Rapido Sport Racing’s Matteo Baiocco topped the MCE British Superbike timesheets this morning in wet conditions, and was able to improve on his time to go eighth fastest overall in the final free practice session of the day at Donington Park.

The Italian rider is familiar with the Leicestershire track and feels that he has already improved but even though he was quick in the rain he is hoping for dry conditions so he can go even faster for qualifying tomorrow.

“It is the first time in the season that I know the track and I can focus my mind solely on the bike and not have to learn every corner. But this morning was to check the bike but it was in strange conditions, this afternoon was not too bad,” said Baiocco, speaking to bikesportnews.com from the circuit.

“I did fifteen laps and I stopped with five minutes to go and changed just something small on the bike then I went out and finished in eighth. But I can improve lap by lap, but that is difficult in the rain.

“Our bike is really good in the wet, but I am hoping for dry conditions tomorrow as we need to be able to go faster and that is difficult in the rain. But we need to be quicker in the dry rather than the wet.”