No.7: What’s Next Doc?
- Richard Dawson
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Welcome back to the return of the Ridebyshots.com Blog. As a busy race season ends we catch up with Scottish rider Lennon Docherty to look over his year, career so far and plans for 2026.
So let's rewind to the start of the season and Lennon announced that he would be running in the Pirelli National Sportbike Championship on an Aprilia RS 660. It was going to be a family affair with Lennon, his Dad and friends making the race weekends happen.
It’s been a year of progress for Lennon, with a ninth place finish at Knockhill being the highlight of the first half of the season. A DNF at Thruxton in August after a false neutral and a collision with Harley McCabe led to changes for the next Round at Cadwell Park. Lennon joined the Rapid Honda Team, becoming Harley’s teammate - an extended family team for the remainder of 2025!
Lennon’s form and results improved from there until the end of the season. The best example of this was the final race of the year at Brands Hatch, when Lennon was on course for a sixth place finish until he was unfortunately caught up in another rider’s crash and suffered a couple of fractures and a concussion to end the season.
Hey Doc, We better back up.
Let’s rewind to 2014 and have a look at the early days of “The Doc’s” racing. “My Racing career started at the age of seven” - Lennon raced in the Scottish Minimoto Championship onboard a Polini Minimoto. He’d been to an Alan McIntosh open day at Kartstart in Kirkcaldy. A letter then arrived from Alan to say that Lennon had won a bike and a career was kickstarted from there. Many race wins, podiums and Championship wins followed over a four year period in Minimotos before the step up to big bikes for 2020.
Great Scott!
Two things happened in July 2020, The Government announced the Eat Out To Help Out scheme during the Pandemic and Lennon got his Race License with Bemsee at Brands Hatch.
I’m pleased to say that Lennon’s career has been more successful than the Government’s plan.
Progress was rapid, after getting his race license and racing with Bemsee, Lennon made his debut at Knockhill.
Onto 2021 and Lennon took second place in the Kawasaki Junior Cup Championship and was awarded the Minnie Grenfell Trophy as the best young rider. Previous winners include Cal Crutchlow, the late Owen Jenner and Lennon’s fellow Scotsman Callum Grigor.
Another Championship win was secured in 2022 - The ACU Team Green Junior Cup. This came in the year when Lennon made the step up to British Championship level. Two Wildcards for Symcirrus Motorsport at Silverstone and Oulton Park.
A full time step up to British Junior Supersport followed in 2023 and after testing in Spain, Lennon proved he was more than capable at this level, a podium at Donington Park was followed by a career highlight, winning four races in a row, The Double at Knockhill and again as World Superbike support back at Donington Park, “ That is a feeling that will stick with me forever” Lennon said. It’s no surprise that he lists Donington Park as one of his favourite circuits.
The chance of another championship victory was well within Lennon’s grasp when a crash in qualifying at the penultimate round at Oulton Park resulted in injury - a knee broken in two places - that ended the weekend. A brave attempt to ride through the pain at the season finale wasn’t enough and the No.1 Plate went to Finn Smart-Weeden.
A new year and a new class for 2024, The inaugural season of the Pirelli National Sportbike Championship onboard a Symcirrus Kawasaki 650. The bike wasn’t ready for Round 1 of the year and Lennon started the season in the Kawasaki British Superteen Championship at Oulton Park.
The bike was ready for Round 2 but a blown engine was just one part of a very challenging year, a top ten finish at Knockhill being the best of the results. It should be noted that Sportbike was a new and highly competitive championship and bike balancing rules across the manufacturers meant everyone was learning and adapting through the season.
Back To The Future
I caught up with Lennon last week and asked him who the biggest influences on his career have been? “My parents, they’re the ones who are always pushing me to be better and they stick by me every step of the way,” said Lennon, adding that they work “endless hours” to get him on the grid each weekend.
His biggest influence in terms of riding is six time World Champion Jonathon Rea. An excellent choice I’d say. It would be brilliant to see Lennon winning titles onboard a Kawasaki ZX10RR in the future but for now what are the plans for 2026? “For the 2026 British Sportbike Championship I will be riding my Aprilia RS 660 again and I’m really looking forward to making an official announcement when I’m in a position to give more details”
Roll on 2026 and a special mention to all of Lennon’s sponsors:
Ringtone Race painter
M.R Coachworks
Zanfab Welding & Fabrications
Alan Bennie Motor Engineers
Bob Grant Racing
Doc Auto Services
Doc Fit
LCOM Gas & Heating Services
Fife Commercial Flooring
DRC Race Leathers
And Lennon wanted to say a special Thank you to the following people who are a vital part of his success.
"The Boy" Rory Skinner
Tony Czyzewski
Zander Lee
David and Pauline Wilson
Wilz and Tricia Cairns
and last but certainly not least every single member of the Rapid Honda by Marvel HCL Motorsport Team.
Thanks also to the members of Club 60, There are still a few places left for 2026 if you’d like to help out the Team. Contact Lennon through his socials.
A big thank you to Lennon from me for taking the time to answer my questions and for his support of my photography over the last few seasons. I wish him all the best for a long and successful racing career and a brilliant 2026.
Thank you for reading, please feel free to comment and share.
Richard
November 2025
All Photographs by Ridebyshots.com
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