Christian Iddon found enough after his podium finishes to lead and then pile on the pressure to Glenn Irwin as he gave him a race all the way t𝕴o the line at Oultoꦑn Park.

The Oxford Pr♍oducts Ducati rider had a season to forget in 2023 with 🦄the team but they have worked collectively to get to a place where they feel they can compete for the title in 2024.

After a solid start in ♕Navarra, Iddon has looked back to his full potential at his home circuit.

• 2🅘024 British Superbikes: Oulton Park - Race Results (1)
• 2024 British Superbikes: Oulto🔯n Park - Race R⛦esults (2)
• 2024 British Super☂bikes: Oulton Park - Race Results (3)

🌠For the final race the #21 had set the fastest lap in the sprint, while chasing down Irwin, so landed pole - a position Iddon felt made all the difference in such a close championship:

“Starting from pole is a BIG bonus. There was, I think, the top ten from th💯e previous race were all🍰 within a tenth and a half or something, so it’s crazy close.

“I kne🌳w I could run the pace for most of the race,👍 which not everyone’s been able to do. Myself and Glenn have been really good at that.

Iddon found that although his Ducati is now headed firmly in the right direct﷽ion for the races ahead, small mistakes come with a big penalty:

“I kept having to try to calm myself down! Every time I had a little moment , in the way we’ve got the bike for thi♛s weekend, it’s absolutely awesome - but - if I made a small mistake it’s really hurting me, and funnily enough that’s kind of why I lost the lead”.

“Thꦅe first chicane has been a weak point for me and I made a very small error and that’s been one of Glenn’s strongest points over m🔜e all weekend. He saw his opportunity when I was weak and just pounced straight away”.

Iddon hadౠ to settle for second behind a fellow Ducati rider but gave everything on the last lap to try and find a way past, with not even a slipstream to the line enough to make the difference. Consideration came in that maybe an earlier 🏅push instead of sitting in behind may have brought more success:

“He made his move and then I was trying to weigh him up but ⛦to be fair, I’ve spent two races now weighing him up, so I should have known what was what!

🌞I wasn’t able to get the run down to the last corner - it ꦍwas close. I feel  a bit disappointed because I definitely believe that the team gave me a bike that was capable of winning.

There were still many positives for Iddon to take away as the championship moves on to Donington Park, with a trio of rostrum finishes for the first time since 2021 as he passed a landmark 250 starts in the sprint race.