British Superbikes Silverstone: Irwin wins as Brookes takes early title lead

Glenn Irwin powered through the pack in a skilled, determined race three performance to pick up a win with BeerMonster Ducati at the scene of his triple last year -the National layout at Silverstone.

Irwin had qualified second but was again plagued by a bad start which saw him drop back in the pack as he had already done in race two.

That meant tyre conservation was going to be tough as he used up his boots powering past his rivals, including long battles with Leon Haslam and then race leader, Danny Kent.

The #2 plate found it’s way to the front and held on to take the 18 maximum points in the third race.

Irwin was the first to admit his start didn’t go to the way he had hoped:

 “It didn’t go to plan at the beginning - after the second race the start was terrible, I did something not so good with the clutch and my plan was if you are in the first two, three, take it easy through the last corner  - it’s really hard on tyres - if one or two go by you’re filtering between first and fourth but that wasn’t the case!”

• 2023 British Superbikes Silverstone Race Results (3)
• 2023 British Superbikes Silverstone Race Results (2)
• 2023 British Superbikes Silverstone Race Results (1)

Irwin particularly enjoyed his battle with friend Haslam:

"Leon kept passing me into turn one - at one point he tapped his seat to stay behind him but I had more pace than him, it’s just that I wasn’t trying to go fast here!

I had to start using a bit of tyre to pass Leon, I enjoyed riding with him, you know, I get on really well with him. It was good fun.”

‘I wanted to play an Oscar winning role and not a support role’

There were many riders making leaps and bounds in performance on day two as they learned what they could do on a dry track and Iwrin was determined not to be left out:

I said this morning in an interview that I wanted to play an Oscar winning role and not a support role and I knew after warm-up we could do that”.

‘It’s perfect to lead the championship after the first round - it’s ideal'

Irwin may have won the race but Josh Brookes leads the way overall after a resurgent opeing weekend back on a BMW after his tough stint on a Ducati.

Looking right at home and brimming with the confidence his new package has given him, the Australian brought about his 55th win after a barren spell, having not graced the top step since 2020, and his 150th podium in the class.

Like so many of the frontrunners the FHO Racing rider was in with a shout of victory in all the races held and has been a constant, something he could only dream of last season, reflecting on how working with his new team has made all the difference and reinvigorated his career:

“It’s perfect to lead the championship after the first round, it’s ideal.

We’re always optimistic we’re going to have a good bike, a good package, but to get into the opening round and already have three podiums - it’s just ideal - we’re in a perfect place to build for rounds to come”.

Brookes then rdiscussed the final race of the day and how the cooling teperatures at what had previously been a sunny Silverstone played their part:

“That race was particularly hard in that the track temperature was a bit coolerand it felt like for me, maybe, the tyre wasn’t working as good towards the end.

I did what I could to improve but it just didn’t come so I felt a bit isolated there and then I got passed by a few people.

I though that was the beginning of a deterioration, but it wasn’t to be - I could maintain the pace, I didn’t drop any more and…strangely with two laps, three laps to go I felt like I was actually going forward. I wasn’t going forward so much as I was doing the same but the guys who had just passed me were maybe losing a little bit so it looked like I could come back”.

‘I've been involved all weekend in some real proper ding dongs!’

In a weekend of phoenix from the flame performances Tommy Bridewell was not to be overlooked.

Now at BeerMonster Ducati the Wiltshire born rider seems happily confident after moving from Oxford Products. The transition won't be as huge as for some - he is still on a Ducati, but after a slow burning start to 2022, Bridewell has seen instant success with a podium in every race.

His close second in race two was built on with a third in race three, but the #46 was in with a shout of winning both events:

“A great start to the season! It was a tough one, really hard, kind of been involved in some real proper little ding dongs most of the races. The first races with Kyle and a little bit with Josh in the first race today”.

Bridewell saw his low grid placing as a big obstacle for race three:

“I probably underestimated coming from ninth, then making a bad start, then getting a bit beaten up - dropping a bit further back. Underestimated how difficult it was to get through so by the time I had slowly let the race calm down and kind of got enough room that I could make some passesand get to where I needed to be it was like ‘oh, three laps to go!’

I just couldn’t do any more, I physically couldn’t get past the rest of the guys, you know, any quicker, I completely used up all my tyres to get up to third”.

Overall, Bridewell was happy with what the PBM package delivered for the opening weekend:

“Three podiums at what I would call a ‘bogey’ track for us, probably for my riding style a little bit…I’ll certainly take it.”

Official British Superbike Silverstone Records:

Old BSB Lap Record - Silverstone: Bradley Ray (Yamaha) 53.102s (2022)
New BSB lap record - Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) 52.953s (2023 - FP3)

2022 at Silversone:

Pole: Glenn Irwin (2nd Kyle Ryde, 3rd Bradley Ray)

Race One: 
1:Glenn Iwrin 
2:Kyle Ryde 
3:Bradley Ray

Race Two: 
1:Glenn Irwin
2:Kyle Ryde
3: Rory Skinner

Race Three:
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Bradley Ray
3: Andrew Irwin

Championship Standings after Silverstone, round one.

Three races and three different winners, with three winning manufacturers make it close at the top.

Ducati lead the way as top constructor.

Josh Brookes win in the second race backed up by podium finishes in the other two races sees him lead the way with a total of 48 as round one drew to a close.

Tommy Bridewell, who also hit the podium in every race is just two points behind in second, on 46.

Glenn Irwin’s win brought him right up to the leaders with a total of 43, passing sprint race winner Kyle Ryde who drops to fourth overall after struggling in race three where he finished seventh.

Jason O’Halloran as been consistent in picking up points, reflected in him sitting fifth overall on 35 ahead of the next round at Oulton Park.