Christian Iddon makes it a hat-trick of podiums with a second-place finish in Race 3 at Donington Park

The final British Superbike race of the weekend at Donington Park was initially put on hold by ten minutes as rain started falling in some corners with dark clouds across the circuit. But after the subsequent warm-up laps, and with more rain falling, the decision was taken by Race Control to delay the race.

As the race finally got underway in better conditions, Christian Iddon slotted into fourth with the VisionTrack Ducati rider making a couple of passes to move into second place by the end of his opening lap.

Meanwhile Tommy Bridewell was into fifth, and Josh Brookes in tenth. But Brookes crashed his VisionTrack Ducati at Craner on the second lap, with his DNF also taking him out of contention for the 2021 British Superbike Championship title. 

Later on the second lap, championship leader Tarran Mackenzie retired from the race after his McAMS Yamaha cut out just in front of Bridewell, with the Oxford Products Racing Ducati rider now up to fourth, and ahead of Mackenzie’s teammate and fellow Title Fighter Jason O’Halloran.

Iddon was the fastest man on track on Lap 3 as he closed down race leader Gino Rea on the Buildbase Suzuki, but FS-3 Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson was soon closing down the two riders himself, with Bridewell having a lonely race behind in fourth.

At two thirds race distance Iddon was right behind Rea. Third-placed Jackson was a couple of seconds behind but had a 10.855s advantage over Bridewell in fourth, who himself had a massive 21.530s advantage over fifth-placed Andrew Irwin on the SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad.

 As the race reached its final stages Rea was able to gap Iddon and the Suzuki rider went on to win his second race of the weekend. Iddon got his best result out of the three races with another podium and a second place, and once again was the first Title Fighter to cross the chequered flag.

Jackson completed the podium in third, with Bridewell taking fourth and important championship points, with just one round remaining at Brands Hatch where a maximum of 75 points will be available from the final three races of the season.

Championship standings
1. Tarran MACKENZIE (Yamaha) 1127
2. Jason O'HALLORAN (Yamaha) 1117 -10
3. Christian IDDON (Ducati) 1112 -15
4. Tommy BRIDEWELL (Ducati) 1106 -21
5. Danny BUCHAN (BMW) 1061 -66
6. Peter HICKMAN (BMW) 1059 -68
7. Josh BROOKES (Ducati) 1047 -80
8. Glenn IRWIN (Honda) 1041 -86

Christian Iddon (VisionTrack Ducati #21) – 2nd
“I had ‘Mac Out’ on my pit board really early on in the race. Made so many mistakes on the next lap. Gino was setting such a good rhythm that I thought I’d just stick with him. We were pulling away at quite a nice pace, I think we were quite a bit quicker than the rest of the field, so we were obviously doing something right. I was fully committed but Gino just pulled the pin on the last couple of laps. I thought he’d pulled away that much ‘have I rolled off?’ But my delta was actually up, and I was setting quicker lap times. The sun was really difficult in the end, I could hardly see a thing heading in towards the sun, I couldn’t read my pit board and was just waiting for that last lap, it seemed like the longest race of my life.

Fantastic for the championship situation, it’s really pulled us right into contention. Would have been nice to win that one but Gino did a fantastic job. Big thanks to PBM VisionTrack Ducati, we’re in the mix, it’s go time at Brands!”