July 24, 2022

Sykes Salvages Eighth For MCE Ducati

The Lake District-based MCE Ducati team endured a challenging day at Brands Hatch today with Tom Sykes’ eighth place the only result they had to show for their efforts in the two Bennetts British Superbike Championship races which comprised round five of the series.

Results, and lap times, from the previous day meant that double BSB champion Josh Brookes and former World Superbike Champion Sykes started the opening 20-lap race around the 2.43-mile venue in eighth and 16th place respectively and although Josh dropped back one place on the opening lap, Tom overhauled four of his fellow competitors.

 

With hot conditions once more, several riders fell victim in the early laps and Brookes was unfortunately one of them, coming to grief at Stirling’s on just the sixth lap.

That left Sykes as the sole PBM teamster in the field and, up into the top ten as early as lap three, he found himself locked in battle all race with fellow former World Champion Danny Kent.


The duo both moved forward as the race wore on, but Tom always had the edge and took a solid eighth place for his second-best result of the season so far aboard Paul Bird’s factory-supported and MCE Insurance-backed Ducati Panigale V4R.

 

Unfortunately, that was as good as the day got with Tom unable to take his place on the grid for the final race of the weekend when a technical problem ruled him out before the start. Brookes started from seventh and the third row, but his race was only half a lap old when he felt contact from another rider and crashed out at Westfield.


Josh Brookes:  "Today has clearly been disappointing and whilst I thought yesterday was tough, today has topped that. In the first race, I felt like I was riding well and hanging with the front group so I was waiting to see how the longer race would affect people but, sadly, I never got far as the front went with no warning. I’ve never crashed there before and never even had any moments so I can only assume I was going too quick, carrying too much lean angle or too much front brake.


Something caused it. In the second race, there was a lot of jostling in the first few corners and a bit of desperation by some riders which was a bit strange as it was going to be another long race. It’s been a damaging day so all we can do is dust ourselves down, quite literally, and look ahead to the next round.”


Tom Sykes: “It has been a difficult weekend for us, and it was a frustrating end to the weekend when we couldn’t take our place on the grid for the final race. We had a technical issue in the first race today which we thought was sorted as all the various settings were checked but it reappeared on the sighting lap of the final race, and we couldn’t take part. It’s such a shame as we had made some progress in the opening race, and we couldn’t put into effect the changes we had planned so that was doubly disappointing. But we’ll come back stronger and hopefully have some better fortune next time out.”

 

Johnny Mowatt, Team Manager: “It’s been a tough day at the office and what could go wrong, did go wrong. Tom’s still struggling a bit with the same issues he’s had all year, essentially steering the bike on the throttle, but we need to address them if we’re to move forward and we have a few things in the pipeline for the next round. Tom had a technical issue on the sighting lap of the last race, so we had to pull the bike off the grid on safety grounds whilst Josh had two uncharacteristic crashes, the first when he lost the front and the second when he felt he’d been nudged by another rider. There is only one way we can go from this weekend so roll on Thruxton.”

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race two (20 laps)

1 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

2 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha)

3 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)

4 Bradley Ray (Yamaha)

5 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

6 Rory Skinner (Kawasaki)

8 Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati)

DNF Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati)

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship race three (20 laps)

1 Tarran Mackenzie (Yamaha)

2 Jason O’Halloran (Yamaha)

3 Glenn Irwin (Honda)

4 Bradley Ray (Yamaha)

5 Tommy Bridewell (Ducati)

6 Leon Haslam (Kawasaki)

DNF Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati)

DNS Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati)

 

Championship Standings (after five rounds)

1 O’Halloran 265pts

2 Ray 255

3 Jackson 187

4 Skinner 174

5 Ryde 170

6 Irwin 156

11 Brookes 87

14 Sykes 58

 

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

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.

IRWIN AND HAGER PBM DUCATI READY FOR DONINGTON PARK TEST

April 17, 2025
THE Hager PBM Ducati team and rider Glenn Irwin head to Donington Park this week for the second Bennetts British Superbike Championship R&G Official Test. After a strong run at Circuito de Navarra earlier this month, the team is looking forward to getting back on track in the UK, as the countdown to the start the 2025 season continues.  The iconic Donington Park will play host to the second pre-season test on Good Friday and Saturday, before the class of 2025 heads to Oulton Park next Wednesday and Thursday, April 23 and 24, for the final test before the season begins over the May Bank Holiday weekend. The team is looking to build on the success of the Navarra test, where Irwin was consistently quick, setting the pace on the first day before topping the timesheets at the end of the event with a best lap of 1min 44:527s. But keen not to get caught up focusing on lap times yet, Irwin is more concerned about getting through as much work as possible during the two days and making sure the important boxes are ticked. Glenn Irwin: “We’re all looking forward to it. At Navarra, it was important we worked through a number of things which are different this year and it was a great test – but it’s important that we don’t get complacent. “At Donington we’ve more new items to try and we’ve got a list of work to get through, which will be our priority. Once we’ve done all that and have a good feeling, I think we can show up well on the timesheets, but more so in race rhythm than in one-off fast laps. “At Navarra, we found areas where I was weak last year but not this year so we were able to use this as a reference. At Donington, we know the track well and have an idea of where we need to be but for me it’s about continuing to evaluate what we have and understanding the feeling of everything rather than get too hung up on what the timesheet says. If it feels good and we’re good, we’re happy!” Jordan Bird, Team Co-owner: The whole Hager PBM Ducati team is looking forward to being back on home soil for the first time this year. Navarra was a really productive test for us so the team and Glenn are heading into our UK testing program in great spirits! “We are looking forward to seeing plenty of BSB fans trackside at Donington Park. Let’s hope the sun is shining for us!”
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