2024 British Superbikes: Donington Park - Race Results (2)

The second race of the third round of the British Superbike championship at Donington Park, the sprint, saw Glenn Irwin back to winning ways.

The Hagar PBM rider was second on the grid and a picture of concentration, with a tweaked bike and a game plan to execute.

A superb start allowed him to power under his rivals and lead out of turn one, where he remained, with Leon Haslam giving chase for all twelve laps.

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An initial lead of over a second was chipped down by the ROKiT Haslam BMW Motorrad rider who was so close by the final lap that he had to avoid Irwin who was running a defensive line into the Melbourne Loop. The Ducati rider had done enough, collecting his fourth win of the season after his treble at Oulton Park by just 0.0335s.

Haslam gave everything to catch Irwin, which lead to him pulling clear of the riders behind.

The final podium spot went to Tommy Bridewell, who got the better of both Danny Kent and Kyle Ryde on his Honda to claim the final rostrum spot.

Kent was running different lines which saw gaps for his opponents and a drop to seventh as he got beaten up and passed on track. Undeterred, Kent was soon back in the groove - the McAMS Yamaha rider went on to set the fastest in race lap of Donington Park to bounce back and take another fourth and pole for race three.

The #52 dropped race one winner Kyle Ryde as he picked up the pace. The OMG Grilla Yamaha rider was top in morning warm-up so looked to be able to run a solid pace at the front, but had work to do from sixth on the grid. Ryde was as high as third and in the mid-race battle for the final podium spot on his way to fifth.

Iddon on track for pole to sixth

Christian Iddon’s hard fall in race one saw the race end early under red flag conditions. Though battered and bruised the Oxford Products rider had an x-ray which revealed there were no broken bones, and was passed fit to ride after morning warm-up.

The Ducati rider had secured pole with the fastest lap in race one, but before the race revealed he was battling a ‘poorly shoulder’, so full commitment would be necessary.

A fast start saw him in the mix despite feeling worse for wear though he eventually faded back to a hard fought sixth, with pressure behind to the line.

That came from a rapidly catching Charlie Nesbitt, who recorded his best result of the season, from eleventh he picked his way forward with some strong overtakes for seventh for MasterMac Honda.

Josh Brookes was right behind in an improved eighth on the last remaining FHO Racing BMW Motorrad entry, with Andrew Irwin also putting his early issues to bed for ninth for Honda racing UK.

TAG Honda’s Fraser Rogers eventful run saw him complete the top ten, late in the race on lap ten he was forced out wide by the group he was battling with, his run through the gravel creating such a mess the adhesion flag was brought out.

Dean Harrison made forward progress for eleventh for Honda in a lonely ride with a sizable gap back to Lee Jackson in twelfth for MasterMac Honda.

A superb run saw Lewis Rollo bring his Aprilia home in 13th to be the top Pathway bike, with replacement rider Luke Mossey, in for Tom Neave at Stauff Fluid Power Kawasaki, 14th at the chequered flag.

Both remaining Pathway riders made it into the points places with Alex Olsen finishing 15th for Cumins by Team IWR Honda.

Storm Stacey was back in action after his crash saw him miss the first race. From the back of the grid with no time,  the LKQ Car Parts Kawasaki rider finished 16th making up the most places in the race to just miss out on a point.

Official British Superbike Donington Park Records:

Lap record: Leon Haslam (BMW, 2023) 1m 27.523s

Donington Park in 2023:

Round 2
Superpole Qualifying: 
1: Kyle Ryde
2: Leon Haslam
3: Jason O’Halloran

Race 1 (Sprint):
1: Kyle Ryde
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Leon Haslam

Race 2:
1: Jason O’Halloran
2: Ryan Vickers
3: Josh Brookes

Race 3:
1: Kyle Ryde
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Glenn Irwin

Round 10 (showdown):
Qualifying:
1: Jason O’Halloran
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Leon Haslam

Race 1 (sprint):
1: Ryan Vickers
2: Leon Haslam
3: Luke Mossey

Race 2: 
1: Kyle Ryde
2: Leon Haslam
3: Christian Iddon

Race 3:
1: Jason O’Halloran
2: Christian Iddon
3: Josh Brookes

Crashes, Injuries and Replacements

OMG Grilla Yamaha rider Ryan Vickers was last in the morning warm-up, with issues to fix following his fall from the lead on Saturday. Starting seventh he fell at the same corner as he made his exit in race one, and looked to be in considerable pain.

In ninth at the time on lap three, yellow flags waved as the medics attended and got Vickers away from the scene on a stretcher, with a suspected fractured clavicle the early reports back on his condition.

It was double disaster for the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki team.

Jason O’Halloran was running well and had shot through the pack from tenth on the grid to be fifth when he went straight on at Goddard's. His bike continued to go straight until it met the tyre wall, with a very upset and frustrated #22 dismounting for the walk back to the pits.

Almost immediately Max Cook saw his Kawasaki have the same issue, riding across the grass and out of the race seconds later on lap seven.

There was an early exit for Billy McConnell, with Franco Bourne retiring to the pits, but returning to take the flag and be registered as the 20th and final finisher.

Peter Hickman and Rory Skinner were withdrawn before qualifying to continue to recover from their recent crashes and injuries.

After his fall in race one, Jamie van Sikkelerus was also unable to continue.

Championship Standings

A win sees Glenn Irwin extend his lead, now with 103 points, 15 clear of second placed Danny Kent.

Kyle Ryde remains third overall with 84 points, with Tommy Bridewell and Christian Iddon both on 77 points.

Second place sees Leon Haslam close behind on 72, with his double DNF dropping Ryan Vickers to seventh.