The Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns this weekend (June 16/17/18) and just a narrow ten points separate the top five in the title fight after the opening three rounds as the series reaches Knockhill in Scotland.
Seven different riders have celebrated podium success from the opening nine races, with five of those securing race wins, but ahead of this weekend, it is Tommy Bridewell leading the standings for BeerMonster Ducati.
Bridewell surged to the top of the points after the previous round at Donington Park, moving three points ahead of his teammate Glenn Irwin, with the pair both already race winners in 2023 Bennetts BSB.
Double champion Josh Brookes heads to Scotland holding third in the title race; the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad rider is a double winner this season and just two points adrift of Irwin, but also knows that he only holds a slender four-point edge over another previous champion, Leon Haslam and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad team in fourth place.
Reigning champions LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha currently hold fifth place in the standings with Kyle Ryde who bounced back from a crash at his home round of Donington Park to move to within ten points of Bridewell at the top.
Meanwhile both Yamaha and Kawasaki are targeting a fightback at Knockhill; McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O'Halloran and Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson are equal on points in sixth overall with the pair keen to repeat their previous success at the Scottish circuit. O’Halloran became the fifth different race winner of the season last time out, whilst Jackson aims for his first top three finish of 2023.
Reigning Quattro Group British Supersport champion Jack Kennedy and Mar-Train Racing Yamaha currently lie equal on points in eighth with the second LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha of Ryan Vickers, who claimed his first podium finish in Bennetts BSB last time out. However just a single point puts them ahead of Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Christian Iddon, who in turn holds a one point advantage over the second FHO Racing BMW Motorrad contender, Peter Hickman.
There will however be several riders hoping that the fast and frantic dynamic of Knockhill can play to their advantage this weekend, including Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda), Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing), Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki), Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) and Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW).
Meanwhile championship rookies Max Cook (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki), Bradley Perie (Lee Hardy Racing Kawasaki) and Jack Scott (Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki) will be eager to impress.
This weekend’s fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship will be live on Eurosport 2 with Sunday’s raceday also broadcast live on free-to-air channel Quest.