All Eyes on Assen: Ryde and Ray Gear up for Championship Fight
The Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns to the TT Circuit Assen this weekend. It marks the first of three showdown rounds to conclude the 2025 season. This is a crucial weekend for Yamaha’s R1 title hopefuls of Kyle Ryde and Brad Ray.
The forthcoming weekend in the Netherlands will see the two former champions battle it out throughout three races. These races feature an enhanced points system offering 25 for victory, 22 for second, and 20 for third.
The stakes have never been higher.
As the weekend approaches, the 2024 Bennetts BSB champion of Ryde and his Nitrous Competitions Racing team sit at the top of the championship standings. They are holding onto an impressive total of 354 points. This is thanks to exceptional consistency so far this season.
Since the start of the year, the Nottingham-based rider has achieved an impressive tally of 17 podium finishes. This includes six race wins, five of which were achieved over the past three rounds alone.
After a spectacular start to the year, Raceways Yamaha and 2022 Bennetts BSB champion Ray claimed ten race victories. These were achieved in the first five weekends of the season.
Despite their strong form, the team currently sit second in the standings. They are 28 points adrift of the top spot after enduring recent challenges.
With the showdown approaching and a strong direction found, the hunt is on for Ray aboard the R1.
The focus has shifted towards the championship battle.
The Ryde and Ray R1 duo head towards the TT Circuit Assen with one mutual goal. They aim to bag as many points as possible. Their target is to sit at the top of the standings for the penultimate round of 2025.
Away from the heat of title contention, McAMS Racing’s Danny Kent is heading into the weekend on a return from an injury. This injury was to his right hand sustained at Donington Park two weeks ago.
After a speedy rehabilitation process, the former Moto3 World Champion heads into the weekend with ambition.
However, he is under no illusion of the challenges that will lie in store.
With five podium finishes, including two race wins in the bag throughout their 2025 campaign so far, the McAMS-backed team sit sixth in the standings. They feel hopeful to produce a strong end to the season over the next three rounds.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Nitrous Competitions garage, Glenn Irwin is approaching the weekend after achieving a best result of sixth place. This was aboard the Yamaha R1 last time out at Donington Park.
Heading back to Assen for the first time since 2019, hopes are high. There is hope that his streak of strong results and ongoing confidence can continue to build.
Kyle Ryde
Nitrous Competitions Racing
“I’m really excited to head back to Assen – it’s a circuit with so much history and one that always produces great racing. We’ve had a great run of form recently with consistent podiums and wins. That’s given us a strong position in the standings heading into the showdown.
But now it’s all about staying focused, keeping the momentum rolling, and making sure we collect as many points as possible across the three races this weekend. I feel confident with the Yamaha R1 and the team behind me. Every point is vital at this stage of the season. So, the aim is to come away from Assen still at the sharp end of the championship battle.
I’m also really looking forward to riding Assen again – the last time was back in 2019, which was my first time there on a Superbike. I’m riding really well at the moment, so the goal is to replicate what I’ve done over the summer races. That should put us in a good place.”
Bradley Ray
Raceways Yamaha
“Assen is one of those circuits I’ve always loved riding, it’s something special. After a strong start to the season, we’ve faced a few challenges lately, but the team has worked incredibly hard to get us back on track. I feel we’re in a good place heading into this crucial stage of the championship. For me, the focus is purely on delivering three strong results and maximising every opportunity to score big points. With the showdown underway, there’s no room for mistakes. We need to be right there in the fight. I can’t wait to get out there and give it everything.”
