TAG Racing endured a frustrating weekend at the fifth round of the 2026 ZYN British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch, with Matt Truelove collecting two top-10 finishes across the weekend. However, it proved to be a challenging event for Fraser Rogers, Jaimie Van Sikkelerus and Charlie Nesbitt, who all endured difficult weekends.
The weekend got off to a solid start for the team, with all four riders working hard during the free practice sessions to develop their set-ups to suit the flowing nature of the Grand Prix circuit. However, it ended on a sour note as Matt Truelove suffered a crash at the end of FP2, giving the team some work to do overnight to get him ready for Saturday.
Following discussions overnight, the mutual decision was taken to withdraw Charlie from the remainder of the weekend in order to allow the injuries he sustained at Snetterton more time to heal.
Qualifying on Saturday morning saw Fraser fail to progress into the second stage of the session. He also struggled to improve on his personal best lap time from the weekend, meaning he lined up in 21st place for the opening race later that afternoon.
Matt and Jaimie enjoyed positive qualifying sessions, with both riders improving their lap times. Jaimie found over a second, while True took the chequered flag in ninth, just two tenths of a second shy of the front row. Van Sikkelerus lined up 17th on the grid for the afternoon’s opening race.
The opening 20-lap ZYN BSB race of the weekend didn’t treat Fraser, or the team, kindly. After a solid start, Rogers began battling for the final points-scoring positions, swapping places within a four-rider group. However, with 13 laps remaining, he suffered a technical issue which forced him to retire.
Just 20 minutes later, it was the turn of Matt and Jaimie to line up for the first of their two races. The pair made excellent starts and quickly began fighting for position, with Truelove involved in a three-way battle for the top five and Van Sikkelerus contesting the top 15. Unfortunately, with two laps remaining, Jaimie was forced to retire due to brake issues.
Truelove continued to battle with Owens and McConnell for a top-five finish, but he couldn’t quite find a way through in the closing laps and had to settle for seventh at the flag, collecting valuable championship points.
Sunday arrived and the team headed into race day with a fresh sense of enthusiasm, ready to tackle the day’s action.
By virtue of his lap time from the opening race, Fraser started the 12-lap sprint race from 17th on the grid. He made a strong launch from the lights and immediately began battling for points, quickly becoming embroiled in a fight for 15th with Jason O’Halloran and Luke Hedger.
However, as he and Hedger swapped positions, O’Halloran was able to pull clear, leaving Rogers to battle for 16th. As the laps ticked away, he continued searching for a way past and eventually made his move in the closing stages, holding off his fellow Honda rider to the finish.
The third and final Superbike race of the weekend sadly ended in disappointment for Fraser. After making another strong start and battling for a place inside the top 12, he was forced to retire after just two laps due to a slipping clutch.
The second Superstock race of the weekend saw Truelove bring it home in sixth place after a dramatic 14-lap battle. After making a great start, he dropped back to 14th after becoming caught up in a Turn One incident. The Lincolnshire rider quickly regrouped and, following a safety car period, carved his way back through the field to cross the line in sixth, collecting another strong haul of championship points.
Jaimie again failed to finish after another technical issue, retiring after just two laps because of a recurring brake problem.
Charlie Nesbitt: “I’m bitterly disappointed about this weekend. I did all I could to be fit and, even though I gave it a go on Friday, I was struggling with the strength in my hand. It was only right to look ahead to Oulton Park.
“I need to thank the team. They’re sticking by me and I can’t thank them enough for that. I really appreciate all their support and hopefully at the next round I can repay them for the belief they’ve shown in me.”
Fraser Rogers: “In all honesty, I don’t know what to say. I just don’t feel we have any luck at the moment. Nothing is going our way and it’s not a reflection of what myself and the team are capable of. To come away from the weekend with no points is just frustrating, really frustrating.
“We’ve been hit with a couple of mechanical issues that nobody could foresee, and it’s a real shame for everyone. The bike felt great in race three, but it just wasn’t meant to be. We look ahead to the next round now and aim to get back on track.”
Matt Truelove: “Ultimately we’ve come away with sixth and seventh this weekend, but it should have been a lot better. I expect much better from myself.
“After the crash we had in the second free practice session on Friday, it felt like we were playing catch-up all weekend, so it’s been damage limitation for me. I was lucky to stay in the race on Sunday, very lucky really. We’re still in the hunt for this championship and I’ll be fighting hard at Oulton Park.”
Jaimie Van Sikkelerus: “It was quite a difficult weekend to be honest. I still have my physical issues, but this weekend we also had some technical problems, which were nobody’s fault.
“We have been unlucky in that sense, but the team have worked really, really hard. It is what it is and we’ll look ahead to Oulton Park now.
“I will have an operation now to remove some metalwork from my leg, which should help me perform better on track, and hopefully we can have a stronger end to the season. Big thanks to the team for all their efforts this weekend.”
Team Manager Gary Winfield: “Luck just doesn’t seem to be on our side at the moment and it’s incredibly frustrating. I feel like we’re working harder than we ever have in our BSB careers, but it’s just not coming easy for us.
“It’s evident that the Fireblade is a challenge in Superbike form at the moment, but we’re doing everything we can to get Fraser back towards the sharp end, and I’m confident it’ll happen soon.
“It’s a shame Charlie was forced to pull out of the weekend, but looking back it was the correct decision and, fingers crossed, he can be fully fit for Oulton Park.
“Matt once again rode really well, especially in Sunday’s second race after getting caught up in the Turn One incident. To come back to sixth from 14th was fantastic and it keeps his championship challenge alive.
“Jaimie has been dealt a rough hand this weekend. We’ve worked incredibly hard for him, but sometimes you get weekends like this and it’s all about moving forward in a positive manner. We’re all sticking together as a team and hopefully at Oulton Park we’ll be back at the sharp end.”
Fraser Rogers now sits 17th in the championship standings on 19 points, with Charlie Nesbitt 21st on eight. Matt Truelove remains fourth in the Superstock standings on 100 points, while Jaimie sits 27th on four. The team now has a 10-day break before heading to Oulton Park for round six of the series on July 31-August 2.
