Vickers storms ahead by just 0.081s to lead opening action at Brands Hatch

Ryan Vickers surged to the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship Free Practice times at Brands Hatch this afternoon, with the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rider setting the benchmark lap on combined times in the final three minutes of the session.

Tommy Bridewell had been the target earlier in the session, but the final five minutes of the second Free Practice became an intense dash to the finish, with Josh Brookes first moving ahead before Danny Kent subsequently displaced him.

The session would still feature a shake up and Vickers moved to the top of the times with three minutes remaining as Bridewell launched into second on the BeerMonster Ducati, missing out on the top spot by just 0.081s at the chequered flag.

Jason O’Halloran had elevated himself up to third in the closing minutes, the McAMS Yamaha rider edging ahead of Kent, who in turn was just 0.003s ahead of Brookes at the end of the session, making it four manufacturers inside the top five.

Lee Jackson held sixth position on the leading Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki, holding off Christian Iddon and the returning Danny Buchan in eighth place. Peter Hickman and Leon Haslam completed the top ten, with Glenn Irwin and Kyle Ryde making the final cut of riders automatically progressing into tomorrow’s Omologato Superpole start list.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, combined Free Practice result:

1. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 1m25.138s
2. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.081s
3. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.098s
4. Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) +0.113s
5. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +0.116s
6. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +0.293s
7. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.381s
8. Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad) +0.414s
9. Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +0.460s
10. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +0.494s
11. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.509s
12. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.665s

Ryan Vickers
LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha
“We were a bit unlucky at Snetterton, but it was nice to finish the weekend strong and so we have come into Brands Hatch feeling confident and good. Brands Hatch is weirdly my worst circuit on paper in my Superbike career so far! I love the circuit but it has never really clicked for me and it seems that we have come here and the guys have made changes today and we made a huge step in the second session and I felt amazing on the bike.

“I am really enjoying riding around here, it is one of my favourite circuits with a bit of everything. The Yamaha gives me the feeling. I felt comfortable with that fast lap; it’s actually funny as we have had a problem with the lap timer on the bike all day and I have not known any of the lap times I have done, so the team started putting it on the pit board for me. I learnt that maybe I should look at my lap timer less and concentrate more on what I am doing!

“The battle is going to be immense in the races here. The bikes all have strong and weak points at this circuit and I think the Yamaha seems the most balanced. I think we can have a really good chance of battling for the win and the podium definitely – there should be some great battles and hopefully we can be at the front of that.”

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