Skip to content

Rea plays down Brands Hatch hopes after Donnington double

Suzuki ace Gino Rea, who secured his first two wins last time out at Donington Park, is maintaining a humble mindset going into the final round of the 2021 Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB). 

Prior to arriving at Donington, it had been a back and forth season in which neither Rea or Suzuki were able to translate good pace into significant race results. 

All that changed however, as the championship tracked back to the Leicestershire venue. Rea went on to secure his first pole position in qualifying, backing it up with two flawless performances, to dominate the field to secure his first pair of BSB wins. 

Despite his recent good run, Rea remains under no illusion that the weekend ahead at Brands Hatch will be a walk in the park. 

The circuit, located in Kent, is by no means an easy task to learn and master. For Rea and Suzuki, it’s one of the most challenging rounds on the calendar.  

He said: “We know that Brands Hatch isn’t necessarily our strongest circuit but it’s going to be interesting to see what we can do there in the races. 

“I’m not getting my hopes too high and expecting to win again because this category is so competitive and it is a difficult track for us. At the same time, I’m confident that we can do a good job and the goal is always to get on the podium.”

This weekend marks the championship’s second visit to Brands Hatch this season. During the last race there back in July, Rea failed to finish two out of three races, claiming a best race result of tenth. 

Despite this, himself and the team have worked hard to make many changes to the setup of the bike, improving on- track performance. Hopes remain high that the adjustments made, will suit the demanding nature of this weekend’s challenge.

He added: “I’m really excited to get started. We’ve made a bit of a breakthrough on the bike in this last part of the season, so it’s going to be interesting to see if that continues this weekend.”

Rain or shine, we’re in for one belter of a weekend of racing as the BSB Championship draws to a close. Three races over the course of the weekend, gives riders three opportunities to go out with a bang. 

It’s all to play for, in the 2021 BSB season final.

What do you think?