BSB: Sonic boom! First Bennetts BSB race win for Buchan and FS3-Racing Kawasaki

Danny Buchan and FS3-Racing Kawasaki celebrated their first victory in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill this afternoon as he became the fifth different race winner of the season after a faultless performance to lead at the chequered flag by 6.232s.

Buchan said: “It’s not sunk in yet and I’m pretty overwhelmed by it, it was such a long race. At the beginning of the race I actually hit Taz, I hit his exhaust going down the straight. It was a good race and I knew I could do a good job, mid race onwards I settled into a rhythm and brought the bike home and took my first win.

“Credit to the FS3 team for all their hard work that they have put in, to pick up my first win and the team’s first BSB win, it has been a long time coming. I’ve been trying and trying it’s been a stressful three years for everyone around me. Thanks to all my family and friends who have always supported me.”

At the start of the race Tarran Mackenzie launched off the front row to lead the pack from pole-sitter Xavi Forés and Buchan with Christian Iddon and Jason O’Halloran in close contention. A moment for Forés dropped him behind Buchan on lap five and then the FS3-Racing Kawasaki rider was hunting down Mackenzie at the front.

Buchan was piling the pressure on Mackenzie at the front and with a decisive move at the Hairpin on lap five and then he posted consistent lap times to begin to make a break from the pack. Mackenzie though crashed out of contention before mid-race distance ending his chance of a podium finish.

Buchan was untroubled at the front but behind the battle for second place went down to the wire as Scott Redding was cutting through the pack from his 16th place grid start; by the final ten laps the Be Wiser Ducati rider had closed down the battle for second with Forés leading Iddon.

Redding had closed the gap and with three laps to go he made a move at turn five on Iddon to move ahead of the Tyco BMW rider and then repeated the move a lap later to move into second place as Forés held third.

Redding celebrated a determined second place finish ahead of Forés and Iddon who claimed Tyco BMW’s best result of the season. Championship leader Tommy Bridewell was fifth to maintain his lead in the standings ahead of Bradley Ray and Luke Mossey. Luke Stapleford and Glenn Irwin completed the top ten.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Race 1 result:

1. Danny Buchan (FS3-Racing Kawasaki)
2. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +6.232s
3. Xavi Forés (Honda Racing) +7.079s
4. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +7.448s
5. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) +9.644s
6. Bradley Ray (Buildbase Suzuki) +10.774s
7. Luke Mossey (OMG Racing Suzuki) +14.125s
8. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) +18.456s
9. Luke Stapleford (Buildbase Suzuki) +20.742s
10. Glenn Irwin (Quattro Plant – JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +20.884s