British Superbikes, Brands Hatch: ‘real rough’ Bridewell second on emotional day

Tommy Bridewell had high emotions and sickness to deal with on his way to second in the opening BSB race at Brands Hatch.

The reigning champion was looking for a podium finish, which he achieved and dedicated to his late brother Ollie, on the 17th anniversary of his death at Mallory Park.

Clearly disappointed with qualifying fifth - a huge save was needed which saw him unable to improve on his best effort in the closing stages, the Honda Racing UK rider wasted no time in moving ahead, but race winner Ryan Vickers already held an early lead.

• 2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch - Race Results (1)
• 2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch - Qualifying Results

Bridewell was also feeling under the weather with a sickness bug:

“On a day like today is always tough, you probably don’t realise, you know weirdly. I wake up yesterday and I feel fine, then I wake up today and it’s, it’s tough.

I didn’t feel at the races today until the race started, then I started to feel like I knew what I was doing, so I felt okay on the bike, there’s some real clear areas where we’re weak and, to be honest, Ryan done the right thing to be fair. The Honda and the Yamaha is in some areas quite similar, but if you can escape, you can let the bike ride how it wants to be ridden, so Ryan done a cracking job out front - disappeared!"

Bridewell had tried to dig in and catch the Yamaha man, as had Glenn Irwin before him but it was all in vain:

“I had a dig at trying to catch him and a few laps I thought ‘he’s not pulling away anymore’ and I’m not making excuses but I’ve been real rough the past couple of days and it was all of my energy to get through the 20 laps.

So when I started battling back, with Glenn, then Christian come past me - I could see where their bikes were visibly so much faster in a straight, but I was so much faster in braking and in and around the corners, so I knew, with the right amount of laps to go, if I could get back in front of them guys I would be able to just gap them enough through the corners, to you know, not get passed  down the straight".

The #1 rider was also happy to be part of a team 2-3 on the podium, with Andrew Irwin:

"So the plan worked and then honestly real chuffed to come over the line and see my teammate in third, so really chuffed for Andrew as well because I’ve seen the progress he’s been making of recent, and I think obviously I should  definitely be worried for sure!

He’s such a nice kid, he deserves the success he’s getting and it’s nice to see him growing as well”.

Their positions in the race , with Glenn Irwin fourth, sees the Ducati rider and Bridewell once again inseparable in the overall standings, with 189 points each.