British Superbikes, Snetterton: Iddon - “it was kind of like watching it on TV!”

Christian Iddon was on the podium, third in both Sunday races at Snetterton, but the British Superbike rider felt like a viewer for the Irwin/Bridewell battle unfolding ahead.

Christian Iddon, Tommy Bridewell, Glenn Irwin BSB, 2024, Snetterton, race three, 7 July, podium
Christian Iddon, Tommy Bridewell, Glenn Irwin BSB, 2024, Snetterton, race…
© Ian Hopgood Photography

Snetterton proved to be fruitful for Christian Iddon, after recovering to sixth in the shortened, treacherous race one, the Oxford Products Ducati rider was able to claim third in the second five lap dash, the shortened race two sprint.

Race three saw him take the lead for the opening laps, something he credits his team for with an improved bike, but left him rueful he could not hold on out front after such a positive start:

“The team gave me a vastly improved bike for that last race so I finished in the same place, so I guess that’s my fault because I did feel a lot better on it and when I got the holeshot I was confident enough to try to set a pace and then when Glenn came through it just upset my rhythm a little bit and then obviously Tommy pounced as well, it took me a little bit of time to sort of regroup.

Christian Iddon, BSB, 2024, Snetterton, Race three, 7 July
Christian Iddon, BSB, 2024, Snetterton, Race three, 7 July
© Ian Hopgood Photography

I was really struggling in one particular spot - I was awful onto the back straight - and it was costing me quite a bit of time, and then I was trying to recover it in other places, so I’m happy with the work we’ve done here”.

Although his drop from the lead was a shame, Iddon had no time to dwell as there was another battle approaching behind as Kyle Ryde and Danny Kent duked it out on track, with Ryde ahead of him at one point in the race:

“I’m a little bit disappointed to have gone backwards in the race because obviously to be at the front and then, you know, to peg back a little bit, but you know Kyle got me at one point - I had to get him back, so there was definitely plenty of fight, I was having a good go”.

Though close enough to see what was going on ahead the #21 was not close enough to get involved leaving him to view the battle out front along with the fans at the track and at home:

“I was kind of hoping at the end that I could sort of get myself a little bit closer, to actually sort of be in that battle  - it was kind of like watching it on TV really - I was just there, sort of like watching it from behind and I was almost willing them two to have a bit of a bigger gap at each other than they were doing.

So fair play to Glenn and Tommy, they just had a slight edge on me today, but I think we’ve worked really well, we’ve had a strong weekend, we got away with it yesterday big time and that could have hurt us but championship wise it’s been pretty good”.

Iddon leaves Snetterton with 156 points, still moving up to third overall and reducing his  gap to the lead slightly down from 23 to 21 points.

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