3rd Tremendous Tommy

Both of Bridewell’s wins were spectacular in different ways. One was a fightback after running on and dropping to 13th on lap five. The other was a display of domination; a rider and machine at their very best. In his race two masterclass, Bridewell was straight into the 1:34s and stayed there, reaching a maximum advantage of 8.522s. Given how tight BSB is, this is such a rarity. It has been coming though. Bridewell secured eight podiums in the final 10 races of the regular season.

“I think Yamaha have just had it nice this year, and everyone’s kept saying to me that I’m the nearest threat to them, but being that nearest threat isn’t good enough for me,” Bridewell told MCN. “I’m not just the nearest threat, I’m the person that will and can beat them. I’ve sent that message this weekend and dare I say it, it’s crumbling beneath them. With the pressure and the expectations from big sponsors, their riders are expected to win the championship.” Bridewell has landed on the positive side of the Showdown debate and, just like in 2019 when he battled the factory Ducatis, he’s ruffling the feathers of one of the biggest teams in the paddock. Some say the Showdown is unfair, but as Bridewell explained to MCN, everybody knows the rules and how they work. “For Jason it hasn’t worked in his favour because realistically he had the title won. He’d done the hard work from round one. Now he has seven-point lead over me, and the pressure is on him. He’s expected to win and that’s when your focus and everything builds up and you make mistakes. I’m going to fly in under the radar and lift this trophy at the end of the year.”