2024 British Superbikes: Knockhill - Race Results (3)

The rain stopped just before the start of the final race at Knockhill, creating a difficult drying line to contend with to finish round four, with Christian Iddon declared the victor as the red flag came out for Leon Haslam’s fall.

Danny Kent launched from pole but was soon passed by local hero Rory Skinner. Iddon was lined up behind on the Oxford Products Ducati, and was ready to make his move at the ever popular hairpin, to lead by the start of lap three.

Once ahead the #21 looked in control, and any issue he faced was shared by the riders behind, allowing him to keep a fairly consistent gap over the rest. 

• 2024 British Superbikes: Knockhill - Race Results (2)
• British Superbikes, Knockhill: Home advantage helps Skinner to podium return

Leon Haslam fell from fifth on lap 22, initially under yellow flags, which had soon changed to red to allow the #91 to his feet at the Fife track, due to the short nature of the lap.

At that time Iddon was ahead by 0.635s, so was declared the seventh different winner after just eleven races this season. It is Iddon’s first win since the Brands Hatch round of 2021.

Behind, it was now Tommy Bridewell giving chase, after both he and Danny Kent had found a way around Skinner, who was more cautious than in the earlier wet race.

Second for the reigning champion sees him pick up a hat-trick of rostrum visits in Scotland, adding up to six Honda podiums in a row since joining the outfit, equalling the efforts of their old rider, Alex Lowes.

Kent held third for McAMS at the premature race end, with Skinner the only other rider to finish the previous lap in fourth for Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad.

Marvellous McConnell finishes fifth.

The rain has proved a great leveller and allowed riders less seen on track t shine, notably Billy McConnell.

The Australian has been able to compete at the front in both races on Sunday, but his skill on the drying track saw him run in third for a large portion of the race.

A huge save as he ran wide saw the #3 take more caution. From there, the Honda rider’s time in he podium positions came to an end when , on lap 14, under pressure he was passed by Skinner at his favoured hairpin, with Kent through soon after at turn three.

McConnell still finished an impressive fifth at the red flag, anew best performance, building on his seventh in race two.

Fraser Rogers was next to finish in sixth for TAG Honda, equalling his performance in the sprint.

Danny Buchan and his DAO Racing team saw some of the improvements they had been seeking, coming from an improved sixth on the grid, he finished seventh.

Charlie Nesbitt again looked strong in the wet, the best of the MasterMac Honda riders in eighth, with his teammate Lee Jackson completing the top ten.

Between them there was no fairytale finish from his improved grid placing of ninth for Glenn Irwin, finishing where he started after dropping back to fourteenth early in the race.

Josh Brookes was eleventh for FHO Racing, chasing down Jackson but clear of twelfth placed Luke Hedger on the Kawasaki.

Storm Stacey was out wide and in the gravel at the start of the first lap. Saving what looked like a certain fall allowed a comeback, taking him to 13th for LKQ Euro Car Parts Kawasaki.

Local rider Lewis Rollo was again the top Pathway rider on the Aprilia, completing the feat nine times in a row. The Sencat In Competition rider had been as high as eleventh before fading back s the track dried out.

Kyle Ryde, still under the weather after his earlier big fall combined with a sickness bug was heading in the right direction, but looked set to miss out on the points places, only picking up 15th for OMG Grilla Yamaha when Haslam crashed out.

Official British Superbike Knockhill Records:

Lap record: Rory Skinner (Kawasaki, 2022) 47.126s

Knockhill in 2023:

Round 4
Qualifying: 
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Ryan Vickers
3: Jason O’Halloran

Race 1 (Sprint):
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Kyle Ryde
3: Jason O’Halloran

Race 2:
1: Kyle Ryde
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Jason O’Halloran

Race 3:
1: Glenn Irwin
2: Tommy Bridewell
3: Ryan Vickers

Crashes, injuries and replacements

After their earlier issues both Ryan Vickers (illness) and Peter Hickman (technical) missed race three.

Max Cook and Jason O’Halloran both failed to finish, compounding a difficult weekend for the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki team.

Alex Olsen and  Tom Neave also failed to finish. Jamie van Sikkelerus pulled into the pits just as Haslam fell, shortly before that Andrew Irwin had pulled over to the side off the track waving his hand to gesture he was done for the weekend.

Championship Standings

A podium in every race sees Tommy Bridewell extend the lead he took over after race two, now eleven clear of  Glenn Irwin on 141.

Another podium for Danny Kent sees him stay third on 125, just five behind the PBM Ducati rider.

Victory sees Christian Iddon move up the standings again, now fourth overall and just 23 points behind Bridewell.

Despite an illness affected meeting, Ryde leaves Knockhill still inside the overall top five.