Tyco Suzuki rider Josh Brookes set the third fastest time in the MCE British Superbike second free practice session at Oulton Park yesterday, and will be hoping to do one better during the final practice and ultimately qualifying this afternoon.

The Aussie racer is a fan of the Cheshire track, but a change in suspension this year has dented the rider’s confidence. Brookes was on the pace yesterday and was marginally behind Samsung Honda’s Alex Lowes and Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki’s Shane Byrne, and the rider is hoping to put that right today.

“I am looking towards the bike at the moment, I feel really confident on the track because I know it really well, and I feel that I have got a good idea of how to go quicker, it is just that I am trying to improve the bike a bit. The change of suspension this year has taken a bit of time to get a perfect set-up,” said Brookes, speaking to bikesportnews.com at the circuit.

“We are very close as the times are not very far apart, it is just a small bit there to just get that last couple of percent out of myself and the bike, and I think that will come with a bit more confidence in the suspension set up.

“The Oulton Park track is very hard on the body, and it is very technical as well, as it is one of the more difficult circuits to learn especially for a new rider coming. The sections take quite a long time to learn to take it just right to get the best lap time.”