Superbikes news - Scott Redding closes in on BSB title with Donington double

Just as he had in Race 1, Redding's team-mate and championship contender Josh Brookes got the best start of the field and took the lead into the first corner, despite the challenge of Christian Iddon who once again tried to make an aggressive move stick.

However, Brookes maintained his lead with Redding tucked in behind, happy to sit in third place as the leader in the standings and wait for a mistake as and when it would come.

Tommy Bridewell, third in the standings, moved up through the field too but the race was neutralised by a safety car on Lap 3 to allow stewards to clear a large amount of gravel off the track.

On the restart, Redding moved up to second place and was then gifted the lead when Brookes, failing to get heat into his tyres, ran wide in Turn 1 and allowed the former MotoGP rider into the lead.

Having won both races in Assen and all three instalments the last time BSB was at Donington earlier in the year, Redding had the bit firmly between his teeth but Brookes was straining not to let him slip too far away.

The Australian, who won the BSB title in 2015, set consecutive fastest laps to close the gap to under a second but Redding was lapping at just two tenths slower, both men showing remarkable consistency.

Brookes got the gap down to 0.442 seconds heading into the last lap but his team-mate was ruthless, giving no quarter and ensuring his lead in the championship would stretch to 28 points with three races at Brands Hatch to go.