The first round of the new British Superbike Championship kicked off at Oulton Park last weekend. Six months on from the final race of 2024, the bank holiday meeting started on Saturday with the usual late start, Sunday with qualifying and one race. Monday, the man in race day featuring the short sprint and the final full race.

During the 10-minute sessions for Sunday qualifying, there were a few fallers. The Irwin brothers both went down in separate incidents, as did #21 Christian Iddon on the FS-3 Kawasaki. Nothing spectacular, but Andrew Irwin in an odd high-speed crash had to sit out the rest of the meeting. All the other riders and machines made the start of the race.

Qualifying is split into three sessions, with the slowest riders being knocked out in the early rounds. Going down is not ideal, and sliding down the track is not the best way to set a fast time.

On his return to BSB from World Superbikes, Bradley Ray kept his Racways Yamaha R1 shiny side up to set the fastest ever BSB lap of Oulton Park. Last year’s champion Kyle Ryde picked up P2, with Leon Haslam finishing in the front row. Max Cook, Danny Kent, and Charlie Nesbitt were on row two. Title contenders Tommy Bridewell and Glen Irwin had a far from ideal qualifying session, being placed 11th and 15th.

BSB Oulton Park Round 1 Race One

Bradley Ray made a great start and headed for the hills, setting a new lap record of 1:33.193 on lap three. Kyle Ryde and Max Cook gave chase but not for long. Cook felt he could go faster than Ryde and made a move into turn 5, losing the front end and almost taking Ryde with him. 

Bradley Ray, unaffected by Cook’s off, disappeared into the distance. By lap 7, Ray had a four-second advantage! The race was now for second. Glenn Irwin put in a special performance to come from row 5 and 15th on the grid to second. Leon Haslam, in a post-race interview, was happy to be on the podium in third with the Moto Rapido Ducati Racing Ducati. 

BSB Oulton Park Round 1 Race Two

The twelve-lap sprint race had Bradley Ray on pole again with Glenn Irwin next to him. Grid position is determined by the previous race. Replicating race one, Ray made a great start and headed off.

Haslam was not having that and chased Ray down, putting in the fastest ever lap of Oulton Park. Passing Ray on lap 5, the pair had a decent lead on the following pack.

Glenn Irwin, who put in the race of the day on Sunday, hadn’t made the best start. Battling with #79 Storm Stacey, he finally got away from the following group. Catching the leading pair, he took Ray on the final lap on the final corner for second place. His performance was all the more impressive as he had no rear brake for the whole race! 

With the Sprint race victory, Haslam took to the top step of the podium for the first time since 2018. I don’t think it will be the last time this season, and Haslam will be on the podium. Ray, Haslam, and Glenn Irwin are now tied on Championship 32 points.

BSB Race meeting cancelled

The third Superbike didn’t take place due to the meeting being cancelled. An eleven-bike crash on the opening lap of the Supersport Race resulted in the tragic deaths of #86 Owen Jenner and #29 Shane Richardson. #21Tom Tunstall suffered significant back and abdominal injuries and remains in Stoke Hospital. Five others suffered minor injuries, while three escaped unharmed.

Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the fallen riders and all of the BSB paddock.

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Thanks to Scott Grant for the images. You can find more of Scotts reports in our British Superbike archive. You can see more of Scott Grants images here.