Scott Redding won the opening race of the weekend at Donington Park to claim his first victory of the 2026 British Superbike Championship season, with the race brought to a premature end as rain arrived at the start of the final lap. Red flags were waved seconds after Redding and Max Cook had crossed the line, leaving the result to stand after a frantic finish in worsening conditions.

Redding, Cook and Kyle Ryde pulled clear of the field and spent much of the race trading the lead as the track began to turn. Cook led for the majority of the contest after starting from the front of the pack behind pole-sitter Ryde, but the pair both went past him at the Melbourne Loop on lap 14 when they grew wary of the first rain drops. That move set up a close fight for the win that was decided in the final laps, with Redding eventually coming through for his 19th BSB victory from 56 races.

Cook’s second place gave the AJN Steelstock bimota rider his third Superbike podium and his first away from Thruxton. He is due to celebrate his 100th BSB race start in Race Two on May 17. Ryde, meanwhile, lost momentum after running too deep at the Melbourne Loop on the penultimate lap as the drops became heavier, which allowed Cook back through into second before the flag stoppage locked in the order.

The weather shaped the rest of the field as well. Leon Haslam finished fourth and Christian Iddon completed the top five on the Sencat Racing Yamaha, while Lee Jackson was the leading Honda rider in 10th. DAO Racing teammate Josh Brookes finished 11th ahead of Glenn Irwin, with Joe Talbot, Luke Hedger and Jason O’Halloran taking the final points on offer. Rhys Irwin was the last rider classified in 16th.

There was frustration further back. Ryan Vickers returned to the pits at the end of the second lap with a bike problem before heading back to the Honda garage at the end of lap eight. Charlie Nesbitt ran on into the gravel at Redgate and retired in pit lane a few laps after rejoining. Ilya Mikhalchik retired at the end of lap seven, Fraser Rogers stopped at the end of lap eight, and Andrew Irwin and Eugene McManus both dropped out at the end of lap 15. Peter Hickman did not start the race.

For Redding, the result was a needed early-season breakthrough on a day when the top three were well clear of everyone else and the weather ultimately decided how the race was remembered. The win was his first of the 2026 BSB campaign, but it came in a way few on the grid will want repeated: fast, tense and finished under red flags after the rain arrived just as the leaders crossed the line.