The 2025 season marked the start of a new era for DAO Racing. An all-new rider line-up, combined with a change of manufacturer, would see the team head into the unknown.
Two-time British Superbike champion Josh Brookes and multiple race winner Lee Jackson were brought in to spearhead the team’s new look for the year ahead. The shared experience and successes between the two riders made them one of the more formidable rider lineups for the 2025 season.
The year got off to a strong start, with a brace of top tens for the team at the season opener at Oulton Park.
The second round of the season would prove to be one of the highlights of the 2025 campaign, as Josh Brookes would score a first-ever podium for the team in the opening race of the weekend. This result would be backed up by two further top-six finishes for the Australian. Despite a strong opening weekend of the year for Lee Jackson, fortune wouldn’t quite favour the #14 over the course of the second round.
The following rounds at Snetterton and Knockhill also provided strong results, with both Brookes and Jackson featuring within the top ten.
The fifth round of the season at Brands Hatch had been another impressive weekend for the team, with both riders once again well within the top ten. The final race, however, saw Lee Jackson suffer a huge crash coming out of Clearways – an incident that would go on to sideline Jackson for the next three rounds.
Thruxton, Cadwell Park, and Donington Park offered mixed fortunes for the team. Josh Brookes scored consistently for the team across the three rounds. The Australian also made a return to the top five in the final race of the weekend at Donington Park, finishing in fifth place.
With Jackson on the sidelines, the team would bring in Italian championship frontrunner Gabriele Giannini for Thruxton and Cadwell Park. British Supersport and Superstock race winner Joe Talbot filled in for Lee Jackson at Donington, scoring points on his Superbike debut.
After three rounds out of action, Lee Jackson made his return at the Dutch circuit of Assen. Despite a promising start to the weekend, the weather severely disrupted the team’s progress, so the result did not reflect the effort put in throughout the meeting.
A return to British soil brought an improvement in the team’s fortunes. Unlike the Assen round, the changeable weather conditions favoured the team at Oulton Park. Whilst most riders opted for either full wets or dry-weather tyres, Josh Brookes chose to run intermediate tyres. This decision would prove to be the right one, as Brookes would go on to deliver the team’s first British Superbike victory and his first in two years. Jackson also showed fantastic pace over the weekend, peaking with a fourth-place grid position in race two; however, luck didn’t quite allow his speed to translate into results.
The final round of the year was once again a solid points haul for the team, with Jackson featuring within the top ten positions. Brookes would also end the season with a brace of points finishes.
Overall, the 2025 season proved to be a very strong one for the DAO Racing team. From a first-ever podium to a first-ever race win, the team has made significant progress throughout the season. Despite both riders having differing fortunes throughout the year, Brookes and Jackson have laid a very strong foundation heading into 2026.
