2018 British Superbikes started at Donington Park with an amazing first race, whose result was uncertain till the end of the race (as usual in BSB). The young Bradley Ray, 20 years of age, took the win on his Buildbase Suzuki by crossing the line before Shane Byrne and James Ellison. Just ninth place for Leon Haslam, who started the race from pole position, but struggled with tyres during the second half of the race.
START – After the start the trio formed by James Ellison, Bradley Ray and Leon Haslam distanced the rest of the field, but Luke Mossey, Dan Linfoot and Shane Byrne managed to bridge the gap and join the front group. Ellison led the race till the sixth lap, when the young Suzuki rider Ray overtook him.
BEHIND THE LEADERS – Behind Ray and Ellison, Haslam stayed in third place for the first half of the race, but at the tenth of the 18 laps “Pocket Rocket” started to struggle with tyres and this made him lose more and more positions. Mossey overtook his team-mate and took the third place, that he lost some laps after because of Shane Byrne, who recovered many positions after a difficult start. Later Mossey was overtaken also by the Honda Racing duo formed by Jason O’Halloran and Dan Linfoot, who fought for the fourth position.
RAY WINS – At the final lap Ray led the front trio followed by Ellison and Byrne. Shakey managed to overtake Ellison and get to second position, but the overtake helped Ray distancing a little the other two riders and this was enough to win the race. With just 20 years of age, Ray won the first 2018 British Superbikes race in front of Byrne and Ellison. Dan Linfoot crossed the line in fourth place, followed by Mossey, a stoic Glenn Irwin (sixth after the bad crash he had in FP1), Jason O’Halloran, Peter Hickman, Haslam and Michael Laverty. Disappointment for Haslam, just ninth, and also for other riders such as Jake Dixon and Josh Brookes, who finished just in 11th and 12th position.
