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Donington BSB: Byrne tops FP1 as Irwin crashes out

Shane Byrne drew first blood as he topped the timesheets in first free practice as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship got underway at Donington Park this morning.

But the session was cut short as his Be Wiser Ducati team-mate Glenn Irwin crashed at Goddards with just over two minutes to go.

Irwin was attended to on track before being taken to the medical centre with a suspected concussion, as race chiefs halted proceedings and called time on the remainder of the session.

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After Friday’s heavy rain, conditions had improved somewhat this morning, and the big boys took to the track for their opening session in drizzle, with a track temperature of around 6.7degrees.

Defending champion Byrne stuck in a quick lap early in the session, deposing rookie Gino Rea who had made his presence known on the new OMG Racing Suzuki, before bettering it on his ninth lap with a time of 1'50.317.

And it was his former protégé Jake Dixon who finished second quickest, albeit almost one and a half seconds adrift of the six-time champ, aboard his RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki.

Kyle Ryde emerged the top rookie, as he shot to the sharp end of the timings aboard the CF Motorsport Yamaha early on, and managed to remain third until the end.

Josh Brookes brought his McAMS Yamaha over the line fourth quickest, ahead of Leon Haslam on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki.

Irwin’s best lap of 1:53.634 was the sixth quickest, as Rea was second best rookie, clocking the seventh quickest time.

Kuba Smrz had a solid start as he rode his Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad BMW to eighth, ahead of returnee Danny Buchan and Michael Laverty, who came out late in the session to finish 10th.

Smiths Racing rider Peter Hickman was an early crasher, as he tipped off at the Melbourne Hairpin 15minutes into the session, followed in the same spot moments later by roads man William Dunlop, out this weekend on the Temple Yamaha.

Newcomer Sylvain Barrier crashed out at the Esses with just over five minutes of the session to run, adding to the Smiths Racing repair bill, but walked away unhurt.

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