After a disrupted but strong round last time out for Rhys at Oulton Park, it was time for the season finale of the Pirelli National Sportbike Championship. Brands Hatch played host to close the season out, a track that Rhys had a strong P5 finish back in round 5 and would be hoping for more of the same. Some good racing and a bit of luck were needed for Rhys to push himself into the top 5 for the season standings as he looks to finish the season strong.
The first free practice session got underway on Friday morning, but it was not going quite to plan. Rhys struggled with bike issues throughout the session, which meant he couldn’t get a proper run or build any rhythm. It was a frustrating start to the weekend for Rhys, posting a best time of 1:33.782 and placing him in 17th.
Things improved in the second free practice session, with Rhys able to put together some consistent laps and feel a lot more comfortable on the bike, finishing the session in 8th place. Some improved racing gave Rhys some much-needed confidence heading into the qualifying session.
Saturday morning was qualifying time, with Rhys hoping to get a good position on the grid. However, things were tricky for Rhys as he couldn’t quite get the lap he was looking for and ended up in 9th on the grid with a time of 1:32.444.
After a short break, race 1 got underway on Saturday afternoon. Early on in the race, with Rhys trying to hold his position, he made a slight mistake, causing him to go off track, resulting in him falling back from the pack. On top of the mistake, Rhys was handed a double long lap penalty for a jump start. Eventually, Rhys crossed the line in 26th and was determined to put the race behind him and bounce back on Sunday.
Despite the wet conditions on Sunday, Rhys got off to a much better start and was able to find a much better feeling on the bike. Starting in 13th, Rhys managed to pick off a few riders and came home with a strong 6th place finish.
With the 6th place finish in race 2, it earned Rhys a final 20 points towards the season standings, solidifying a 7th place finish for the championship.
This is what Rhys had to say on his final weekend and the season:
“The final round of the season at Brands Hatch was a real mix of highs and lows for me and the team. FP1 didn’t go to plan with bike issues holding us back, but things improved in FP2, and I found my rhythm. Qualifying was tricky, starting 9th on the grid. Race 1 was tough after an early mistake and a penalty, but Race 2 in the wet brought a much better feeling — finishing 6th to end the weekend on a positive note. Huge thanks to the team and sponsors — we’ll take the lessons learned and come back stronger in 2026.”
With the season now finished, Rhys will go into the off-season to get prepared for whatever 2026 brings, with everyone at Lexelle excited for what’s to come.