April 13, 2022

MCE Ducati All Set For Silverstone

The 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season kicks off this Easter weekend at Silverstone with eight times champions MCE Ducati raring to go in a bid to win back their crown.

Paul Bird’s Lake District-based team won back-to-back titles in 2019 with Scott Redding and then again in 2020 with Josh Brookes but lost out last year so with Brookes back for a fourth term with the team, the Australian is back to try for his third crown.

 

Joining him is 2013 World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes who returns to the UK following a 13-year stint in WSBK. The chirpy Yorkshireman re-joins the team for whom he has ridden twice before, this time aboard a factory-supported MCE Ducati Panigale V4R.

Both Brookes and Sykes have undertaken a rigorous pre-season testing programme which saw both of them under the existing lap record at Snetterton recently and arriving at Silverstone for the first of the 11-round series, both riders are feeling confident of a good result.

 

Josh Brookes: “I’m eager to get the season started and looking forward to the first round. We’ve made significant progress in the tests, but Silverstone is the type of track which may not highlight that work. However, after the difficulties I had last year, this was one of my better tracks so I’m highly optimistic. Of course, everyone wants to win but the plan is to come away with some good points and keep out of trouble so let’s see what happens.”

 

Tom Sykes: “It feels like it’s been a long time coming but we’re all sorted and ready for round one. We have spun some good laps in the tests, and we have a setup which I’m very happy with. We just need to make a few tweaks as the weather at the Silverstone test wasn’t great, so we have a few things up our sleeve to try still. The weather is looking good for the weekend, so the plan is to get some solid points on the board.” 

 

John Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “Both Josh and Tom have worked hard during testing and as a result, we are in a good position ahead of the opening round. Silverstone is a tough track for the MCE Ducati, but we are confident that we have what it takes to mount a serious title bid from the off. Hopefully, the weather is looking good, and we can get three solid races in for each rider to get our season started in style.” 

 

The opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship commences on Good Friday with a race Saturday and two on Easter Sunday. 


 

Pictures 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.
More Posts