BSB Brands Hatch GP Race 1 Results | Mackenzie closes on title with crucial win

Tarran Mackenzie has taken an important step towards the 2021 British Superbike Championship (BSB) title with a hard fought victory in Race 1 of the four-way final round showdown at Brands Hatch GP.

The Scot came into the concluding triple-header with a slender ten point lead over McAMS Yamaha team-mate Jason O’Halloran, but in a race opener of high stakes it was the rider with arguably most to lose that would emerge on top.

Losing out to Christian Iddon - 15 points behind Mackenzie in the standings pre-race - during the to-and-fro of the first corners, Mackenzie nevertheless shadowed the VisionTrack Ducati comfortably as the pair, together with Andrew Irwin and Rory Skinner, broke away from the chasing pack.

A safety car period to clear the CDH Kawasaki of Josh Owens from the gravel trap at Hawthornes bunched the riders up again, bringing a recovering O’Halloran more into play, the pre-Showdown dominant force having ascended from 11th on the grid to sixth place by this stage.

With his closest championship rival looming, Mackenzie wasted no time in attacking Iddon once action resumed, snatching the lead at the start of lap nine at Paddock Hill Bend. Iddon attempted to respond at Druids, only to run wide on the exit to allow Mackenzie to cut back through and ahead.

Mackenzie wasn’t headed again thereafter, the challenge in the closing stages coming from Bridewell after he dispatched of Iddon, who quickly faded away from the lead battle into a lonely third place finish.

Despite Bridewell’s best efforts on the Oxford Racing Ducati coming into the final laps, Mackenzie held firm to cross the line first for his eighth win of the season, a mere 0.160s ahead of his fellow Title Showdown contender.

Behind Iddon, O’Halloran recovered well but ultimately lost ground in fourth. It means Mackenzie has swelled his advantage up top to 22 points over the Aussie, with 50 points still up for grabs in Races 2 and 3.

Iddon and Bridewell remain third and fourth, albeit 24 and 26 points off the top spot respectively.

Peter Hickman made strong progress to take fifth place on the FHO BMW, ahead of Irwin, who dropped back to sixth after a bright start. Josh Brookes was seventh on the second VisionTrack Ducati, with Lee Jackson, Glenn Irwin and Bradley Ray completing the top ten.

2021 British Superbike Championship (BSB) Race 1 RESULTS | Brands Hatch