Kyle Ryde Secures Triple Victory for Yamaha at Donington Park
The eighth round of the 2025 Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Donington Park saw Kyle Ryde and Nitrous Competitions Racing fly to three sensational race wins throughout the four-sprint weekend. They extended their lead in the series to 28 points as the showdown commences.
The weekend in Leicestershire got off to a mixed start for Yamaha’s trio of R1 riders. McAMS Racing’s Danny Kent topped the standings after two Free Practice sessions on Friday. Ryde was not far behind within the top three.
Ray and the Raceways Yamaha crew endured challenges on Friday to end the day in 13th overall.
Saturday’s Qualifying session delivered more of the same. Ryde clinched the spot of top Yamaha on the grid for Race 1, punching in a 1:27.073 to sit on the front row. Kent ended Qualifying in fourth, with Ray and Glenn Irwin in seventh and eighth respectively.
The opening sprint race at Donington Park saw Ryde lead the R1 effort. Starting from second on the grid, the reigning champion held firm.
With lots to risk and little to lose, the Nitrous Competitions Racing rider maintained his spot in second place, punching in a fastest lap of 1:27.404.
A technical issue resulting in a red flag stoppage ended the race one lap early. Ryde took second place to bag 16 points for the championship standings. This extended his lead to 11 points over R1 counterpart, Ray.
McAMS Racing and Kent produced a fruitful effort in Saturday’s race, fighting for podium contention. They eventually held position in third as the red flag appeared.
With the race classified based on positioning on the previous lap, the #52 rider missed the chance to seal a sixth podium of the year. He finished in fourth, ending a strong outing in bittersweet fashion.
Glenn Irwin rode to a personal-best finish of sixth aboard the Yamaha. Ray and the Raceways Yamaha outfit finished amongst the top ten in ninth.
For Sunday’s opening race, victory-hopeful Ryde lined up on pole position. Ray sat fourth, Kent eighth, and Glenn Irwin 12th.
The former Bennetts BSB champion of Ryde slipped to second in the early stages. Quickly finding his rhythm, he returned to the lead by the end of the opening lap.
Fending off constant pressure from Redding, the #1 rider held strong to maintain the lead. He set an exceptional pace with a best lap of 1:26.867. After 12 laps of pushing, Ryde took the flag to clinch his fourth win and 15th podium of 2025.
Ray and Raceways Yamaha produced an improved effort in the second race of the weekend.
They held onto fourth and gained confidence ahead of the remaining races. Further downfield, Glenn Irwin and Kent crossed the line in ninth and tenth respectively.
Ryde rolled to the grid in pole position for the third Sprint Race of the weekend with Ray seated on the second row. Kent and Glenn Irwin started from eighth and 11th respectively.
At lights out, the Nitrous Competitions rider slipped back to second. He held firm amongst the front with a hard-charging Ray until an incident deployed the safety car on Lap 4.
With the field bunched together, racing resumed on Lap 6. Ryde showed intent to push forwards. He applied pressure to Redding before making a dramatic attempt for the lead at Craner Curves on Lap 8.
Redding refused to yield, reclaiming the front with a decisive move down the inside at the Old Hairpin. A brief moment at Starkey’s Bridge cost him the lead. This allowed Ryde to hit the front for the first time in the race.
Ray was the next to take advantage, passing Redding into the Melbourne Hairpin to end the lap in second place.
From there, Ryde pulled the pin, generating a gap of 1.222 seconds by the end of the race. The R1 rider took victory, with Ray clinching second after a challenge-enduring weekend.
Race 3 ended in unfortunate style for McAMS Racing and, Kent. The 2015 Moto3 World Champion hit the floor at Fogarty Esses under the safety car, sustaining a hand injury. This injury would sit him out of the final race of the weekend.
Glenn Irwin retired from the race on Lap 1.
From pole position in the opening race of the weekend, Ray held strong to maintain the lead throughout the opening lap. However, a brave move from Ryde on Lap 2 at Starkey’s Bridge saw the #1 rider lead the pack.
A nail-biting moment for Ryde at Fogarty Esses on Lap 4 gifted Ray a brief lead. A hard-charging Skinner made a successful pass at the Old Hairpin on the following lap. Later on Lap 6, Ryde replicated his move at Starkey’s Bridge, picking off Ray for second place to begin a hunt for the lead.
The R1 duo sat second and third in the order until the second safety car of the weekend was deployed on circuit on Lap 7.
As the racing resumed with the field compressed, a victory-hopeful Ryde pushed on. Applying constant pressure to Skinner ahead, the Nitrous Competitions Racing rider made a pounce for the lead on the final lap. He performed his favourite overtake at Starkey’s Bridge.
The lead was maintained throughout the remainder of the race. Despite ongoing pressure from behind, Ryde took a third win of the weekend to extend his championship lead to 28 points.
It was a race of two halves for Ray, who struggled to find a strong feeling after the safety car. He fell back to seventh at the flag. Glenn Irwin ended the final race of the weekend in 11th.
After four Sprint Races, 28 points separate Ryde and Ray. The championship now heads towards the first of the showdown rounds in two weeks’ time.
The series will head to Assen for the first time since 2019.
In the Pirelli National Sportbike Championship, RB-Racing rider, Rossi Banham, constructed an outstanding effort in the only race of the weekend.
Starting from 17th on the grid after a challenging Qualifying, the R7 rider pushed on. He secured his best result of the season in sixth.
Kyle Ryde
Nitrous Competitions Racing
“This is the best Sunday I’ve ever had in BSB – I’ve never done the triple before, so it feels great to get that one ticked off the list. Achieving these kind of results isn’t easy, so I’m proud of what the team and I have managed to achieve. I had a great feeling on the Yamaha R1 this weekend, and the team worked hard to make it even better. Excited to get to Assen in a couple of weeks’ time and aim for more of the same.”
Bradley Ray
Raceways Yamaha
“It was an up and down weekend for the team and I. It’s been the toughest weekend of the year by far for us. It was just one of those weekends where things didn’t come together. It’s a shame to lose some points to Kyle – but we’re heading into the showdown now and I feel good in myself and in how I’m riding. We’ll come back stronger at Assen”