Scott Redding claimed a determined victory in the opening race of the Showdown for the Hager PBM Racing Team, returning to the top step of the British Superbike Championship podium at the TT Circuit Assen.
Ryan Vickers had snatched the lead at the start, but Redding was instantly on the attack, and took the advantage on the opening lap and then continued to set a consistent run of laps to give him the early edge as his rivals battled.
Vickers was holding second ahead of his teammate Jason O'Halloran, Danny Kent and Leon Haslam over the opening laps with Kyle Ryde in sixth place. However, the defending champion was fighting through the pack, gaining two positions for the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing team.
The race ended prematurely for both Joe Talbot and Christian Iddon when they crashed out of contention in separate crashes on lap four, but at the front, the battle for the podium was intense between Vickers, Haslam and Ryde.
On the eighth lap, Vickers ran wide and he then had to try to regain the ground to Ryde and Haslam, who battled all race long for second place, trading positions and not giving an inch over the following nine laps.
Ryde was eventually able to make a pass and then keep Haslam behind him with determination to claim second with his Moto Rapido Racing rival completing the podium. Vickers secured fourth place as the Honda Racing UK rider bid to try to close the deficit.
Bradley Ray ended the race in fifth place after a resilient performance; the McAMS Yamaha rider was running outside the top ten in 14th position in the early stages, but he carved his way up the order into fifth place with a damage limitation ride.
Rory Skinner took sixth place on the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha, whilst rookie Ilya Mikhalchik claimed his best finish of the season for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Race team in seventh place.
Max Cook on the AJN Steelstock bimota was eighth with Kent and O'Halloran completing the top ten ahead of tomorrow’s two races.
British Superbike Championship, TT Circuit Assen, Race 1 result:
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team)
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +2.143s
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) +2.517s
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) +3.747s
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +5.141s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +9.955s
- Ilya Mikhalchik (ROKiT BMW Motorrad British Superbike Race team) +11.377s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +12.555s
- Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +12.992s
- Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing UK) +13.493s
For the full race result please click here
British Superbike Championship standings:
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) 414
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Racing Team) 346
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) 305
- Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Racing) 280
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) 253
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) 208
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 205
- Christian Iddon (Sencat Racing Yamaha) 133
- Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) 128
- Danny Kent (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) 126