Champions crowned at nail biting Brands Hatch BSB finale

BSB 2025

Round Eleven – Brands Hatch

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Superbike Race One

Ryde got a great start in the opening Superbike contest of the Brands Hatch finale, forcing his way past Ray to take control in the opening laps as their title duel resumed at full intensity. Christian Iddon held third early on, chased by Tommy Bridewell, while Ray quickly regrouped to reclaim the lead at Paddock Hill Bend on lap three.

For several laps, Ryde and Ray traded tenths until Ryde finally retaliated on lap 13 with a well-timed move at Hawthorns. Behind them, Redding was mounting a charge, climbing from sixth on the grid and steadily reeling in the leading duo.

With four laps remaining, the BMW rider made his first strike on Ray at Hawthorns, then set his sights on Ryde, taking the lead a lap later at Surtees. From there, Redding managed the gap to the finish to secure his first win of the weekend.

Ray fought back to snatch second in the closing stages, while Ryde completed the podium, ensuring the title fight remains finely poised heading into Sunday’s final two races, 27 points now separate the pair with 70 still on offer.

Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) claimed fourth after running with the lead group early on, while Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) completed the top five.

Max Cook won the battle over Leon Haslam, whose result ended his mathematical title hopes, while Charlie Nesbitt, Lee Jackson, and Glenn Irwin rounded out the top ten ahead of Storm Stacey and Josh Brookes.

It was a tougher outing for Tommy Bridewell and Christian Iddon, both of whom crashed out, Bridewell at Surtees and Iddon at Druids, but fortunately walked away unhurt.

Billy McConnell was disqualified from the results after the race for a technical infringement on the C & L Honda.

Superbike Race One Results

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Superbike Race Two

Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) completed a sensational double at Brands Hatch, winning the second Bennetts British Superbike Championship race of the weekend after a late charge saw him overhaul title contenders Kyle Ryde and Bradley Ray.

Redding made his decisive move in the closing stages, diving past Ray on the penultimate lap and then executing a textbook pass on Ryde at Hawthorns on the final lap to seal victory, his second of the weekend, as the championship battle heads into a dramatic final race.

The race two result meant that just 30 points separated Ryde and Ray heading into the decider.

From the start, Ray launched into the lead aboard the Raceways Yamaha, ahead of Redding and Ryde, but the race was quickly neutralised after Christian Iddon suffered a high-speed crash exiting Clark Curve on Lap 2. The BMW Safety Car was deployed while marshals attended the incident, with Iddon walking away after a heavy tumble through the gravel.

Racing resumed on Lap 5, and Ray continued to control proceedings from Ryde, the pair trading blows for the lead while Redding kept a watching brief in third.

Further back, Leon Haslam crashed out at Clark Curve just after the restart, while Rory Skinner followed him into the gravel three laps later in what proved an eventful opening half of the race.

At the front, Ryde briefly took control at Druids, only for Ray to strike back at Stirlings. The two continued to exchange positions in a fierce duel for maximum points — until Redding joined the party.

The former champion made his move for second with a bold inside pass on Ray at Hawthorns on the penultimate lap, then immediately set his sights on Ryde. One lap later, at the same corner, Redding repeated the move, taking the lead and holding on to the flag by a narrow margin.

It was a perfectly judged ride from Redding, who delivered Ducati’s second win of the day and ensured the championship remained finely poised heading into the finale later that afternoon.

Superbike Race Two Results

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Superbike Race Three

For the first time since 2017, the Bennetts British Superbike Championship crown has been successfully defended. Kyle Ryde claimed a second consecutive title with Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha after a measured sixth-place finish in a tense final race at Brands Hatch.

While Danny Kent took a brilliant victory for McAMS Racing Yamaha, and Bradley Ray finished second for Raceways Yamaha, Ryde’s consistency under pressure was enough to secure the 2025 championship, finishing the season 20 points clear of Ray in the standings.

Kent Ends McAMS Era on a High

Starting from the Omologato pole position, Scott Redding, winner of the weekend’s two previous races, initially led the field, but Kent and Ray quickly fought through, with Ray taking charge down the hill from Druids on the opening lap.

Ryde, knowing what was at stake, made a cautious start and completed Lap 1 in fourth, content to keep his rivals in sight.

Rory Skinner impressed early, climbing to second on Lap 1 before Kent reasserted himself on Lap 2 to reclaim the position. Ray continued to lead, maximising his title hopes, until Lap 5 when Kent swept past at Sheene Curve and began to pull clear.

From there, Kent controlled proceedings masterfully, delivering McAMS Racing Yamaha a perfect farewell victory in their final BSB appearance.

Behind Kent, the battle for the podium and the championship remained unpredictable. On Lap 12, Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) surged past Ray into second, threatening to upend the title equation completely. Ray needed a top-two finish to stay in the hunt, but appeared to have no answer for Nesbitt’s pace, until the Honda rider crashed out at Graham Hill Bend just two laps from home.

That incident gifted Ray back second place, but it also meant Ryde still needed to reach the finish to clinch the title — no easy task in the slippery, ever-changing conditions.

Skinner fell at Stirlings, while Fraser Rogers, who had stormed from 14th to fourth, also went down. Ryde slipped toward the lower half of the top ten but stayed calm, avoiding errors while others fell around him.

When the chequered flag fell, Kent crossed the line to claim victory, ahead of Ray and Tommy Bridewell, who produced a strong ride to third. Storm Stacey finished fourth, with Redding recovering from an early setback to take fifth.

