Editorial Note: American Julian Correa was fifth-fastest during British Talent Cup (BTC) testing at Snetterton. Scroll down to see the BTC test results.
BSB Overall Combined Lap Times
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Racing Vision:
O’Halloran ups the pace at Snetterton to edge out Sykes at opening Official Test
Jason O’Halloran held off his Bennetts British Superbike Championship rivals to top the opening R&G Official Test of the 2022 season.
The McAMS Yamaha rider continued to build momentum at Snetterton, setting a pace 0.004s faster than his best time yesterday to maintain the leading position on the timesheets, narrowly ahead of returning star Tom Sykes on the final day.
The opening action of the new season began with an intense pace at the top as the leading six riders ended the test inside the existing lap record. O’Halloran’s benchmark lap from the final session was an impressive 0.572s under the existing record, with five manufacturers featuring inside the top ten.
O’Halloran said: “First test of the year done and it’s been a really good few days for us, the weather has been perfect so we’ve had loads of track time. I’ve tried so many different versions of the bike here, at least one maybe two per session which is perfect for information and data.
“To go fast at the end is good, I made quite a big mistake on the fast lap too, but more importantly testing is to gain information and feeling and I am very happy with what we have achieved. The whole team have done a great job and I’m looking forward to the next test.”
Sykes rapidly adapted to the MCE Ducati on his first visit to the Snetterton 300 layout, as the former World Superbike Champion ended his debut test with the team just 0.072s adrift of the leading time.
Bradley Ray saved his best until the final session of the three-day test as he continues his preparations for the new season after a change in manufacturer and he fired the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha into third place.
Double champion Josh Brookes was back at the sharp end, holding fourth place as he lapped under the circuit record on his return to the circuit and just 0.115s adrift on the timesheets. The MCE Ducati team opted to sit out the final session of the weekend with both riders inside the top four, as they bid for a ninth Championship title.
FS-3 Racing Kawasaki’s Rory Skinner had topped the penultimate session of the weekend as he set his personal best lap at the Norfolk circuit. The Scot couldn’t quite better his time in the final run of the day, but completed the top five ahead of next week’s R&G Official Test at Donington Park.
Danny Buchan was sixth fastest for the SYNETIQ BMW team; he had been the pace-setter during the early stages of the Official Test, with his best lap coming from the opening day of action.
Defending Champion Tarran Mackenzie was back in action running the number one plate for the first time in 2022, and on his return from a pre-season training injury. He set the seventh fastest time, just 0.013s adrift of the existing lap record for McAMS Yamaha.
Peter Hickman was the leading FHO Racing BMW rider in eighth place as he held off Buildbase Suzuki’s Danny Kent. Tommy Bridewell completed the top ten for the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team.
As the times began to tumble just 0.995s covered the top 15 riders with Andrew Irwin, Lee Jackson and Kyle Ryde just edged outside the top ten. 2018 Champion Leon Haslam ended the test 17th fastest as he continued to work with his new VisionTrack Kawasaki team.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, R&G Official Test, Snetterton, combined session result:
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 1m:46.571s
Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +0.072s
Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.098s
Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +0.115s
Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.164s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.540s
Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.585s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.743s
Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.746s
Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.821s
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
BTC Overall Combined Lap Times
More, from a press release issued by PBM Ducati:
Sykes And Brookes On Record Pace At Snetterton Test
The MCE Ducati British Superbike Championship Team successfully concluded the three-day official test in great conditions at Snetterton with 2022 riders Tom Sykes and Josh Brookes both inside the top four and bettering the existing lap record.
Yorkshireman Sykes, who won the World Superbike Championship in 2013, was making his debut at the Norfolk track’s 300 configuration and gradually upped the pace for Paul Bird’s Penrith-based team to record his best time on Saturday afternoon with a 1:46.643, over half a second inside Shane Byrne’s five-year-old lap record set on a PBM Ducati.
Double BSB champion Brookes was also on lap record pace, topping the second session on Saturday with a best lap of 1:46.686 on the factory-supported MCE Ducati V4R, to put the Australian in fourth overall at the conclusion of today’s sessions, two of which both PBM riders sat out.
Tom Sykes: “Day three at Snetterton saw the weather start out a bit tricky so we missed the first session this morning, but we’d only planned on doing one anyway today. We used it just to try a few things and understand the package a little bit more, but overall, it has been a really positive three-day test. We got lucky with the weather, everything seems to have gone to plan, and now I understand quite a lot more. Now we need to look where we need to improve and keep working. We have the next test at Donington Park on Thursday but looking at the forecast it doesn’t look like we are going to get as many blessings there, but the season is getting closer and after these three days I definitely feel more prepared. The main thing was to get an understanding on where we need to improve. The Ducati has a lot of strong areas and I know there are areas also to work on and so it has been a positive start at this test in that respect.”
Josh Brookes: “We’ve had a great test at Snetterton, the weather has been unbelievable for the time of year, and we’ve managed to work through some key points. Today was critical to finish the circle of changes. The session we did wasn’t particularly important for the lap time that we could achieve, but more the feeling that I was getting from the bike. Yesterday’s bike I was happy with, we were under the lap record, and I was able to do competitive times, today’s bike was more difficult to ride, so that gives everyone in the team a clear direction of which way to go, and I think moving forward now we can make some good progress. A big thanks to the team and my crew who put a big shift in this weekend, and we are looking forward to seeing what Donington brings us next week.”
John Mowatt, Team Co-Ordinator: “We have had a solid test at Snetterton, and the team and riders have made excellent progress. We had everything dialled in by Saturday evening, but we just wanted to try one more thing which we did today in the one session we competed in. We have a good direction and it’s great to see both riders with smiles on their faces. Josh has some good chassis and engine settings he’s happy with and it’s as if Tom has never been away from the team. He has slotted right in and when you consider it’s his first time on the new track at Snetterton on a bike with different electronics to what he’s used to, he’s done a fantastic job. We will see what the weather is like for Donington on Thursday and hope we can get some more positive testing in there.”
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, R&G Official Test, Snetterton, combined session result:
1. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 1m:46.571s
2. Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +0.072s
3. Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.098s
4. Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +0.115s
5. Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.164s
6. Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.540s
7. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.585s
8. Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.743s
9. Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.746s
10. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.821s
The opening round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship takes place at Silverstone over the Easter weekend of 15/17 April.
Further details can be found at the 2022 Paul Bird Motorsport website coming soon – check out www.pbmuk.net and for information on the championship. Please visit www.britishsuperbike.com.
