Brookes tops podium credit reckoning with smart double

Josh Brookes was made to work hard for his double Bennetts British Superbike Championship wins at Brands Hatch GP as he made it seven-in-a-row for the Be Wiser Ducati team.

Looking to bounce back from a disappointing weekend at Donington Park at a venue he has enjoyed considerable success in the past, produced a pair of savvy rides to strengthen his 2019 BSB title aspirations.

Starting on the front row for the damp first race, Brookes played safe with his wet tyres – unlike pole-sitting team-mate Scott Redding – but opted for dry-inspired setting in the expectation the conditions would improve as the race wore.

As such, though Brookes slipped to tenth by the end of lap one, he slowly worked his way back into contention as the track came towards him, culminating in him grabbing the lead with two laps remaining.

Enjoying a more straightforward second race, Brookes was nonetheless pressured hard in the closing stages by a charging Tommy Bridewell.

Nonetheless, his fourth win of the year means that while he is third overall, he leads in terms of podium credits with 20 points, compared to Redding on 17 and Bridewell, who leads the current standings, on 12.

“I knew the track would dry out in the first race so we switched to a different setting although I also knew the first few laps would be hard in the wet.

“The circuit took a lot longer to dry out than I thought, and it gave me a few edgy moments in the first few laps, so I had to stay patient and let the track come to me.

“The second race was incredibly tough and although I had a bit of a gap mid-race, I had to up the pace. My lap times were practically identical every lap, so it was a hard-fought win.

“PBM have done a fantastic job this weekend for me and it’s great to have come away with two wins.”