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More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Terrific treble for Glenn Irwin and Honda Racing UK at Silverstone opener
Glenn Irwin celebrated his first treble victory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Silverstone today, following up his win in yesterday’s opening race to score a sensational double for Honda Racing UK as the Japanese manufacturer celebrates their 30th anniversary year of the Honda Fireblade.
Glenn Irwin had claimed the opening race win of the season yesterday, and in the second race of the weekend, he held off an incredible last lap attack from Kyle Ryde to win the drag to the line by just 0.079s.
Glenn Irwin had carved his way through the pack and was handed the lead courtesy of Bradley Ray crashing dramatically out of the lead, with Ryde and Rory Skinner in close contention.
Ryde was piling on the pressure, but Glenn Irwin was defensive and did just enough to hold him off to the chequered flag.
Skinner claimed FS-3 Racing Kawasaki’s first podium finish of the season with a strong third place, whilst his FS teammate Lee Jackson secured fourth after getting ahead of Andrew Irwin on the leading SYNETIQ BMW.
Jason O’Halloran completed the top six, breaking away from Peter Hickman, Tommy Bridewell and Danny Buchan as Christian Iddon completed the top ten.
In the final race of the weekend, the target was on Glenn Irwin’s back, but he was able to hold off his rivals to celebrate his first treble victory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
Skinner had launched into the lead on the opening lap from his front row start ahead of his Honda rival and Andrew Irwin.
On lap four, Glenn Irwin captured the lead as his brother Andrew moved into second place two laps later as they bid to make it a family affair at the front of the field.
The leading group was a freight train of seven riders with McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran and Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Ray, Ryde plus Tommy Bridewell and Danny Buchan.
Ray had been dicing with Andrew Irwin throughout the closing stages, but the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha rider emerged ahead. Ray had enough pace to hold off Andrew Irwin who became the fifth different podium finisher of the opening round.
Buchan was also in the mix and trying to move ahead of his SYNETIQ BMW teammate, but on the penultimate lap, he ran wide at Brooklands and lost ground. Skinner and O’Halloran seized their opportunity to move ahead and the pair held on to fourth and fifth ahead of Buchan as they crossed the line for the final time.
Bridewell was seventh on the leading Ducati to hold off Lee Jackson whilst Peter Hickman and Kyle Ryde completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Silverstone, Race 2 result:
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK)
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.079s
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.994s
Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +4.032s
Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +4.321s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +4.979s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +7.798s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +8.586s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +8.642s
Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +10.553s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Silverstone, Race 3 result:
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK)
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.864s
Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +2.487s
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +2.550s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +2.693s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +2.969s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +4.183s
Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +4.242s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +6.017s
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +11.257s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings after Silverstone:
Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 75
Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 46
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 42
Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) 37
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) 36
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 32
Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 28
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 26
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Glenn Irwin – Honda Racing UK
“Three doesn’t come often for anyone and it’s a first time for me! In one sense in racing when you get success you keep your head down, Ben Wilson told me after the Race 1 victory, ‘put it away now and today is a new day’.
“I had a good chat with him this morning again and it’s a little bit of that approach as we have Oulton on our mind, but three don’t come a lot and we’re going to enjoy this.
“I hope everyone on the team celebrates and enjoys these wins, I don’t think people on the outside know what went on inside this garage this weekend – all positive in great team work – but the boys had such a challenge, not just with my bike but with all the bikes.
“Those three wins were for the team, there’s no ‘my’ team in this, I want all of Honda Racing to enjoy today.
“To come away with three wins, we rewrote the script this weekend. I am buying the beers tonight!”
More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing UK:
Hat-trick for Honda Racing UK at Silverstone
The opening round of the 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship has been a dream start to the season for Honda Racing UK, with Glenn Irwin dominating the weekend and winning all three races at Silverstone’s National Circuit aboard the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP.
Claiming victory in yesterday’s first race of the weekend in superb style leading from start to finish, Glenn started today’s second race from the second row of the grid in fourth place. Moving through the pack and making up places with just ten laps to go Glenn was second and fast closing the gap to race leader Bradley Ray, who just two laps later crashed out of the lead. With a clear track ahead, and a chasing Superbike field behind, Glenn crossed the line making it a double win.
The final race of the weekend Glenn lined up fifth, but once the race started he quickly made his way into second place. On the fourth lap, the Honda-man made his move on Rory Skinner to take over the lead, where again he dominated proceedings to cross the line picking up his first treble victory. After the success of the weekend the Honda Racing squad head into the next round at Oulton Park leading the BSB championship with 75 points.
Meanwhile teammate and BSB rookie Tom Neave had a solid point scoring weekend finishing today’s races 14th and 12th respectively. Throughout all races Tom was battling in groups with experienced riders including Josh Brookes, Tom Sykes as well as Leon Haslam. Learning so much this weekend off and on-track, Tom leaves Round 1 13th overall in the championship.
