Tommy Bridewell ‘honoured’ to win BSB title for late Paul Bird, admits to ‘remoted’ feeling after loss of life

British Superbike Champion Tommy Bridewell has revealed how he felt ‘a little isolated’ throughout the BeerMonster Ducati group following the loss of life of group founder and boss, Paul Bird.

Bird died out of the blue after a brief sickness in September 2023, simply as his eponymous group was gearing up for a closing push in direction of what was to change into a record-breaking ninth BSB title for PBM.

His passing got here within the 12 months PBM bounced again to prominence on the home stage following disappointing campaigns in 2021 and 2022, with Bridewell – in his first 12 months with the ex-MotoGP and WorldSBK outfit – locked in a heated battle for title honours with team-mate Glenn Irwin.

Indeed, getting Bridewell on board at PBM had lengthy been a private goal for the 56-year old, Bird telling BSN he had ‘a massive soft spot’ for the Devizes rider in an interview simply weeks earlier than his passing.

It’s an appreciation Bridewell shared too, who describes racing underneath his stewardship as ‘an honour for a small-town lad’.

“Paul Bird is one of those characters that he has worked with some phenomenal world class riders, so for him to turn round to me that he has seen something in me that he hasn’t seen before, was an honour for me,” Bridewell informed BSN.

“I look again on the riders who’ve raced for him or rubbed shoulders with – I’m only a small-town lad who tries to fake he’s a farmer within the week, then rides bikes on the weekend!

“I am nothing special but I am committed to what I do and if I set out to do something, I will always do whatever I can to achieve it.” 

The 35-year old additionally paid tribute to Bird’s uniting affect throughout the group, revealing the efforts he’d go to make sure morale remained optimistic.

“When Paul was about, it was f**king unbelievable. He’d come into the storage, he’d take a look at me and he’d have a little bit smirk on his face.

“What I beloved was that, if I had received, then the group and Paul have been over the moon, but when I completed fifth then the group and Paul have been nonetheless very glad after which they’d wish to work out methods to win once more 

“It wasn’t ‘why didn’t you win’, he’d keep our feet on the ground and we’d get it sorted.”

“It was stupid we didn’t work together sooner”

Bird’s loss of life got here at a crucial time in Bridewell’s more and more tense title tussle with Irwin, the pair cut up by simply 14.5 factors with solely three rounds of the season remaining.

A simmering inter-team battle that bubbled over once they controversially clashed on the penultimate Donington Park spherical, Bridewell admits PBM suffered for shedding Bird’s bonding impact throughout these pivotal moments.

“Losing him was powerful. It made issues a little bit bit trickier and it felt a little bit bit isolating for me and my crew after we have been working in our personal little group.

“When Paul was about, he was fairly adamant the group was anticipated to work as a group, so when he handed then that sort of went out of the window, if I’m being brutally sincere.

“We didn’t have someone to steady the ship. After Oulton Park and Donington Park, I know I’d have had an ear chewing as much as anyone else, but we definitely lacked the leader, the captain of the ship.”

Going on to pip Irwin to the 2023 BSB title by a mere 0.5 factors, Bridewell says he takes nice delight from being the rider to honour Bird’s reminiscence with a record-affirming ninth BSB riders’ crown.

“When we knew Paul was poorly, I used to be messaging him repeatedly, holding in contact after which he sadly handed away. It affected me as a result of he was somebody I’d all the time wished to work with and stupidly we didn’t be a part of collectively sooner actually. 

“But I am so honoured to give Paul Bird personally his last BSB Championship, that can never be done again for him, so it was an honour for that.”