Tommy Bridewell exclusive
After pushing Redding and Brookes last year, Oxford Products Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell will stop at nothing to be champion
Tommy Bridewell has one goal and one goal only this season – and that’s to become British Superbike champion. The Oxford Products Ducati rider had his best year yet in 2019 taking a win, 18 podiums, and finishing third overall and is more determined than ever to reach the top. MCN caught up with Bridewell at the team’s launch at the Oxford Products HQ in Witney.
The Ducati V4 came in and dominated last year. What makes it so strong?
Ducati manufactured and built a phenomenal package. The engine is strong, the chassis is strong, the aerodynamics are strong. They’ve not done anything any different to what other manufacturers would probably have liked to have done but didn’t think of soon enough. It dominated yes, but I’d argue that, in my opinion – and I know I’m going to say it because I’m one of them – you had the three strongest riders on the grid in 2019 on a very, very competitive bike. If Scott or Josh were on a Yamaha, would they have achieved the same result? I believe so. I don’t believe Scott won the championship just because he was on the Ducati. Scott rode very well. Would he have won the championship if he was on the Yamaha? Who knows? I don’t think it would have been much different. Plenty of people, and riders not riding the Ducati, might think that it’s down to the bike. Well, you have a go on it! Josh will back me up on this, at the final round at Brands we were doing 1:25s every lap. To do that I was maxed out, my heart rate would have been at 185, and there was nothing left in the bike. Absolutely nothing left. So, ultimately, as long as you’re getting the most out of the bike and you’re riding to the best of your ability, then you should be fast.
Is it frustrating to hear people saying it’s because of the bike? Do you feel you don’t get the credit you deserve?
I actually feed off of it because it shows their weakness. If a rider, which many have, comes to me and says: “Ducati this and Ducati that,” straight away I know they’ll not even remotely be able to beat me! They’re lining up on the grid, not saying that they can’t beat me, but looking at Josh’s, Scott’s and my bike and saying it’s the Ducati Cup and then the best of the rest. That’s them sat on the grid about to start the race. You’re about to start a race and straight away you’ve made a comment that it’s the Ducati Cup or that you can’t beat the bike. No matter what bike I’m on, I always think I can win. That isn’t always strictly the case, but I’m a very self-confident rider so as long as you have self-confidence and you ride to the best of the bike’s ability that’s really all you can do. Whether that’s winning or being 10th. I could have been on any bike last year and I’d still have believed I could have beaten Scott or Josh.
Scott’s gone to World Superbikes, so you and Josh have become the natural favourites. Do you agree?
I see things a little differently. I know I’m going to fight for wins, I know that as a rider I’m ready and that my team is ready, but is Josh ready? Are PBM ready? Will Yamaha, Honda and Kawasaki be strong? When I was younger, you’d easily underestimate your competitors and you’d go out, get beat and be demoralised. Now, I can’t tell you whether my main competitor at Donington will be the Irwins, the Yamahas or Josh. However, it does go back to me being confident enough in both myself and my team. If they can beat me and my team, then they’ll be doing a very, very good job. That’s our own self-imposed pressure of expectations really.
Is this your best chance yet of being the British champion? Can you see it happening this year?
100%! I feel like we have to make a little bit of a game plan and stick to it. It sounds stupid, but the simple game plan is to go out and f***ing win! I swear when I say that because I’m not taking any bullsh*t. If somebody is in the way we need to move them, if somebody wants to play dirty then we’ll play dirty back, and if somebody wants to go bar to bar, then we’ll go bar to bar, no qualms. If they want to roll around in the pits after, I’m more than happy to roll around in the pits. That’s not me saying I want to go around fighting people, but it’s me saying that I’ll go to any level it takes to become British champion this year. That’s what I will do, and hopefully it works!