2024 BSB Championship ends on scintillating high

The British Superbike Championship recently concluded at Brands Hatch, and it did so in scintillating style with two no-holds barred clashes between Honda Racing’s Tommy Bridewell and the OMG GRILLA Yamaha of Kyle Ryde seeing the latter coming out on top by a single point to claim his first BSB title.

Greatest ever?

The BSB has become renowned for some thrilling finales, most notably Tommy Hill’s final lap defeat of John Hopkins in 2011 and twelve months ago when Bridewell defeated Ducati team-mate Glenn Irwin by just a half a point. But last weekend’s final round must go down as the greatest ever.

Wet conditions on Saturday saw Bridewell take third, one place ahead of Ryde, and he again got the better of him in the penultimate race of the season, which meant he went into the final race four points clear. The two riders went head to head in the 12-lap Sprint race with numerous overtakes but if we thought that was a superb encounter, it paled into insignificance to the last race.

Bridewell and Ryde do battle Image Credit Honda Racing/Double Red

Held over the longer distance of 20 laps, the permutations were simple – it was winner takes all. The first half of the race had it all as Bridewell’s team-mate Andrew Irwin played the perfect role of wingman, keeping everyone at bay as he protected the championship leader. Glenn Irwin was also in the mix, battling with old foe Bridewell and it all meant Ryde held the upper hand going into the second half of the race.

Once Bridewell reclaimed second, it became a straight fight between the two title protagonists, Ryde going for his first title and Bridewell gunning for his second and the honour of the first rider to win back-to-back title for two different manufacturers. With no outside interference, the final laps will go down as classics as the duo repeatedly overtook each other, Ryde using his favourite spot at Hawthorns and Bridewell doing the same at Stirlings.

Utmost respect Image Credit Honda Racing/Double Red

Between them, the pairing made over 20 overtakes during the race but Ryde got the lead half way round the final lap and opened enough of a gap to prevent Bridewell from fighting back. He tried his utmost with some lurid slides on the Honda Fireblade but Ryde got the verdict on the run to the line to win by 0.296s and that single point.

Same but different

At 27, Ryde is at a different stage of his career compared to that of the 36-year old Bridewell and they’re certainly different characters, Ryde softly-spoken and unassuming. Bridewell the more charismatic and outspoken.

Determined in their own manner, Ryde took far more wins in 2024, nine to two, and has come up through the classes, winning the 2011 125cc British Championship and then the British Superstock 600cc Championship three years later.

Ryde celebrates Image Credit OMG Racing UK

A move to the World Supersport Championship looked to be the dream ticket but soon turned sour and after two years on the continent, his career looked over. He regrouped though to win the 2019 GP2 Championship and the following year joined the BSB series on a full-time basis where it’s been an upward trajectory ever since. Whether or not he makes it all the way to the World Superbike Championship remains to be seen but he’ll enjoy having the number one plate on his Yamaha in 2025.

Ryde leads Vickers Image Credit OMG Racing UK

For Bridewell, 2024 only served to enhance his reputation with many not considering him as a title threat when the season got underway. However, after six years on the Ducati he made the switch to the Honda with consummate ease and was in the title hunt right from the off, aided by some metronomic consistency. Like Ryde, he’s come through the support classes in the UK and also has his family supporting him all the way so we can expect more battles between the two in the immediate years ahead.

Close but no cigar

Once again, Glenn Irwin fell short in his quest for his maiden BSB crown and he’ll be getting fed up with the bridesmaid tag having finished second, twice, and third in the last three seasons. In truth though, he wasn’t quite good enough in 2024 with his eight wins not backed up with anywhere enough podiums.

Some of that wasn’t his own doing, innocent victim of crashes on more than one occasion, more technical issues than his competitors and the well-documented issues with the 2024 Pirelli tyre. The fact the Hager PBM Ducati rider was still in title contention ahead of the final round is testament to his resolve and when he was on form, he was tough to beat.

