An Interview with Tommy Bridewell
Traction Direct are proud sponsors of Bennetts British Superbike Champion Tommy Bridewell. Tommy took a moment out this summer to talk to Traction Direct about dream holidays, sheep farming, his ideal meal and favourite TV to relax with…
We begin by asking Tommy how he got into the sport.
“Before we were born dad raced Grasstrack, so when my brother and I were growing up we were bought mini motos. It was enough to get us both excited about motorsports, and was a hobby from the start. Motorbikes were just a part of life and we took to them like ducks to water.
“It set the foundations of our passion, and we’d race every Friday night at Hullavington. As time went on we rose through the ranks, racing 125-GP class bikes in 2003, and entering the Yamaha R6 Cup in 2004.”
We ask what he thinks makes a champion sportsperson.
“In a word, discipline. Ultimately it will outweigh talent, though you need a bit of that too. If you apply yourself and don’t accept failure, you will succeed. It also helps that I have a supportive family and wife who are as committed to the sport as I am. It affects everything, lifestyle, finances etc, it’s been a lifelong commitment from everyone. I couldn’t do it without the support of my family.”
We ask if he’d ever consider racing in something like the TT.
“No, it’s a completely different discipline, and not comparable to the British Superbikes. It’s road racing, which is not something my family support. British Superbikes is a short circuit, a closed road with safety carefully considered, air support etc. To me it’s proper racing as you can concentrate on the smaller details that will give you those marginal gains, which is exciting.”
We asked how he’s getting on with our units.
“I still use the MPL10 charger regularly. The bike battery isn’t always charged, especially if we’re running diagnostics. It’s great to have a piece of kit that you can rely on and offers excellent performance.”
When we spoke to Tommy he was on holiday in Turkey, getting some essential respite between race meets. We asked Tommy about relaxation and how important it is to his performance.
“Superbike racing is all about high adrenaline and intense concentration. I need something that is almost the exact opposite in my life to get the balance. I have a sheep farm which means I can be ‘off grid’, relaxing with my dogs, tractors and cattle. Farming is calming and relaxes me.”
We ended the interview with some quick fire questions:
Favourite drink?
“A cold beer. Or a San-Pelligrino Sparkling Water”
Sport outside of BSB?
“Golf”
Favourite Meal?
“Fillet Steak”
Dream holiday destination?
“Thailand. Or Spain”
Favourite TV programme?
“Inbetweeners”
What do you drive?
“Honda CRV”
Any pre-race ritual?
“Nope. I’m not superstitious, and if I started to be I’d end up having to carry it out precisely every time adding unnecessary worry! I just trust my mindset.”