Bridewell Maintains Title Chase with Two Podium Finishes at Snetterton
Tommy Bridewell maintained his quest for the British Superbikes (BSB) title after a difficult weekend at Snetterton, claiming two second places despite DNFing in Saturday’s race. The variable weather conditions made the circuit even more challenging, but Bridewell demonstrated the resilience and skills to remain competitive.
In the first race of the weekend, Bridewell suffered an accident after just five laps, joining Danny Kent in the barriers at Snetterton. However, the defending champion quickly recovered and returned to the track determined to make up for the loss. Although his Honda bike seemed to underperform on the straights compared to the surrounding Ducatis, Bridewell managed to secure two consecutive podiums, both in second place, behind his main rival, Glenn Irwin.
Bridewell commented on his bike’s performance and the difficulties encountered: “I felt good and comfortable on the bike, but in some areas I had to work really hard to stay close to Glenn. I could see Christian too, so I was trying to save my tires because I knew I needed the grip for the straights. If I couldn’t get into the straights I would be in trouble because I was already struggling in those sections. .”
Sunday’s race was particularly difficult due to unstable weather conditions. Bridewell stressed the importance of adapting his racing strategy to deal with these difficulties: “The race didn’t feel long, I just felt like my hands were a bit tied because I couldn’t not getting close enough on the straights to overtake when braking. I was losing a lot on the straights and I had to compensate when braking.
Despite the difficulties, Bridewell stressed that his bike seemed better on Friday and hopes to fine-tune those details with his team before the next round: “The bike was working absolutely fantastic, but on Friday it seemed a bit faster. We have to analyze – can – be the temperature or something – but on Friday I could catch Christian in the straight, in the slipstream, and pass him. In this race, I couldn’t get close to the Ducatis in the straight.
Bridewell also praised his rivals, mentioning Christian Iddon’s strong performance and Irwin’s determination to stay ahead, even with grip problems: “Christian had a fantastic race at the start, the pace was fast. When Glenn passed Christian, I knew I had to pass him in the last corner We had a little argument, but once I passed him I was able to start catching Glenn.
Despite arriving at Snetterton leading the championship, Irwin’s two wins knocked Bridewell out of the lead, but the two second places minimized the damage, leaving only a four-point difference between the two in the general classification. With these results, Bridewell remains firm in the fight for the British Superbikes title, keeping the pressure on his main rival and showing that he is ready to take on any challenge in the upcoming races.
