British Superbikes, Donington Park: Bridewell - “all of a sudden this green Kawasaki appeared!”

Tommy Bridewell got a race to remember for his 400th start as race three at Donington Park went down as an instant, drama filled classic.

The Honda rider had taken the advantage out front, but tyre management and pressure from behind meant the defending champion was sure he was going to be given a battle, with Glenn Irwin the first to show his cards:

“I got the holeshot and I felt really good sat out front, but immediately I knew I had to try and preserve or conserve my tyre - 20 laps around here in this temperature is hard work so I was quite cautious going down through Craner Curves because those sort of corners is what, you know, destroys the tyre.

• 2024 British Superbikes: Donington Park - Race Results (3)
• British Superbike Championship delivers medical update after Ryan Vickers’ crash

Then I saw Glenn maybe try and put a bit of a hammer down but then he didn’t have the pace, obviously, to go away. So I managed to get the run on Jase coming onto the back straight and do him down into Foggy’s and then I set about attacking Glenn.

Using his Honda’s advantages and being well aware of what the Ducati is capable if after winning the championship on it in 2023, the battle between the pair was constant with passes coming thick and fast, mostly at either the Old Hairpin, Foggy Esses or the Melbourne Loop, though no corner was off limits. All the while both race winner Jason O’Halloran and Danny Kent were coming in to play:

“I kept passing into the Old Hairpin and I kind of knew it would bring the pack you, know, together.

The all of a sudden this green Kawasaki appeared! Jase got to the front and then, in truth he timed it perfect, I can’t fault him for it, he timed it perfect because me and Glenn just kind of knocked ten bows out of each other. Jase kept his nose clean and got enough of a gap that on the last lap when I was in front of Glenn I Just couldn’t get past him.

I knew he (Irwin) was going to attack me, then when he did - down into Foggy’s  - he obviously ran really wide and then I done him down into Melbourne, but I honestly was never going to stop for the corner. I could see he was stuck on my outside and then the next minute when I turned into the corner I just saw this blue Yamaha”!

The #1 managed to keep Kent at bay - an achievement as the trio behind came out of the last corner three abreast:

“I managed to keep him into second but then I knew I had to defend in the last corner but I had to defend so, so defensive that obviously I was quite slow in and then I saw Danny then - on the outside all the time this is going on Jason’s out front”.

The result built on the work Bridewell and Honda UK have done since the start of the season, with success not instant for the team, with a podium finish in every race at Donington:

“That was a battle I felt we could have potentially won, but again, points on the board is crucial for me, a really, really strong positive weekend”.