Ryan Vickers exits BSB with a third place - “we just fell short a little bit”

Ryan Vickers offered to be wingman for his OMG Grilla Yamaha teammate Kyle Ryde, but could not play the part he wanted as the duo sped out of sight, on lap record pace.

• 2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch (Showdown Finale) - Race Results (3)
• 2024 British Superbikes: Brands Hatch (Showdown Finale) - Race Results (2)

The first visit to Brands Hatch had brought a clean sweep for the #7, and although not quite hitting the same heights, Vickers was pleased as he signed off, taking pole and three podium finishes, including third in the final race of the Showdown:

“It’s been a good weekend , you know - I can’t complain. I’ve rode the best I possibly can and - that last race - I feel like I’m riding amazing on a bike, you know I can’t take away anything like that, we’ve done a great job, not quite where we want to be - I would have loved to have been fighting for that championship and I definitely deserve to, but it’s just our times didn’t align this year and that’s just one of those things".

Vickers season got off to the best possible start, taking both wins at the season opener in Navarra, remaining consistent when not absent through injury or illness, taking a string of podiums - with seven wins in total, as many as Ryde:

“We tried our best 100% all the time and we just fell short a little bit but we’ve shown this year that we can be competitive, we can be a front runner consistently and one of the fastest guys on the track at every circuit, so I’m really,really proud of that - 14 podiums I think it is this year now, so yeah, it’s an incredible achievement.”

Vickers was catching the lead duo towards the end of the race so had the best seat in the house to see Ryde take the 2024 title, with the Norfolk rider quick to praise his colleagues performance:

“I’m so, so happy for Kyle - he’s done an incredible job this year, to have that kind of consistency throughout the year is very difficult at this level. The type of tracks we ride on - it’s not an easy job, and that’s where its come to give him the championship.

He’s been riding amazing in that last race, all of us got a limit, we’re on the limit everywhere, you know, it’s great, It’s real good racing and we physically cannot go any quicker ans it’s great. Nice to see both of the top two guys for the championship fighting right to the end, two clean, dry races - it’s real cool to be a part of”.

Vickers is off to the World Superbike paddock for the Jerez finale as a wildcard along with Ryde, then joins the grid full time in WSBK for 2025 with the Motocorsa Team:

“Really proud of my season, really proud of the team and, yeah it’s a great way to finish off!”