Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty was up the sharp end during the MCE British Superbike second free practice session at the Brands Hatch GP circuit, which resulted in the Northern Irishman going 0.057s faster than PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne to top the combined sheets this afternoon.
Laverty came out of the starting blocks all guns blazing and continued to better his lap times while retaining his place at the top of the timing screens.
At first it was Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes who threw down the gauntlet to his fellow title rivals with a 1’26.337 after only a handful of laps out on the GP circuit, bettering his best time from FP1 by 0.05s.
But no sooner had Brookes set his best lap, Laverty went one better and a 1’26.331was enough to place him P1 on the sheets with 25 minutes of the session remaining.
With five minutes left to FP2, Laverty edged out even more from his S1000RR, and lapped a 1’26.109. At the flag Byrne and Brookes had to settle for second and third fastest, with a 1’29.166 and 1’26.232 respectively.
With his super quick time from the opening free practice outing, Anvil Hire TAG Racing’s Richard Cooper retained his place as fourth overall, with Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell jumping from eleventh to fifth, after a 1’26.543 rotation. JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison put down a 1’26.566 on a hot lap to place him sixth quickest overall on his ZX-10R.
Moto Rapido Ducati’s substitute rider John Hopkins made his return to the championship, standing in for the injured, former World Superbike rider, Jakub Smrz. The American bettered his FP1 time this afternoon and managed to finish the day a respectable seventh on the timing-screens.
Riders Motorcycles BMW’s Martin Jessopp had the pace to consistently place his machine inside the top ten times, throughout the 45 minute session. The Yeovil native ended FP2 eighth in the combined sheets with a time that was only four tenths off Laverty’s and Byrne’s.
There were some fallers out on the GP circuit including Honda Racing’s Jason O’Halloran who crashed unhurt at Druids, while seventh fastest on the combined sheets. But when the chequered flag appeared he slipped down to tenth, just behind JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Westmoreland.
But the Aussie was not the only Honda rider to take a tumble in the kitty litter - Jenny Tinmouth also fell, but at Paddock Hill and was declared OK at the trackside.
