Rain Reigns at Cadwell Park as Vickers Tops BSB Practice

The 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship roared into Cadwell Park for Round 8 under challenging conditions. Following Friday evening’s official test session held in dry weather, Saturday brought a dramatic shift with heavy rain intermittently lashing the Lincolnshire circuit throughout the day.

Ryan Vickers, aboard the OMG GRILLA Yamaha, demonstrated his prowess in both dry and wet conditions. After setting the pace in Friday’s test with a blistering lap of 1:25.914, Vickers continued his form into Saturday’s rain-soaked free practice sessions. The young Brit topped the combined practice times with a 1:37.026, showcasing his adaptability to the treacherous conditions.

Lee Jackson, riding for MasterMac Honda, proved to be Vickers’ closest challenger in the wet. Jackson’s time of 1:37.646 put him second overall, just 0.620 seconds off the pace. Tommy Bridewell, representing Honda Racing UK, rounded out the top three with a 1:37.680, a mere 0.034 seconds behind Jackson.

Here are the top 10 combined times from Saturday’s practice sessions:

1. Ryan Vickers (Yamaha – OMG GRILLA) – 1:37.026
2. Lee Jackson (Honda – MasterMac) – 1:37.646
3. Tommy Bridewell (Honda – Honda Racing UK) – 1:37.680
4. Danny Buchan (Kawasaki – DAO Racing) – 1:37.818
5. Jason O’Halloran (Kawasaki – Completely Motorbikes) – 1:38.093
6. Andrew Irwin (Honda – Honda Racing UK) – 1:38.199
7. Kyle Ryde (Yamaha – OMG GRILLA) – 1:38.231
8. Christian Iddon (Ducati – Oxford Products Racing) – 1:38.280
9. Charlie Nesbitt (Honda – MasterMac) – 1:38.514
10. Storm Stacey (Kawasaki – LKQ Euro Car Parts) – 1:38.565

Notable performances came from Danny Buchan on the DAO Racing Kawasaki and Jason O’Halloran on the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki, finishing fourth and fifth respectively in the combined standings.

The changing conditions from Friday’s test to Saturday’s wet practices have set the stage for an unpredictable qualifying session and races. With more rain forecasted, riders and teams will be working overtime to fine-tune their wet weather setups.

As the BSB paddock looks ahead to Sunday’s action, all eyes will be on the sky, with weather conditions likely to play a crucial role in determining the outcome of Round 8 at the iconic Cadwell Park circuit.