Buildbase BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari topped the MCE British Superbike free practice timesheets for the first time this year and did it in emphatic style at Knockhill this morning.

The former triple champ powered through the rest of the field to stake his claim as the fastest rider with a 48.417, and was able to hold off the charges of Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne who had to settle for second quickest with a 48.422. His team-mate, local lad Stuart Easton, completed the top three with a 48.921.

At the start of the 45 minute session Kiyo was the first rider to edge ahead on the timesheets and on his seventh circulation of the Scottish circuit set a 48.713 after ten minutes out on track. But five minutes later the red flags were out as Tsingtao’s new rider, Harry Hartley crashed unhurt at Clark, and the session was stopped while debris from the incident was cleared off the track.

The Japanese rider kept on improving on his lap times to retain his place at the top of the timing-screens and went three tenths quicker to widen the gap between him and Byrne, who was still second quickest after 20 minutes of lappery, and that is how it finished when the chequered flag appeared.

Local boy, Easton was hovering around the top five for the majority of the outing, but a 48.921 was enough to place him third, on the ten minute mark. Tyco Suzuki's John Hopkins was not missing out on his chance to make an impact and quickly followed suit, but was one tenth too slow and slotted into fourth on the timesheets with eight minutes of track time remaining.

But Milwaukee Yamaha's Tommy Bridewell went one-one thousandths of a second quicker than the American rider to narrowly edge into fourth, pushing Hopkins down to fifth. Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes, Bathams Michael Rutter, Buildbase BMW’s James Westmoreland and Quattro Plant’s Dan Linfoot rounded off the top ten.

GBmoto Kawasaki’s Chris Walker had an off at McIntyre with 30 seconds remaining, but was declared OK at the trackside, and ended the first session in ninth. Peter Hickman is back in the BSB fold after signing for RAF Reserves Honda team, taking the seat of the late Simon Andrews.

In the last round the TT debutant was riding on the Tsingtao bike in place of Jon Kirkham, but will ride the Honda for the rest of the year, and he ended the morning in 20th. Meanwhile Kirkham on his new Halsall bike finished 25th on the timesheets.

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