After yesterday’s disappointment in Race 1 where he was forced to retire from the running, Ryo Mizuno enjoyed two race finishes today in 17th and 20th, while teammate Takumi Takahashi finished just outside the points in 16th and 17th places.
The team will now look forward to the second round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Oulton Park across the May Bank Holiday weekend 30 April – 2 May.
#2 Glenn Irwin
Three doesn’t come often for anyone and it’s a first time for me! In one sense in racing when you get success you keep your head down, Ben Wilson told me after the Race 1 victory, ‘put it away now and tomorrow is a new day’. I had a good chat with him this morning again and it’s a little bit of that approach as we have Oulton on our mind, but three don’t come a lot and we’re going to enjoy this. I hope everyone on the team celebrates and enjoys these wins, I don’t think people on the outside know what went on inside this garage this weekend – but the boys had such a challenge, not just with my bike but with all the bikes. Those three wins were for the team, there’s no ‘my’ team in this, I love all my teammates and I want all of Honda Racing to enjoy today.
#88 Ryo Mizuno
It was a difficult weekend for me and I’m sorry to the team that I couldn’t bring out the best in both races today. I am very honoured that my teammate Glenn has won three races in a row. Congratulations to Glenn. The only way to break through is to keep going, so we’ll just keep trying to make progress.
#13 Takumi Takahashi
First of all, I’d like to thank everyone in the team who helped me complete my bike in the short time between Race 2 and Race 3. In the second race, I lost position after the start and I couldn’t make a good pace and it was difficult. In the final race, of course, it’s still not enough, including the results, but I had a bit of a feeling I could race in BSB for the first time. I felt that last year’s experience was not in vain. I want to improve on what I’m missing for the next race.
#68 Tom Neave
I really don’t know where to start, it’s been an unbelievable weekend, I’ve hit all my goals and expectations I had of Superbike racing, I’ve actually exceeded them a little. Sitting behind Josh [Brookes], Tom [Sykes] and Leon [Haslam] for some laps, not only did I learn so much from them, but also in myself and where I can be stronger than them. I followed them in Race 2 and wasn’t able to pass, but to be able to pick them off one by one in Race 3 just felt unbelievable with their experience and career history, it really boosted my confidence. The Honda team has been amazing and I absolutely love the new team environment and working with all the guys.
More, from a press release issued by Buildbase Suzuki:
Points on the board for Iddon at Silverstone
Christian Iddon leaves the opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Silverstone with some points on the board and more data gathered from three solid days of track action, after missing out on valuable testing time in preseason.
The Buildbase Suzuki rider looked good throughout free practice, and felt he had a good rhythm ahead of the races, despite qualifying 11th with a crash in the session.
From the fourth row of the grid in race one he made a lightning start and after six laps he was holding fifth place. However, as the race progressed he dropped a few positions, and eventually crossed the line in eighth.
Sunday’s two races followed a similar pattern, as he made strong getaways off the line and battled for the top six early on, but was unable to maintain the pace and dropped back to take 10th and 11th at the flag.
Christian Iddon, “The weekend started really positively, I felt we had a good rhythm and I was genuinely looking forward to the races. In race one I was aggressive early on to try and get up to the group that I felt we should be in, but I couldn’t maintain the pace, lost that rhythm, and it was difficult. We made some changes this morning but they didn’t have the impact we were hoping for, and then you start riding differently and try and pinch a tenth here and there and lose two or three. But the pace is so hot, we’ve seen some big guns struggle this weekend.
“I felt we were more racey in the last one. We were just off that front group of riders and hanging in there. We picked up an electrical issue which cost a couple of spots in the end, and dropped us outside of the top 10. It would have been nice to have crossed the line and seen the podium positions at least, but it is what it is is. I expected more this weekend but I’m aiming high; I know there’s more potential in the bike and in me. It’s only round one, but next week’s test will be important, I’m keen to get to that and see how the bike behaves on a circuit that’s different in every aspect.”
Danny Kent made his return to racing for the first time after missing the second half of last season with injury. Already on the back foot, a lack of testing time only exacerbated the fact.
Still, he worked hard and made improvements over the course of the weekend, and fought for points in the three races. He finished 17th, 18th, and 15th.
Danny Kent, “It wasn’t the weekend I was hoping to start the year off with. I had higher expectations going into this weekend, even after missing the two-day test, but the pace was really fast compared to previous years. The positive we can take is that we kept closing the gap in each race. The team made some changes for the final race that made the biggest difference, and it was the best the bike felt all weekend. Of course the results aren’t what we want but it was good to race the bike again and get some laps in. The focus is now the Oulton test and look at where we need to improve.”
Race one: 1. Glenn Irwin, 2. Kyle Ryde, 3. Bradley Ray, 8. Christian Iddon, 17. Danny Kent
Race two: 1. Glenn Irwin, 2. Kyle Ryde, 3. Rory Skinner, 10. Christian Iddon, 18. Danny Kent
Race three: 1. Glenn Irwin, 2. Bradley Ray, 3. Andrew Irwin, 11. Christian Iddon, 15. Danny Kent
