VAMOS BSB!! A Short Preview…

The world’s most prestigious national motorcycling series, the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, kickstarts this weekend, not at Brands Hatch or Silverstone… but at the Circuito de Navarra in Northern Spain.

It’s a bold move from the series organisers MSV (who own the Spanish track alongside Brands Hatch, Donington Park, Oulton Park, Snetterton and Cadwell Park) but the logistics aren’t as challenging as one may think; with most of the paddock already at the circuit for winter testing. There’s also precedent, as the Pirelli-supplied series used to successfully visit the Dutch circuit of Assen.

New opening venue aside, there has been a fair amount of change over the winter after one of the hardest fought ‘BSB’ battles ever which witnessed PBM Ducati teammates (but probably no longer actual mates!) Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin swapping paint and gestures before Bridewell took the title by a mere half a point!

The profanity-prone Wiltshire rider took his #1 plate to Honda Racing which despite their presence, have had a decade without silverware. Northern Irishman Irwin, meanwhile, sat through a stressful off-season as his team, after losing its talismanic owner Paul Bird to illness, had to rebuild itself, headed by Paul’s twin offspring Jordan and Frank.

These two will undoubtedly face off from the get-go, but it’s far from certain they will be doing all the winning with an ensemble of hungry riders with serious form looking to upset the status quo. 

Third-placed Kyle Ryde has looked in awesome testing form, and his Yamaha teammate Ryan Vickers also chalked up wins last season. Previous BSB Champions Josh Brookes and Leon Haslam still have the potential to take victories on their BMWs and regular title contender Jason O'Halloran will be looking to put his Kawasaki in the midst. Young Scottish rider Rory Skinner returns from the MotoGP paddock with a new challenge in the form of the Cheshire Mouldings BMW Motorrad squad.

All in all, we’re looking at another barnstormer of a series, and we’re proud to be part of it!