Results

Snetterton official test, combined times:

Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 1m:46.861s

Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +0.562s

James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.580s

Jakub Smrz (Moto Rapido Ducati) +0.644s

Broc Parkes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +1.115s

Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) +1.174s

Report

Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes proved he still had more in reserve for the final day of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship official test at Snetterton; obliterating the existing lap record to set the fastest ever lap of the 300 circuit – 1m:46.861s.

Brookes had set the fastest recorded time earlier in the day, but in the afternoon with some final changes to his Milwaukee Yamaha, the Australian continued to up the ante. As the last ten minutes of the final session counted down he again slashed more time off his lap, edging out his rivals to set a time 0.590s faster than the previous fastest lap of the circuit set by John Hopkins during qualifying in 2011.

Brookes had only briefly been moved from the top spot during the final session when James Ellison had a moment at the top of the times during the last 20 minutes, but it was a short spell as his Milwaukee Yamaha rival moved back ahead just a handful of laps later.

Championship leader Ellison and defending champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne were then wrestling for second place in the final session with the pair trading the position several times in the closing minutes as they bid for their best lap time of the test. Byrne eventually held the advantage over the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider, but only by 0.018s at the chequered flag.

Jakub Smrz was another rider to improve his time and the Moto Rapido Ducati rider closed down the leading trio in the final minutes as the pace intensified. The final session also saw the second Milwaukee Yamaha of Broc Parkes take a leap up the timesheets as the Australian contender held fifth place ahead of fellow countryman Jason O’Halloran for Honda Racing.

Chris Walker was seventh fastest for the Be Wiser Kawasaki team as the ‘Stalker’ set his best lap of the test to move back ahead of Stuart Easton on the second of the PBM Kawasakis. Danny Buchan on the Be Wiser Kawasaki and Christian Iddon completed the top ten for Bennetts Suzuki.

The next round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Snetterton in Norfolk on 19/20/21 June.

Josh Brookes

“Yesterday was smoother than today as we were doing straightforward changes, apart from the new tank. Today we have been making changes to experiment with a few things, so it wasn’t so straight forward for me and I was just a bit like a test pilot. As it turns out by what we testing here we were able to put a few little pieces together that were better than what we had previously, so when we went out on new tyres the bike had improved on what we had yesterday, so we could do a better lap time and make it into the 1m:46s.

“I did a small run of five or six laps in the final session and they were all really fast and positive so that is good. We are pleased – it has been a perfect test in terms of what we have tested, the lap times, the tyre wear, the conditions. I even had my first crash of the season, although it was a tiny little slip off at the hairpin to get that out of the way! It was a really valuable test for us as a team so we are ready for the next round.”