British Superbike front runner John Hopkins has stunned the World Superbike paddock here at Silverstone by setting the pace in the opening free practice session this morning but he was chased all the way by Alitalia Aprilia's Leon Camier while James Toseland put in an equally amazing time for fourth.
Hopkins, on the Samsung Suzuki, put in a time of 2'06.667 with only a few minutes left to go which was enough to demote Camier. The lanky Kent youngster had been leading by a couple of tenths until the former MotoGP rider went ahead. Liberty Ducati's Jakub Smrz looked threatening but had to settle for third place.
Toseland briefly led the session early on but found some extra pace as the clock ticked down, to bag fourth on a 2'06.986 while Carlos Checa, who was expected to struggle for outright speed on the Althea Ducati, came in fifth just fractions ahead of the returning Troy Corser, who beat team-mate Leon Haslam to sixth place with his last lap.
Haslam had been in the top-five mix but slipped down the order. He is only four-tenths off the pace and able to stay ahead of Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio who, in turn, is only 0.062 in front of the PBM Kawasaki of Tom Sykes in ninth. Sylvain Guintoli rounds out the top ten.
Castrol Honda stand-in Alex Lowes walked away from a crash after setting the second quickest time early on. He ended in 12th place, one ahead of Eugene Laverty in 12th. Team-mate Marco Melandri is in 14th. Max Biaggi had a shocker down in 16th while second wildcard Jon Kirkham is in 18th.
