TOMMY Bridewell was in outstanding form at the eighth round of the British Motorcycle Championship held for the first time at Mondello Park in Ireland, some 35 miles south of Dublin, at the weekend.

Fourteen-year-old schoolboy and ACU academy rider Tommy, who rides for 'Team UK Racing' the Malvern-based motorcycle road racing team, is looked after by Malvern enthusiast and ex-racer Nick Carpenter with help from former 250cc racer Rob Shuker from Worcester.

Tommy ended Friday's practise session in unofficial pole position and already under the existing lap record. Then he qualified pole in the first qualifying session on Saturday morning 0.8 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

But during the much quicker afternoon session Tommy dropped to second on the grid being pipped by John Pearson by a mere 0.07 seconds, these two being nearly one second faster than their closest rivals.

Tommy, the youngest rider competing in the 125cc championship, held as the support race to all the British Superbikes races, made a brilliant start and was leading at the end of lap one of the 14 lap race over this tight 2.3 mile circuit.

Tommy and John Pearson were never separated by more than 0.5 seconds throughout the race. Pearson pressurised Tommy at every corner but could not take the lead. Tommy led from start to finish giving the largest crowd ever seen at Mondello a brilliant race spectacle.

Into the last lap Tommy pulled 0.5 seconds away and over the line he had extended this to 1.094 seconds from Pearson with Red Bulls Midge Smart third, some 12 seconds adrift.

This result lifts Tommy to second in the Championship and now within ten points of leader Mick Wilcox, who crashed out of third position on the last lap.

Tommy was also credited with the fastest lap and a new 125cc circuit record.

The race was shown live both on TV in Ireland and also throughout the UK on Sky Sports One. Although a little embarrassed at all the attention received after his first win at this level he gave two superb interviews over the two television channels on the rostrum.

The team have a two week break before the ninth round at Oulton Park in Cheshire.