Thruxton BSB: Bridewell ‘hopes the love-hate relationship will end’

Tommy Bridewell is hoping to end his love-hate relationship with Thruxton at this weekend’s Bennetts British Superbike round by finally standing on the podium in front of a home crowd.

Bridewell has never been able to conquer the Andover track but believes that some of the characteristics of his 2022-spec Oxford Racing Panigale will give him the edge he needed.

“Coming into the home round as always I am excited, but for some reason, and I don’t know why, I genuinely feel probably more excited than I ever have done going into Thruxton,” said the Devizes rider.

“I think it is because we have obviously been getting our head around this new spec of bike and some circuits I have expected to be really strong and it has actually been harder than I thought. Other tracks I have expected to be a lot weaker at, we have actually been really strong.

“I am hoping the love-hate relationship with Thruxton is at an end and it just becomes a love-love relationship because I genuinely would love nothing more than to just have a good, strong show for my home crowd. I have so many friends, people I work with, all come up and say ‘we are coming up at the weekend, you better do well!’ I find myself in past years; always just preempting and thinking don’t hold your breath as Thruxton has always been a struggle for me.

“I am not saying I am going to win three races but I am optimistic and positive that I hope we are able to try and fight for the podium as that is the goal.

“To be honest we have always had the ability and the outright pace to be able to do it. Last year I was running in eighth and just off the back of the leading group, running similar pace and then I have always struggled to maintain the tyre. I think it is partly down to my