MCE British Superbike Championship

Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, England

April 17, 2015

Free Practice Two Results (all on Pirelli tires):

1. James Ellison, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 45.700 seconds

2. Ryuichi Kiyonari, Japan (BMW S1000RR), 45.724

3. Josh Brookes, Australia (Yam YZF-R1), 45.829

4. Danny Buchan, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 45.918

5. Shane Byrne, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 45.920

6. Stuart Easton, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 45.981

7. Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic (Duc Panigale R), 46.098

8. Billy McConnell, Australia (BMW S1000RR), 46.152

9. Tommy Bridewell, UK (BMW S1000RR), 46.159

10. Richard Cooper, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 46.191

11. Robbin Harms, Denmark (BMW S1000RR), 46.232

12. Christian Iddon, UK (Suz GSX-R1000), 46.245

13. Jason O’Halloran, Australia (Hon CBR1000RR SP), 46.314

14. Chris Walker, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 46.349

15. Martin Jessopp, UK (BMW S1000RR), 46.408

16. Howie Mainwaring Smart, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 46.416

17. Filip Backlund, Sweden (Kaw ZX-10R), 46.432

18. Peter Hickman, UK (BMW S1000RR), 46.458

19. Josh Waters, Australia (Suz GSX-R1000), 46.488

20. James Westmoreland, UK (Kaw ZX-10R), 46.519

American James Rispoli was eighth-fastest in British Supersport Free Practice Two with a 47.142-second lap on his Team Traction Control Yamaha YZF-R6.

More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision:

Ellison edges out Kiyonari as 25 riders covered by 0.9s at Brands Hatch

Free practice one:

1: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) 46.113s

2: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +0.027s

3: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.199s

4: Danny Buchan (Be Wiser Kawasaki) +0.211s

5: Jakub Smrz (Lloyds British Ducati) +0.291s

6: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.305s

Free practice two:

1: James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 45.700s

2: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Buildbase BMW) +0.024s

3: Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) +0.129s

4: Danny Buchan (Be Wiser Kawasaki) +0.218s

5: Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +0.220s

6: Stuart Easton (PBM Kawasaki) +0.281s

Report

James Ellison edged out triple champion Ryuichi Kiyonari in the opening MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship free practice sessions at the second round of the season at Brands Hatch.

The top 25 riders were separated by just 0.9s around the 1.2-mile Indy circuit but JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Ellison, who was victorious in the opening race of the season at Donington Park, closed in on the lap record with a best time of 45.700s to set the pace.

Ellison had Kiyonari to contend with and the triple champion closed to within 0.024s of him, while Josh Brookes was gathering momentum on the Milwaukee Yamaha to claim the third place position.

Danny Buchan, the reigning Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Champion, is ready to cause an upset on his second appearance with the Be Wiser Kawasaki team. The 21-year-old Essex rider set the fourth fastest time, ahead of the current series leader and record four time champion Shane “Shakey” Byrne.

The PBM Kawasaki rider had topped the session in the early stages, but slipped back to fifth, 0.220s adrift, just ahead of his team-mate Stuart Easton. Jakub Smrz, on the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati, Billy McConnell aboard the Smiths BMW together with Tyco BMW’s Tommy Bridewell and Richard Cooper on the Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki complete the top ten fastest.

Dan Linfoot, who arrived at round two holding second in the title stakes for Honda Racing, is sidelined from this weekend’s races after breaking his right wrist in a crash during this morning’s free practice session.

James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki)

P1: 45.700s

“It definitely feels good to end the first day fastest. We were so close to Kiyo in qualifying at Donington and now it has been reversed. It has been dead close but we got the better of him this time. I know it is only free practice but it is nice to be at the front on a Friday and just make small tweaks.

“Kiyo did something like a 28 lap run and we kept coming in and out of the garage to solve a problem, but the runs we did were consistently quick and we did the time on used tyres so there is more to come. Tomorrow we will do long runs to test our pace over a longer distance but I am happy after day one.”

More, from a press release issued by Milwaukee Yamaha:

Brookes third after opening free practice sessions at Brands Hatch

The Milwaukee Yamaha team have got the second round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship underway at Brands Hatch today (Friday) with Josh Brookes and Broc Parkes ending the opening sessions in third and 23rd respectively.

Brookes was carving his way up the order and making progress as the team continued their development work with the new YZF-R1, moving to within 0.129s of the fastest lap of James Ellison who set the pace.

The top 25 riders were covered by less than a second and as Parkes made his debut on the Indy circuit, the Australian had to settle for 23rd position today, 0.904s adrift of the fastest time.

Josh Brookes

“This morning was more or less back to our base setting and then try and progress. Fortunately some of the things we’ve tried today with the changes and the direction we’ve made worked. They weren’t working at Donington, but knowing more about the bike and studying it a bit better has given us some more direction.

“We’re kind of like using a see-saw, you’ve got to rise one side before the other side can go otherwise the stuff will fall off the ends, so that’s what we’ve sort of done. Just a little step back, front, back, front, and got the bike improved, and generally we’re closer to the front now and more consistent.

“The bike’s lost a little bit of grip as a result, but I think if we can recover a little bit of grip, like back to where we were before and maintain the bike set-up that we’ve got it will be a competitive package. We’re in the ballpark for sure, but we still – of course for me I want more – but the mechanics can still a bit more out of it.”

Broc Parkes

“I’m struggling a bit at the last corner, but as I haven’t raced on the Indy circuit it is something I’ve not done before. That section is so important as basically it is the last split and the first split and I’m down so much on them but I’m OK on the middle part of the track, which I know, I’m not to bad there. I can see on the data where I am struggling and will see if I can change my lines tomorrow and be quicker out of there and hopefully be stronger.”