WorldSBK Assen: Redding ‘destroyed front tyre’ playing catch up

Scott Redding, BMW’s big Hollywood signing of the 2022 WorldSBK season to partner Michael van der Mark, had a horrible start to the actual racing season in round one at Motorland Aragon, leaving with a single point.

For a rider used to winning in BSB and WorldSBK on Ducati’s this was not so much a wake up call as an alarm call.

Things just had to be better at Assen, and they were after just one race. He was ninth, albeit over a second a lap slower than the leaders.

“The race itself had some good areas,” said Redding in the post race media scrum at Assen. “In the middle of the race, I was able to start catching the group in front.

“But, after attacking for five, six laps, I destroyed the front tyre. So then the last six laps was like survival for me. I dropped a lot in the lap time. It was a shame because I was having pace to catch the guys a bit in front.

“At the start of the race, I couldn’t get off the line very well, so I dropped back a couple of positions when I’m already far back. I don’t need to have more of that. So, it made it difficult. I think I lost four seconds on the first lap. It’s too much. That also came from the qualifying. There was a miscommunication when we went out with the second tyre, then it wasn’t really working so well. Sometimes when it’s rough, it’s always a bit rough. So, we just need to get the ball rolling and smooth things out.

“In the end, the middle of the race, I was able to do something, so it was a bit of a relief for me that I could push a bit. We’ll try tomorrow to fix the tyre so I can push all the race and see what we can do.”

Redding confirmed that no changes had taken place to his bike since Motorland, making his ninth place in race one a simple rider/bike/team improvement.

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