McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran maintained control on Friday’s Bennetts British Superbike standings with a new lap record at Silverstone in FP2.
The Australian set another late stunner to take the session with a 53.107, just over two-tenths clear of the national circuit’s previous record. Rich Energy OMG’s Kyle Ryde and FS-3 Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson completed the top three with both Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes missing out on promotion to Q2.
Friday’s final action began with O’Halloran’s ’53.358 FP1 lap as its target time and the gateway to the Superpicks 12 just half a second back, as the 40 minute session fired up.
Rory Skinner set the fastest initial time of FP2 as the FS-3 Kawasaki rider put in a 53.4 in the opening minutes before OMG’s Bradley Ray bettered overall with a 53.215. Liam Delves suffering his second technical of the day on the Rapid Kawasaki, this time at Brooklands.
Honda’s Takumi Takahashi entered the top ten as the first half came to a close, Tommy Bridewell advancing to sixth on the Oxford Products Ducati, three-tenths off the benchmark time before improving again to take third.
VisionTrack Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam sat 17th at the midway point, seventh-tenths off the outright pace with Synetiq BMW’s Andrew Irwin and MCE Ducati’s Tom Sykes ahead. Ryde quickly taking second, 0.081s behind teammate Ray, to lock out the standings for OMG Yamaha.
Christian Iddon was the man on the move next time around as the Stockport rider continued to gel with the Buildbase Suzuki from fourth. Just a quarter of a second now covering the top seven, with nine-tenths down to Rapid Kawasaki’s Josh Owens in 24th.
FHO’s Peter Hickman sat as gatekeeper to the top 12 with 12 minutes to go. Ducati’s Josh Brookes and both Irwin brothers ahead, with Ryan Vickers on the second FHO BMW the first adrift in 13th.
Dan Linfoot advanced on the iForce BMW to sit eighth, dumping Hickman out of contention and Brookes into the danger zone but the Australian was quick to respond, his 53.528 placing him ninth as the clock hit five to go.
First Jackson then Ryde hit the top of the standings as the pair fine-tuned the overall pace. Ryde commanding the times in the closing minutes with a 53.147 before O’Halloran struck once again, 0.04s clear.
Improvement for Haslam found the returning champion up to 14th in the penultimate minute but it want enough. Late moves claiming seventh for Vickers with Brookes consolidating his hold on Q2 four places behind.
