Gearlink Kawasaki’s newest recruit, James Westmoreland was the fastest rider during the opening MCE British Superbike free practice session in wet conditions at Brands Hatch.
The rider, who parted ways with his JG Speedfit Kawasaki team at Assen lapped a 1’41.009 and pipped Milwaukee Yamaha’s Jakub Smrz to the quickest rider accolade, just as the chequered flag appeared.
Westmoreland went three tenths faster than the Czech Republic racer after Smrz set a 1’41.354. Title fighters, Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes and PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne ended FP1 in P4 and P7 respectively, with the Australian lapping 0.7s quicker than his fellow championship challenger.
Team WD-40’s Jack Kennedy and Taylor Mackenzie rounded off the top ten, but the Dubliner crashed just as the chequered flag came down at Clark Curve but was unhurt. Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell completed the top three.
At first it was Waters who set the pace followed by Westmoreland and then Buchan who topped the sheets with ten minutes remaining. But Brookes bounced back and went P1 going two tenths quicker than the PBM Kawasaki’s substitute rider. But his Milwaukee team-mate, Smrz went one better on the R1 and lapped a 1’42.791 to go fastest in the rain, only for Westmoreland to go quicker again.
There were a few riders who succumbed to the wet track conditions. Showdown rider, Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot fell unhurt at Stirlings Bend, but will be ready for FP2. Bennetts Suzuki’s Christian Iddon crashed at Clearways with 20 minutes on the clock but was declared OK at the trackside.
Not all riders went out this morning, JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison sat out FP1. His team-mate, the newly crowned Motorpoint British Supersport champion, Luke Stapleford fell uninjured at the Cooper Straight.
