Samsung Suzuki's John Hopkins has continues to head the British Superbike field at Silverstone this afternoon but the American is in serious pain with his injured right finger which, he says, is hurting him more than it was at Donington Park.
Hopkins is more than half a second faster than Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill, lapping at 2'06.152 with Hill on a 2'06.711 but Hopkins is in serious discomfort with the incision that was made to facilitate the latest fix.
"The problem is the massive incision and I'm having to contend with soft tissue trauma. That is where the pain comes from. The pain level is considerably higher than it was at Donington Park," said Hopkins, speaking bikesportnews.com this afternoon.
Swan Yamaha's Michael Laverty is in third place but three-quarters of a second off the pace while Hopkins team-mate Jon Kirkham is continuing his Donington Park form, taking fourth place with a 2'07.675. HM Plant HOnda's Shane Byrne is fifth.
Tyco Honda's Peter Hickman has bagged sixth place on the ex-works Honda while Graeme Gowland continues to impress on the WFR Evo-spec Fireblade posting the seventh fastest time ahead of the returning Michael Rutter on the Rapid Ducati.
Motorpoint Yamaha's Alex Lowes is ninth with Josh Brookes in tenth and one place ahead Ryuichi Kiyonari, his team-mate from last year. Martin Jessopp is in 12th, one place ahead of MSS Colchester Kawasaki's Ian Lowry while his team-mate Gary Mason is 14th and Chris Walker rounds out the top 15. Glen Richards is the second Evo runner in 16th overall with Barry Burrell third and Scott Smart fourth.
