BSB 2013: Brands Hatch GP Race Results

Brookes scores a hat-trick as championship goes down to the wire

The British Superbike Championship was once again decided in the very last race of the season, as Shane Byrne and Alex Lowes were inseparable throughout a year of intense close racing. The pair came into the Brands Hatch GP triple-header finale separated by just a single point.

Race one on Saturday saw Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes capitalise on pole position to take his second victory of the season, with contenders Lowes and Byrne second and third respectively. This handed the Samsung Honda rider a three-point lead going into the final two races on Sunday, but constantly changing weather conditions made the outcome of the championship impossible to predict.

Astonishingly both riders would fail to finish the second race of the day. Lowes crashed out on the very first lap tapping the power on a fraction too early on the exit of Druids. Byrne would have an almost identical crash at exactly the same point on the track, and despite Brookes doubling up with a second win it was still between bikes #67 and #22 for the title.

Race three was a heart-in-mouth contest that saw the championship lead change lap after lap. Byrne had it all to do coming from the back of the field to try and beat Lowes, but an incredible opening few laps put the three-time BSB champion right behind his rival and back in championship contention. Byrne sensationally made it past the young pretender and looked to have secured a record fourth BSB crown, but Lowes refused to give up and made an aggressive block pass on the entry to Graham Hill bend on the penultimate lap. A huge moment for Byrne on the final tour put him too far back to challenge, and Lowes crossed the line in second ahead to clinch the title and become the youngest ever BSB champion.

Josh Brookes rode faultlessly all weekend to take pole and all three victories, but the day will be remembered for Alex Lowes and the Samsung Honda squad.

BSB Brands Hatch race results

Race one

  1. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
  2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) +0.968s
  3. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +5.709s
  4. Josh Waters (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +16.821s
  5. PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) +22.890s
  6. Tommy Bridewell (Milwaukee Yamaha) +24.345s
  7. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +25.538s
  8. James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +27.731s
  9. Lee Costello (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +29.917s
  10. Michael Rutter (Bathams Honda) +30.394s

Race two

  1. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
  2. Lee Costello (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +0.196s
  3. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.728s
  4. James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +9.127s
  5. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +16.826s
  6. PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) +17.198s
  7. Dan Linfoot (Lloyds British GBmoto Honda) +30.805s
  8. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +41.399s
  9. Jakub Smrz (Padgetts Honda) +48.080s
  10. Freddy Foray (Samsung Honda) +51.836s

Race three

  1. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki)
  2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) +1.185s
  3. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +2.587s
  4. Tommy Bridewell (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +4.869s
  5. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) +13.521s
  6. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +16.282s
  7. James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +16.282s
  8. Josh Waters (Halsall Racing Kawasaki) +17.186s
  9. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +17.387s
  10. Dan Linfoot (Lloyds British GBmoto Honda) +20.027s