm, relaxed and aware of what he needs to do. More so than anything though, the Yamaha rider seems to know it is easily within his grasp. While anything can happen in racing, Ray is riding the crest of a wave at the moment and is in prime place to wrap up the title in Saturday’s Sprint Race with a 7th place finish, or better.

When asked if his strategy is to ignore the championship for now…

“Yes I am to be honest. It’s always nice coming back to Brands Hatch for the finale. It’s always a nice atmosphere coming back here. It’s been a long couple of weeks from Donington. I’ve been trying to block out as much as possible and just carry on with the same routine as I normally would be. I’m honestly feeling good, feeling quite relaxed. This morning was really good. I felt relaxed. I felt really good on both the soft and the hard tyre, as we’ve done a bit of work on both, in case we need to run both tyres this weekend but honestly, I felt really good straight away. We’ve changed lots on the bike from when we were here last time at Brands, so I’ve been really looking forward to coming back. Three fourth places here last time so let’s try and do a good job in tomorrow’s race. If we can seal the championship up tomorrow, it makes Sunday a much more relaxing for me.”

On how much it would mean to himself to become the British Superbike Champion for 2022…

“It’s a dream from being a little kid. I remember coming to watch the British Superbikes as a young kid. It’s always been something to aim for. I’ve been through loads of different classes in the British championship, but also the Spanish championship and Red Bull Rookies so for me to actually lift the trophy at the end of this season after all the highs and lows, the doubts that you have as a racer, it would be nice to cement that, lift the trophy and be proud of what myself and my family have achieved over the years.”

Ray needs 9 points (7th place) to become the champion for 2022. Next up, qualifying on Saturday morning to sort out the grid positions for Race 1 and hopefully, for Ray, put him in a position to keep out of trouble on the first lap and allow him to concentrate on the task at hand.

13th October 2022

FHO BMW signs Josh Brookes alongside Peter Hickman for their 2023 British Superbike Campaign

Faye Ho, Peter Hickman and Josh Brookes – Image Courtesy of FHO BMW

FHO BMW have announced the signing of Josh Brookes, and the re-signing of Peter Hickman for the 2023 British Superbike campaign.

The two-time British champion will swap his Ducati Panigale V4 for a BMW M1000 next year after a poor season aboard the Ducati which has seen him fail to qualify for the Showdown.

A successful 2019 season saw him finish runner up to Scott Redding on board the Ducati Panigale V4. 2020 saw Josh add another British Superbike title to the PBM Ducati team when he won the series himself for the second time, the first having been aboard the Milwaukee Yamaha R1 in 2015. Unfortunately, a troubled 2021 saw Brookes’ form dip somewhat which led to a 6th place finish overall.

Brookes remained with the team for 2022 but unfortunately for one reason or another, this year has been another unsuccessful one for Brookes after failing to qualify for the Showdown all together along with team-mate, Tom Sykes.

This Racing Armchair firmly believes a change of team, atmosphere and personnel will be the shakeup Brookes needs to return to winning ways and I cannot wait to see what Faye Ho, the FHO Team and the BMW M1000 has in store for Josh Brookes next year.

Brookes lines up alongside one of BSB’s longest serving superstars, and Road Racing extraordinaire, Peter Hickman. “Hicky” will move into his third year with the FHO BMW team in the hopes of third time being a charm. Unfortunately for Hickman, 2022 has been a similar year to Brookes being that he also failed to make it through to the Showdown.

Peter Hickman – “I’m delighted to be able to say I’m staying with FHO Racing for a third season. This year has been a bit tough at times but we have found form towards the end of the year and hopefully we can carry that into next year.

“It’s always vital for me that I’m with a team I know well and can trust and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than back here with the FHO family. I believe there is a lot more we can achieve together and the BSB title is definitely something I still have my eye on.

“Naturally, I’m very grateful to Faye for her continued support and I’m confident that next year we can build on our success so far and grow the team’s silverware collection as we go.”

Josh Brookes –

“I’m really excited about joining the FHO Racing team for 2023. It’s probably one of the worst-kept secrets in the paddock but now it’s out there, I can finally start looking ahead to next season with genuine excitement.

“Each year in BSB my target has been to race for wins and improve and I know the FHO Racing team offers me the best opportunity to do that. Faye and Peter have already demonstrated the potential of the team and I feel that’s only going to grow further next season.

“I would like to thank Faye for giving me this opportunity. I can head into the off-season knowing that I’m set for a really positive 2023. The ingredients are all there to go fast and win races and this is what motivates me to keep racing.”

Team Principal, Faye Ho –

“It is very exciting for me to be able to reveal our two Bennetts British Superbike riders for next year. Of course, we are thrilled to be welcoming back Peter for a third season, but we are also very excited that Josh will be joining us.

