MMB Racing riders Eugene McManus and Harry Truelove faced another challenging British Supersport event at Brands Hatch. The weekend started dry, but rain showers before both of the Supersport category races left the riders with difficult tyre decisions to make. In the Sprint Race on Saturday, McManus took a pair of tens from the weekend, including an eventful Race 2, while Truelove endured a more difficult weekend, finishing 29th and 30th.
Qualifying
The weekend began with promise as dry conditions saw both MMB Racing riders hit the ground running. McManus (#15) closed Friday in P10, while Truelove (#4) impressed with the eighth fastest time. On Saturday morning, both riders advanced comfortably into Q2. Truelove continued his strong form, qualifying sixth to secure a spot on the second row while Eugene would start in 7th.
Sprint Race
Saturday’s Sprint Race threw the formbook out the window as pre-race showers turned the grid’s best-laid plans into educated guesses. With the track only partially wet, McManus and Truelove gambled on full wets front and rear. It paid off early—but as the circuit dried, those on intermediates gained the upper hand.
McManus initially ran as high as sixth but slipped back to 10th by the flag as grip levels dropped off. Truelove struggled to find rhythm on the greasy surface, two off-track moments relegating him to 30th. While both riders made it home safely, it was a tough outing in unpredictable conditions.
Warm-Up and Feature Race
Sunday’s dry warm-up lifted spirits as McManus topped the timesheets and Truelove showed promise in 12th. Hopes for a clear race quickly evaporated, however, as another downpour complicated tyre strategy yet again. The first half of the lap was relatively dry, but the second half was certainly wet. McManus chose a wet front and intermediate rear, while Truelove decided to stick with full wets front and back. As they lined up on the starting grid, the rain was still falling, and perhaps full wets looked like the right choice.
However, as the race went on the rain eased off, and McManus’ lap times improved and he rose from 12th on the grid to a sixth position before running on a damp part of the circuit. He did exceptionally well to keep the Ducati Panigale V2 upright as he rode across the grass. He returned to the circuit but the excursion relagted him to 15th and he was out of the podium fight. However, he was soon back on the pace and refusing to give in, he fought back to finish 10th once again. .
Truelove had to start from 34th position after the grid was set for the Feature Race using the fastest lap time from Saturday’s Sprint Race. He had another difficult race in the slippery conditions, but the number 4 managed to bring the Ducati safely home and crossed the finish line in 29th place.
