Tyco Suzuki’s Josh Brookes topped the MCE British Superbike opening free practice session at a wet Silverstone circuit. The Aussie was the only rider who lapped inside the 2’25 bracket, and kept improving on his times to end the morning with a 2’25.509.
In the dying minutes of the session it was the battle of the former team-mates for the provisional second spot on the grid, and that was between Milwaukee Yamaha’s James Ellison and Halsall Racing newbie Josh Waters.
With one minute to go it was Ellison who was faster than the Australian, but then almost immediately Waters went even quicker, only for the Cumbrian father-to-be to push Waters down to third with a 2’26.166, eight tenths of a second faster than his former Milwaukee garage partner.
Padgett’s rider Jakub Smrz did top the time-sheets at one point during the session, but slipped back down to fourth, followed by Brookes’ diminutive team-mate PJ Jacobsen. The American rounded off the top five quickest times with a 2’27.484 lap.
Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne only decided to make it out of his garage with less than ten minutes of lap time left. The triple champ did manage to make an impact and even though he only competed a handful of laps still finished sixth fastest with a 2’17.473, with GBmoto’s Dan Linfoot and Rapido Sport Racing’s Matteo Baiocco less than a second behind.
Title challenger Ryuichi Kiyonari was missing from the morning’s festivities, as he is recovering from a shoulder injury after crashing during a motocross session. His replacement Freddy Foray finished in thirteenth. His temporary team-mate, Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes did not venture out for the opening free practice session.
PR Racing’s Karl Harris was one of the first rider’s out on the wet circuit, but he only lasted ten minutes out on track as he ended up crashing at Copse, but was unhurt and managed to get back on his bike to complete a further five laps to end the session ninth fastest, just in front of Milwaukee Yamaha’s Tommy Bridewell, who rounded off the top ten with a 2’30.378.