“With two titles under his belt, Josh is one of the best riders in the championship and I am very happy that he will become part of the FHO family in 2023.

“I believe we have signed two of the strongest, most capable and most successful riders on the grid for next year’s BSB campaign and signing two big names like this is just the next step in the FHO story.

“There have been all sorts of rumours and I know a lot of people thought I was going to take my team to World Superbikes, but as you can see, FHO Racing is very much staying here in the British Superbike Championship where we belong and we will be aiming for big success next year.”

10th October 2022

Phil Read Tribute 1939 – 2022

Phil Read MBE

B. 01-01-1939

D. 06-10-2022

‘The Prince of Speed’ didn’t just get his name, he had to earn it:

Read’s story could have been so different. He almost didn’t go into Motorcycle racing, he started as an apprentice fitter at a machinery company but whilst there he competed in amateur short-circuit racing, gaining valuable experience for when two years later he won his first motorcycle event in the Junior Manx Grand Prix, breaking the speed record in the process. It was clear from an early age this young man had talent.

In 1959 he won another title, this time in the Junior 350cc TT race but it didn’t end there. Keeping his winning streak up he went on to win the Thruxton 500 Endurance two years in a row. In the second season he also made the step-up into Grand-Prix road racing replacing Derek Minter, who was injured at the time.

Phil’s 500cc debut came at the Isle of Man TT, he finished 3^rd and followed that with podiums in the next two races.

But to become a house-hold name in the 1960’s and 70’s he had to push himself even further.

In 1964 he signed a contract for Yamaha and won the 250cc championship, not just that he also maintained it the second year. People were certainly now noticing Phil Read, if they hadn’t already.

Throughout his career he battled many giants of the sport and in 1966 was no exception. Going toe-to-toe against fellow Brit Mike Hailwood (Honda), he lost his first championship since competing in the GP’s.

Read had a rebellious streak and was known for being outspoken. In 1968 this behaviour came to the forefront in the most spectacular way:

Yamaha wanted to win both the 125 and 250 championships. For this they chose Read and another fellow Brit – Bill Ivy to race for them. Read for 125’s and Ivy for 250’s. However, Phil had decided this wasn’t for him and defied team orders. Yamaha still won both championships, but it was Read who took the trophy for both. Yamaha did not take this well and responded by firing him and leaving him with no ride in 1969 and 1970!

Read and his Yamaha. Courtesy of: Flipboard website.

After two years away Phil came back with a bang! 1971 saw Read compete once again in the 250 championship on a private Yamaha. The odds were against him, but he succeeded in winning his 5^th World Title – the first ever World Champion as a privateer.

MV Augusta took note of his performance and offered him a ride for the following season. Read took the chance with both hands and it proved to be a fantastic call. Together they won the 500cc Championship and also in the same year the 350cc Championship. Making him the first-ever rider to win the junior, intermediate and senior World Championships. To show how difficult this achievement truly is only Valentino Rossi and Marc Marquez have done so since.

MV Augusta was a great match. Courtesy of: Pinterest.

He then took back-to-back victories in the 500 class, claiming his 8^th crown.

Read was a tough competitor, he needed this toughness to win all of his titles, but in 1975 he couldn’t quite compete against another ‘King of the Sport’ – Giacomo Agostini (Yamaha). He fought well but, finished 2^nd behind him. That same year would be Read’s final GP victory. But not his last win ever – in 1977 he won the Formula TT.

Risk equals reward and during these times manufacturers were trying lots of new things as new technology became available. Riders would risk their lives (just like they do now) but the prize was always worth it. Read was rewarded with an MBE (for his services in motorcycle racing) in 1979 and skipping a few years, in 2002 the FIM – Motorcycling Racing Governing Body – named Phil a GP Legend, meaning he was entered into the Moto GP Hall of Fame.

He lived his best Rock ‘n’ Roll life and was known as the ‘bad boy’ in the paddock. Owning a Rolls Royce, flying his own private plane and having many glamorous ladies during this time.

He retired in 1982 to spend time on ‘business interests’ and to take part in classic racing.

His legendary status will always live on, and his large living lifestyle will always be remembered. He is a true icon of the sport.

(Featured image: Read winning for Yamaha. Courtesy of: Motor Company Website).

9th October 2022

Round 9 WorldSBK Portimao, Portugal, Race 2

Victory in the earlier Superpole race, meant the reigning champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu, was on a charge, and looking for a complete set of wins across the weekend.

Lights out for race 2 and it was Toprak (Pata Yamaha) with the hole shot into turn 1, followed by Rea (Kawasaki KRT) 2nd, Bautista (Aruba.it Ducati) 3rd, Lowes (Kawasaki KRT) 4th, and Rinaldi (Aruba.it Ducati) 5th.