Ryde’s sixth place was enough to seal his second straight Bennetts BSB title — and mark an extraordinary record of 60 consecutive race finishes in the premier class.

Max Cook, Lee Jackson, Billy McConnell, and Glenn Irwin rounded out the final top ten of the 2025 season, with Josh Brookes just missing out in eleventh, the same rank in which the two-time champion finished the championship.

Ryde’s back-to-back crowns make him the first rider since Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne in 2017 to successfully defend the Bennetts BSB title, capping another fiercely competitive season for Yamaha.

It was also a fitting send-off for McAMS Racing, who bowed out with a victory, while Ray and Redding ensured the 2025 championship finale lived up to the hype.

Superbike Race Three Results

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Kyle Ryde – 2025 BSB Champion

“I’m super happy to get another Bennetts BSB championship title under my belt. The feeling is incredible! I only got emotional when I saw Mum and Dad. I could see how much it meant to them. They’ve put in so much time, money, and effort just to get my first one, so to bring home a second title is the cherry on top. This one’s a massive bonus, and any more we get from here are just extra blessings!

“The race itself was tough, even with a 30-point lead, anything could’ve happened out there. Conditions were sketchy, no knee slider, slippery track, riders going down all around, but I stayed calm and trusted my pace. Once Dad waved the pit board and I saw the gap, I could finally breathe.

“Massive thanks to my family, sponsors, and everyone who has backed me from day one. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved together. Now it’s time for a holiday before we go again!”

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British Superbike Final Championship Points

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Supersport Race One (Sprint)

Rhys Irwin strengthened his grip on the British Supersport Championship after a dramatic Sprint race victory over Jack Kennedy, winning by just 0.030 seconds at the line.

The Gearlink Bike Performance 15 rider led most of the race but had to fend off late challenges from both Kennedy and title rival Ben Currie in a tense three-way battle to the flag.

Despite starting from pole, it was Currie who made the best launch from the second row to take the early lead, with Irwin and Kennedy close behind. Irwin hit the front on lap four, and although Currie shadowed him for much of the race, the top three remained covered by fractions of a second.

The pressure intensified in the closing laps as Kennedy slipped past Currie for second on lap seven, only for the Moto Rapido Ducati rider to immediately fight back. As the trio began the final lap, Irwin’s margin was down to just 0.060 seconds, and Currie briefly hit the front before Irwin retaliated at the next corner, forcing Currie wide and allowing Kennedy through.

The defending champion tried to make one final move at Clearways, but Irwin held firm to take his fifth win of the season. Currie crossed the line third, ahead of Eugene McManus in fourth and Luke Stapleford in fifth.

Max Stauffer took the chequered flag in 24th place on his debut with the Astro-JJR Hippo Suzuki Racing Team, finishing just behind team-mate Josh Bannister.

With his narrow win, Irwin extended his championship advantage to 12-points over Currie heading into the final race of the season.

Supersport Race One (Sprint) Results

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Supersport Race Two

Rhys Irwin was crowned 2025 British Supersport Champion after bringing his Gearlink Bike Performance 15 Kawasaki home in third place during a rain-soaked season finale, a result that secured his first British title.

While Ben Currie claimed the race win and outgoing champion Jack Kennedy finished runner-up, Irwin’s cool-headed ride in treacherous conditions was enough to clinch the championship and deliver a long-awaited crown for the Gearlink squad.

Currie Controls in the Rain

Heavy rain greeted riders for the final showdown, forcing everyone to tread carefully as the race got underway. 2023 champion Ben Currie launched cleanly from the line to take the early lead, with Irwin settling into second.

Jack Kennedy moved into third but was quickly shuffled back to fourth on Lap 3 when Joe Talbot came charging through. The leading quartet stayed tightly packed until Lap 7, when Talbot made his move on Irwin to take second, and Kennedy also slipped by soon after.

Fourth was still enough for Irwin to keep his title hopes alive — provided he stayed upright.

On Lap 9, Talbot took the lead just before the Safety Car was deployed for the second time. When racing resumed, Talbot initially held the advantage but was immediately under pressure from Currie.

Moments later, Talbot’s luck ran out, a small mistake in the wet saw him crash out, handing the lead to Currie.

Behind them, Kennedy was promoted to second while Eunan McGlinchy began a late charge, overtaking Irwin for third on the penultimate lap, only to crash out himself while lapping backmarkers.

Currie kept his composure to take victory for Moto Rapido Ducati, Kennedy followed him home in second, and Irwin rode a measured final lap to cross the line third — enough to seal the 2025 Supersport Championship.

An emotional Irwin dedicated his title to his team and two close friends lost during the season.

“I so badly wanted to win this championship for everyone at Gearlink. I can’t believe after all these years I’ve managed to win it for them,” said Irwin. “We lost two brilliant people this year, Shane Richardson and Owen Jenner. Shane was my team-mate and I hope he’s looking down and he’s proud. This is my life’s work and I’m so happy.”

Ben Currie ended the year with another superb win, while Jack Kennedy once again showed his class, but the day belonged to Rhys Irwin, the new British Supersport Champion.  Currie missed out on the title by a slender four points.

Currie was not the only Australian on the British Supersport grid at the finale, with Max Stauffer making his debut in the series with the Astro-JJR Hippo Suzuki Racing Team. Max made plenty of progress on Sunday to claim his first BSB points.

Supersport Race Two Results

British Supersport Final Championship Points

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