April 17, 2022

Difficult Day For MCE Ducati At Silverstone

The MCE Ducati pairing of Tom Sykes and Josh Brookes had a challenging day at Silverstone today with Brookes’ 11th place finish their best result in the two Bennetts British Superbike Championship races which comprised the opening round.

With conditions again perfect and following yesterday’s points scoring rides by both riders, the opening 30-lap race around the 1.64-mile National circuit saw Australian double BSB champion Brookes start from 14th on the grid with Sykes one row further back, which meant both riders had plenty of work to do to battle their way through the field on the factory-supported MCE Ducati Panigale V4Rs.

 

Unfortunately, the race ended early for Yorkshireman Sykes as the former World Superbike champion spectacularly crashed from the action on just the fourth lap, fortunately escaping injury, which left Brookes to fly the flag for Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team.

A good start saw him move up to 11th early on but although he dropped back at one stage, Brookes quickly regrouped and, lapping quicker than what he had done the day before, fought his way back up to 11th at the chequered flag for five more hard-earned points.

 

Brookes again started from the fifth row for the third and final race of the weekend with a battered and bruised Sykes again a row behind. The duo were immediately running inside the points and in the top 15 and by lap six it was Sykes who was the better placed in 12th, one place ahead of his teammate.

 

But as the race wore on, the duo were unable to move forward and, instead, slipped back through the field, the eventual result at the end of the 30 laps seeing Tom outside the points in 16th and Josh two places behind in 18th.

 

Josh Brookes: “We came here with high expectations particularly as we took two podiums last year but whilst we’ve been able to match our times from 2021, the pace has obviously moved on. We had a few issues in the last race so can’t really use that as a reference but we need to try a few things at the Oulton Park test next week to try and improve both the grip and the lap times. We tried a few settings this weekend and did make progress but not enough clearly, so we’ve got work to do. The test obviously has more importance now but it’s a circuit I like and suits the Ducati, so we’ll be working hard to get back to where we need to be.”

 

Tom Sykes: “The results certainly weren’t what we were expecting but it’s a unique circuit and in a lot of places the bike was working really well so I’m not panicking yet. The first race today was far from ideal and left me a bit battered, but the team made a few changes for the final race which helped. I got held up a by another rider and was losing about 0.4s in one sector so by the time I’d got by, the group ahead had gone. We definitely found something with the bike though so, all things considered, a top ten could have been possible so it’s something to take away. We’re playing catch up, but it gives us something to build on so let’s see what Oulton Park has to offer.”

 

Johnny Mowatt. Team Co-ordinator: “We’ve clearly struggled this weekend and, it has to be said, more than we thought. It’s never been our greatest of tracks, but we didn’t think we’d be out of the points so fair play to the lads at the front, they set a terrific pace all weekend. They’ve moved on whereas we’ve stayed stagnant so it’s back to the drawing board and, hopefully, the Oulton test will show we’re not as far away as we think. We’ll put this one behind us and start again at the next round.”

 

Round two of the series takes place at Oulton Park on April 30-May 2.

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (30 laps)

1 Glenn Irwin (Honda)

2 Kyle Ryde (Yamaha) +0.079s

3 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki) +0.994s

4 Lee Jackson (Kawasaki) +4.032s

5 Andrew Irwin (BMW) +4.321s 

6 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha) +4.979s

11 Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +11.748s 

DNF Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati)

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race three (30 laps)

1 Glenn Irwin (Honda)

2 Bradley Ray (Yamaha) +0.864s 

3 Andrew Irwin (BMW) +2.487s 

4 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki) +2.550s

5 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha) +2.693s

6 Danny Buchan (BMW) +2.969s

16 Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +14.388s

18 Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +17.386s

 

Championship Standings (after round one)

1 Glenn Irwin 75pts

2 Ryde 46

3 Skinner 42

4 Andrew Irwin 37

5 Ray 36

6 O’Halloran 32

12 Brookes 8

16 Sykes 4

 


Images courtesy of Double Red: Josh Brookes (25) and Tom Sykes (66).