WorldSBK 09.10.2022 Portimao Picture courtesy of KRT Kawasaki Racing Alex Lowes

Next lap and Rea barged through on Toprak to take over the lead, and was looking aggressive early on. Further back it was 6th Bassani (Motocorsa Duacti), 7th Locatelli (Pata Yamaha), 8th Redding (BMW Mottorad). Then drama for Mahias (Puccetti Kawasaki) who went down, and his race was over.

On lap 18 of 20, it was Rinaldi in 4th who set the new fastest lap of the race with a 1:40.098, and was having a much better race. Meanwhile further back it was the Honda HRC team mates of Lecuona, and Vierge in 10th, and 11th respectively, 12th Vd Mark (BMW Motorrad), 15th Gerloff (GRT Yamaha).

With 16 laps to go, drama for Bassani who went down into turn 12, losing the front end of the Ducati, and his race was over. Meanwhile at the front, the leading group of 5 riders had pulled away from the rest of the field.

With 15 laps to go, it was Rea who set the new fastest lap with a 1:40.673, and the pace was gradually getting ramped up, to be more in line with the quicker pace in race 1. Bautista held a gap of 0.5s to his team mate behind in 4th. Meanwhile Lowes was struggling with the faster pace, and was beginning to lose contact in 5th.

Next lap and, as in race 1, Toprak out brakes Rea into turn 1 with a nice looking move, cutting up the inside of the 6x champion. All three of the title contenders were swapping fastest laps, and it was the turn of Alvaro to put in the new fastest lap of a 1:40.647.

With 12 laps to go, Rea repays Toprak by making the same pass on him, as he had to Rea into turn 1, to retake the lead. Meanwhile Bautista sensed an opportunity, and came through on Toprak to move into 2nd. The Turk going from 1st to 3rd in one corner.

Next lap and Bautista was gathering momentum and passed Rea down the straight, and into turn 1 to take over the lead. Again the ZX10-RR had no response to the shear speed of the Panigale V4.

Half race distance, and Toprak again passed Rea into turn 1 to take over 2nd. Bautista meanwhile, held a gap of 0.3 out in front. Further back it was 6th Locatelli, 7th Redding, 8th Lecuona.

Next lap and keen to not allow Bautista to clear away, Toprak continued to push the pace on, setting a new fastest lap of 1:40.4.

With 7 laps to go, drama for Lecuona who went down into turn 14 losing the front end on the downhill cambered corner. He was having a decent race until then, and his race was over. Meanwhile at the front, Toprak was still shadowing Bautista, and then made a surprising move into turn 13, looking to have caught Bautista out, and cut under him to take the lead. The Spaniard did not expect that move, and Toprak was looking keen for a scrap.

Next lap and Bautista would make a reply, blasting past the R1 down the straight and into turn 1, to take over the lead. Meanwhile behind in 3rd, Rea had cooked his tyres, and was losing contact with the two riders ahead of him. It would surely come down to either the Spaniard or the Turk to claim to the win.

With 4 laps to go, Bautista had extended his lead to 0.8s, and Toprak was clearly suffering from tyre wear issues as was Rea. Meanwhile further back it was 8th Vierge, 9th Baz (Bonovo Action BMW), 10th Gerloff.

With the final 2 laps to go, Bautista had broke the advances of Toprak, and had extended the gap to 1.7s. Barring an incident, he would have the win in the bag.

WorldSBK 09.10.2022 Portimao, Picture courtesy of Aruba.it Racing, Alvaro Bautista

Last lap and Bautista crossed the line to deny Toprak a hat trick of wins across the weekend. It was Toprak 2nd, Rea 3rd, Rinaldi 4th, Lowes 5th, Locatelli 6th, Redding 7th, Vierge 8th, Gerloff 9th, Baz 10th.

With the final 3 rounds to come, it was looking as though Bautista firmly held the advantage over his rivals.

Result top 5:

Bautista (Aruba.it Ducati)
Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha)
Rea (Kawasaki KRT)
Rinaldi (Aruba.it Ducati)
Lowes (Kawasaki KRT)

Championship top 3:

Bautista – 448 pts
Razgatlioglu – 392
Rea – 366

9th October 2022

Verstappen seals championship amid confusion after Japanese GP win

Max Verstappen cruised to victory at Suzuka to take his twelfth victory of the season and his second world championship, in bizarre circumstances after a late-race penalty for Charles Leclerc.

A mistake from Leclerc at the final chicane led to a five-second penalty for the Ferrari driver, dropping him behind Sergio Perez, which when combined with a confusing quirk in the regulations, secured Verstappen his second successive title. For the second week in a row, the race was time-limited, finishing after 28 of the scheduled 53 laps due to an extended red flag period early on due to torrential rain. The way the championship was decided, plus other incidents throughout the race will once again raise questions about the FIA’s running of the championship.

