Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider Shane Byrne topped the final MCE British Superbike free practice session of the day at Brands Hatch Indy circuit today, with a time of 46.787. It took the reigning champ eleven laps to set the fastest lap time, in extremely Arctic conditions.
In the first session this morning only five riders made it out onto the track, many decided to stay in the warmth of their motor homes as the track proved too cold for the tyres. In the first practice session the track was a bitter 2.8 degrees Celsius.
But in the second session 24 riders made it out on to the tarmac. Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes and team-mate Ryuichi Kiyonari were battling it out throughout the free practice session, with each rider trying to out do the other in order to set the fastest lap time. Lowes eventually came out on top, just behind Byrne with a time of 46.873. Kiyonari finished the day in fourth.
Bathams Honda competitor Tommy Bridewell was one of a few riders who made it out for both practice sessions today, and had another solid day out on track. Bridewell was less than a second behind Lowes in the final practice this afternoon. His team mate Michael Rutter did not venture out on track for the practice laps.
The Milwaukee Yamaha team comprising Brit James Ellison and Australian Josh Waters braved the cold weather, and both riders took part in the two practice sessions at the Indy circuit. Englishman Ellison set a time of 47.325, and ended the day ten places above his team-mate on the timesheets. But the former Australian Superbike champion was a second faster than his English team-mate in the first session, when the weather conditions were a lot worse.
Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes did not take part in the first practice laps, but did make an impact on his bike in the later session. He finished the day just outside the top five on the timesheets with a time of 47.361.
Earlier, Two Wheel Racing’s Jenny Tinmouth was the first rider out during the first free practice session, and ended up being the fastest on her Honda, with a time of 59.109.
