Buildbase BMW’s Ryuichi Kiyonari topped the MCE British Superbike timesheets for the second time today, despite crashing out early in the FP2 session at Donington Park. The triple-champ did manage to make it back out on track with one minute remaining, but even with his long absence from the circuit activities no other rider was able to go faster than his best time of a 1’30.106.
Kiyonari was only half a tenth off lap record pace, and bettered his time from the earlier session by 0.2 seconds. PBM Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne was on the pace for the majority of the 45 minute free practice, and was the only rider to really challenge Kiyo’s quick times. In the end the reigning champ was a miniscule 0.01 seconds off the best time set by Kiyo, and at the flag lapped a 1’30.116.
JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Ellison left it quite late in the session to make an impact on the sheets, but whatever his team did, it worked as he soared in to the low 1’30’s to place him third fastest, and was a mere 0.08 seconds off the best time of the day. Smiths Racing BMW’s Billy McConnell came out of nowhere to propel his machine into the top four, followed closely by Halsall Suzuki’s Christian Iddon. The Stockport rider is recovering from a sickness bug, but that did not deter him from getting into the 1’30’s and ended the cold afternoon with a 1’30.543.
Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes was three tenths slower than his best lap he set in FP1 and ended the afternoon in sixth, with Easton, Mainwaring, Westmoreland and Milwaukee Yamaha newbie Broc Parkes rounding up the top ten. Initially in the outing, after thirteen laps Kiyo placed his BMW firmly at the top of the free practice timesheets after his quickest time of a 1’30.106 – but two laps later the triple-champ fell at Coppice.
He was in the garage for over twenty minutes while his team hurried to get his bike back on track, and with one minute remaining to FP2 the BMW made it back out. Be Wiser Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan was hoping to replicate his fast pace from the earlier free practice outing, but he crashed unhurt at Coppice, after only ten minutes out on track. But a mere few minutes after Buchan bucked out, Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell fell at Redgate and was declared OK at the trackside.
Moto Rapido Ducati’s Jakub Smrz only managed to make it out for one lap. His team were in a race against time to get his Panigale ready for the second session after an earlier free practice crash, but even though the former World Superbike contender made it out on track a broken connector meant that he only completed an out-lap and had to retire back to his garage.