SUZUKA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 09: Race winner and 2022 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on October 09, 2022 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202210090387 // Usage for editorial use only //

All the drivers started on intermediate tyres, in conditions which were arguably more suited to the full wet tyres. Leclerc was initially able to challenge Verstappen into turn one, but the Red Bull swept around the outside to retain the lead. Further back, Sebastian Vettel collided with Fernando Alonso, sending the Aston Martin driver plummeting down the field.

Conditions were extremely treacherous at this point, and Carlos Sainz was caught out in dramatic fashion, crashing heavily at the entry to turn twelve. He was lucky not to be collected by the field, with Lewis Hamilton coming inches away from striking the stricken Ferrari. Further back, Zhou Guanyu had a spin and was able to continue, with Alex Albon retiring with a power unit problem.

The Safety Car was deployed, and unsurprisingly the race was red flagged on lap two as conditions worsened. Pierre Gasly had to make a pitstop after collecting an advertising hoarding on his car, and was catching the pack when he came frighteningly close to hitting a tractor, which had been released onto the circuit to collect Sainz’s car. Questions will surely be asked about how this was allowed to happen, with Gasly still travelling around at speed to catch the end of the train.

This led to a two-hour stoppage with the race resuming at 16:15 local time, although the FIA originally planned to restart at 14:50 local time, before calling this off less than 2 minutes before the cars were meant to head out on circuit. Once they did finally resume, it was clear that the full wet tyres wouldn’t be needed for much longer, and as the safety car came in after three laps, Vettel and Nicholas Latifi followed it down the pitlane to change to intermediate tyres, and were instantly the fastest cars in the field, with 40 minutes of racing action left.

All the field eventually changed to the intermediate tyres, with Mick Schumacher being the last to change, as his Haas team gambled on a safety car or on the rain returning – a move which could have potentially put them on the podium if successful – but led to the young German cast adrift of the field in last place. Verstappen and Leclerc were comfortably ahead of the field at this point, and initially continued to pull away.

In the difficult conditions, overtaking opportunities were always going to be hard to come by. Lewis Hamilton spent the entire race stuck behind Esteban Ocon, with his Mercedes not having enough straight-line speed to be able to comfortably make the move. His teammate was finding things easier however, pulling off some sublime moves around the outside at the Esses to work his way up to eighth place, after dropping places in the pit stop period.

At the front, Verstappen was pulling away from Leclerc at a rate of one second per lap, with the Ferrari struggling badly for understeer as the intermediates wore out, which allowed Perez to close onto the rear of Leclerc. This was a problem for many across the field, and became acutely clear when Zhou pitted for fresh tyres and immediately set the fastest lap. Others reacted to this and came in for fresh tyres, most notably Fernando Alonso, who dropped from seventh to tenth with eight minutes remaining.

Alonso was soon ahead of Lando Norris and Latifi, and dispatched Russell with one lap to go. Soon he was on the back of Vettel, with the two drag racing across the line as Vettel came out on top by 0.011s.

Out in front, Verstappen cruised across the line, over 25 seconds clear of the pack after 28 laps. It looked as though Leclerc had held on for second, before a costly mistake at the final chicane forced him to cut the corner, as he barely held on across the line from Perez. However, he was adjudged to have gained an advantage from this, dropping him behind Perez and into third, and giving Red Bull their fifth 1-2 of the season. The rest of the points finishers were Ocon, Hamilton, Vettel, Alonso, Russell, Latifi and Norris.

This is where the confusion began. After the Spa debacle of 2021, the rules regarding points in suspended races were changed. Under the previous rules, any race where between 2 laps and 75% of laps are completed, half points would be awarded. Many people interpreted the new rules as giving Verstappen 19 points for the win (having completed between 50-75% of the full race distance), with Perez getting 14 and Leclerc getting 12. However, these rules now only apply to races which are suspended and not resumed, meaning full points were awarded at Suzuka, putting Verstappen 113 points clear with 112 remaining, and securing the championship for the Dutchman. Given that this rule therefore means it is possible to have a three-lap race and give full points, it would only be sensible for this to be looked at.

SUZUKA, JAPAN – OCTOBER 09: Race winner and 2022 F1 World Drivers Champion Max Verstappen of Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with his team after the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka International Racing Course on October 09, 2022 in Suzuka, Japan. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images ) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202210090615 // Usage for editorial use only //

It had looked for a while as though it was always going to be when Max secured the title, not if, given his dominance of the season so far. With four races to go, he is just one behind Vettel and Michael Schumacher’s record of 13 wins in a season, with the RB18’s fourteenth win making it Adrian Newey’s most successful car yet. Once again though, it is under controversial circumstances for Max, given the points confusion and the looming cost-cap report. With regulations remaining largely stable however until 2026, there is a huge possibility that Verstappen will claim a straightforward championship sooner rather than later.