Ryan Vickers set the pace in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship Free Practice session as the Yamaha riders locked out the top three positions at the top of the times with the leading 15 riders separated by just 0.991s.
Vickers was one of only two riders to test the SC0 tyre during the opening session, posting the fastest lap of the 50-minute opening Free Practice to put him 0.289s ahead of Danny Kent. The McAMS Racing Yamaha rider had been leading the way until the closing five minutes when Vickers edged ahead.
Kent split the two OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing teammates as Kyle Ryde held a position inside the top three with Jason O'Halloran on the Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki and Leon Haslam rounding out the top five.
Championship leader Tommy Bridewell was sixth fastest for Honda Racing UK ahead of Billy McConnell on the C&L Fairburn Properties/Look Forward Racing Honda with BSB Pathway contender Lewis Rollo impressive in eighth place.
Peter Hickman for the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team and Christian Iddon on the Oxford Products Racing Ducati completed the top ten, easing Franco Bourne and Max Cook outside of the top ten.
The top 15 riders were covered by less than a second with Hager PBM Ducati’s Glenn Irwin in 15th, 0.991s off the pace setting time of Vickers.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, Free Practice 1:
- Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 1m:16.037s
- Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) +0.289s
- Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +0.309s
- Jason O'Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +0.434s
- Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +0.542s
- Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +0.573s
- Billy McConnell (C&L Fairburn Properties/Look Forward Racing Honda) +0.672s
- Lewis Rollo (IN Competition SENCAT Aprilia) +0.746s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +0.749s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.791s
For the full session result please click here