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI WRAP-UP SUCCESSFUL TESTING PROGRAMME

April 24, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team and rider Glenn Irwin have completed another successful R&G Official test at Oulton Park, with the opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship now just over a week away. Irwin and the team have spent the last two days at the Cheshire track, grabbing as much track time as possible in the final days on track before the season begins. After ending last weekend’s Donington Park test on top, the team was keen to continue to push in the final two days, working through a busy schedule and trying a host of new components and ideas. Irwin ended the test second quickest overall after clocking the best lap of Thursday afternoon’s final session, banking a 1min 33.313s lap on his last run. He leaves feeling confident about next weekend’s opening round and can’t wait to get back out. Glenn Irwin: “That’s us finished pre-season testing and I’m feeling good. We’ve been working, working, working and the bike felt better today but we still have a bit of work to do. “It’s been really, really enjoyable, we’ve tried a number of different things and I think now we’re finding a bit of a balance. Today we unlocked something in that middle session, I did a good few 33s in that run so I think we’re strong. “It’s definitely been very productive. We haven’t gone for lap times, we’ve been focussed on getting the bike right and when that happens, the lap times come. That’s what we’re starting to see and I think we’re in a good place to come back next week and start the season.” Frank Bird Jnr, Team Co-owner: “It’s a mega way to finish, this puts us in really good stead for the season and we’ve got a lot of boxes ticked off with the bike. All the boys are working well, we’ve got everyone back into the swing of things and Glenn seems to be riding well, so we’re in a good window for the first round. “It’s been a long winter but all the hard work seems to be paying off and we’re right in the mix. It means we can come here for Round One and we’re in a great place to start from.” The opening round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roars into action at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend, May 3-5.

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI END SUCCESSFUL SECOND TEST ON TOP

April 19, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team continued its strong testing form at Donington Park as rider Glenn Irwin once again ended the two days fastest overall. Although the team is still not concentrating on lap times, Irwin picked up where he left off at Circuito de Navarra earlier this month as he led the way on Friday before going even quicker on Day Two with an impressive fastest lap of 1min 27.015s in the final session. After a strong first test where he topped the timesheets at Navarra, the team headed to the second R&G Official test at Donington Park looking to work on a number of different things. Irwin was consistently quick across the opening day, ending Friday fastest overall with a 1:27.022sec lap in the final session to end the day at the top of the timesheets with what was the fastest ever BSB lap of the iconic track. Along with most of the pack, he opted to sit out of Saturday morning’s first session due to track conditions, heading out for the second to work through a few more things. He again shot to the top of the timesheets with a lap of 1:27.468, before later going one better in the final session to clock his new fastest ever lap. Glenn Irwin: “It’s been really good, like Navarra, we’ve continued with a plan. Yesterday we had a really, really strong bike here and conditions were a little better. Today conditions were tougher with the wind but everyone still finds a way to go fast. “We probably persevered with a bike which is suited to the final sector, perhaps Turn One as well. As the day went on I realised we were losing a bit in some places but we stuck with it. “It’s pleasing because I would say that isn’t the bike of choice for here, perhaps maybe yesterday's bike was better, but to top today feeling like that, to do a lot of laps in the 27s with improved pace on old tyres is good. The test has definitely been a success.” John Mowatt, Team Co-ordinator: “I think it’s been a positive test where we’ve confirmed a number of test items over the two days. We had slightly better conditions yesterday than today but I think we’ve ticked a lot of boxes, gone fairly quick so it’s all positive – roll on Oulton Park. “The plan there is more of the same, just keep trying to understand the new tyre, try and work with it. I think longevity is going to be the key now for Oulton Park, we’ll do a couple of race runs, see how the tyre lasts and then get ready for Round One.” The team will now prepare for the final test at Oulton Park next Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24 which will be the last chance to get everything ready ahead of the first round of the 2025 season at Oulton Park over the May Bank Holiday weekend.
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