Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill has set the fastest lap in this morning's third and final British Superbike free practice session at Cadwell Park this morning and was almost half a second faster than the pack until Shane Byrne halved the deficit late on before being usurped by Michael Laverty.
Hill's 1'27.686 is a second slower than Leon Haslam's four-year-old lap record but that could go this afternoon in qualifying. His Swan Yamaha team-mate is on a 1'27.838 which was only 0.05s faster than Byrne's best on the HM Plant Honda.
Early leader Josh Brookes found himself bumped down to fourth place and was only just shy of breaking the 1'28s barrier. Peter Hickman, on the Tyco Honda, went quickest in sector one on his last lap but he had to settle for fifth at the line.
Rapid Ducati's Martin Jessopp was something of a surprise in sixth place and only nine-tenths in arrears while Graeme Gowland, on the Evo-spec WFR Fireblade was seventh. The lone Samsung Suzuki of Jon Kirkham finished in eighth with Michael Rutter and Chris Walker, who have been stuck together in every session, round out the top ten.
Motorpoint Yamaha's Tommy Bridewell has found some pace overnight to finish in 11th just ahead of the second Evo rider Glen Richards in 12th place. Alex Lowes, James Ellison and Ryuichi Kiyonari complete the top 15 while Karl Harris just stayed ahead of Scott Smart for the third Evo spot.