Glenn Irwin Image Credit Double Red

He had more off days than good days though and continued to divide opinion between all those watching the series. But whilst he was criticised in some quarters, make no mistake he was well within his rights to challenge for the lead in the final race of the season as every rider on the grid had something to fight for. Irwin was going for third in the championship and no doubt had win, podium and championship position bonuses in his contract so every position really did count for him, his team and the sponsors.

If any rider, spectator or commentator thinks the rest of the field are going to roll out the red carpet and let certain riders have all the glory is very much mistaken. To win a race and a championship, you have to beat everyone in the race whether that’s in April, July or at the final round of the season. A championship has to be earned and not given on a plate.

Victory at last

Behind Irwin, it was Danny Kent who prevailed in the race for fourth overall and having come close on more than one occasion during the season, it was somewhat fitting and just that he finally won a BSB race at the final round of 2024 in what was his 100th BSB start.

Danny Kent Image Credit McAMS Racing by Mar-Train

The McAMS Racing Yamaha rider followed it up with another podium on the final day and after enduring an up and down time during his BSB career with injury, poorly-funded teams and sometimes riding for less-than-competitive manufacturers, the former Moto 3 World Champion appears to have found the perfect home with the Northern Ireland based team.

Having made the breakthrough in 2024 – and staying with the same team set-up for next year – the aim now must be a full-scale title assault, taking wins from the outset and matching the consistency shown by the likes of Ryde and Bridewell.

World stage beckons

For Ryde’s team-mate Ryan Vickers, he may well feel it should have been him lifting the championship trophy at Brands Hatch. At times, Vickers was unbeatable, most notably at Navarra, Brands Hatch in July and Thruxton where he won seven of the eight races to take place.

The back-to-back victories at Brands and Thruxton, where he won five of the six races, should have been the springboard he needed to get into title contention after breaking his collarbone at Donington earlier in the season which saw him pointless across two rounds. But mistakes at Cadwell proved costly and fifth overall was the outcome at the end of the year.

Ryan Vickers Image Credit OMG Racing UK

He was as quick as anyone during the season, perhaps even, quicker, and ended on a high with three podiums at Brands. Indeed, he probably had the pace to get ahead of Ryde and Bridewell in the final race but whilst he made mistakes during the year when he shouldn’t have done, he can look back on his season with pride.

Seven wins was only bettered by Ryde (9) and Irwin (8) and he stood on the podium 13 times in total so it will be interesting to see how he performs in the World Championship next season when he makes the switch to the Motocorsa Ducati.

Supporting cast

In truth, the championship was dominated by the above riders with Christian Iddon the only other notable threat albeit in the first half of the season before his season on the Oxford Products Ducati unravelled from August onwards.

Brilliant Brands Image Credit Honda Racing/Double Red

Lee Jackson was consistent on the MasterMac Honda but only threatened the podium at his home round at Cadwell and again at Oulton whilst Josh Brookes also scored regularly but was again far from the force that won him titles in 2015 and 2020. Jackosn’s team-mate Charlie Nesbitt was another to finish regularly in the top ten but he too was in the sixth to tenth bracket with just one podium to his name.

Leon Haslam Image Credit ROKiT Haslam Racing/Bonnie Lane

Fellow youngster Max Cook (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) never really kicked on in his second BSB season but did claim a maiden rostrum at Thruxton and also ended the year strongly with a good final round at Brands. Team-mate Jason O’Halloran’s only real high point was a victory at Donington in May as he bowed out of BSB.

Another youngster, Storm Stacey, shone in the wet when he stood on the rostrum twice whilst BSB regulars Leon Haslam and Andrew Irwin will look back on rollercoaster seasons where at times they were strong but anonymous at others.

Having started watching motorcycle races all over the world form childhood, Phil Wain has been a freelance motorcycle journalist for almost 20 years and is features writer for a number of publications including BikeSport News, Classic Racer and Road Racing Ireland, as well as being a regular contributor to MCN and MCN Sport.

He is PR officer for a number of teams and riders at both the British Superbike Championship and International road races, including PBM Ducati, John McGuinness, KTS Racing and Jackson Racing. He is also heavily involved with the Isle of Man TT Races working with the race organisation, writing official press releases and race reports as well as providing the TV and radio broadcasting teams with statistical information.