Brookes resists Bridewell for Brands Hatch double

Josh Brookes made it seven wins in a row for the Be Wiser Ducati team as he notched up a double Bennetts British Superbike Championship victory at Brands Hatch GP.

Following his last gasp success in race one when he only took over P1 in the closing stages, Brookes enjoyed a more straightforward victory in race two after grabbing the advantage from pole sitter Scott Redding on the run to the first turn and leading every lap.

First seeing off the threat of from team-mate Redding over the opening half of the race, Brookes came under substantial pressure from Tommy Bridewell late on aboard the sister Oxford Racing Ducati but didn’t put a wheel wrong to just hold off the Devizes man by two tenths at the chequered flag.

It means – despite not tasting the winners’ champagne in 2019 thus far – Bridewell leads the championship standings by a comfortable 14 points over Redding, who made it a Ducati 1-2-3 with his run to third. Brookes rises to third, but now leads in terms of podium credits at 20 to Redding’s 17 and Bridewell’s 11.

Danny Buchan gave his chances of reaching the Title Showdown a sizeable boost with his run to fourth place, meaning he has moved 31 points clear of Christian Iddon, who sits seventh overall.

Dan Linfoot completed a successful weekend with a run to fifth position, ahead of the BMW trio of Iddon, Peter Hickman and Keith Farmer.

As the only McAMS Yamaha rider to start race day after Tarran Mackenzie was forced to withdraw having been briefly knocked unconscious in an accident during qualifying, Jason O’Halloran ended his weekend in ninth place, with Glenn Irwin completing the top ten on the Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki.

Following his huge points’ haul at Donington Park, Xavi Fores suffered a disappointing day, finishing down in 14th and 13th, while Hector Barbera found himself well outside the points on the second Quattro Plant Kawasaki in 20th.