Ryan Vickers topped the opening ZYN British Superbike Championship Free Practice session at Donington Park this morning, snatching the top spot for Honda Racing UK in the closing stages, to topple Scott Redding by 0.156s.
Glenn Irwin had led the early stages of the session for the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing team after his fourth flying lap, but a crash then sidelined him from the remainder of the opening Free Practice.
He held on to the leading position until the final 20 minutes of the session, when Redding and Vickers traded places at the top before the Honda Racing UK rider held the final advantage at the chequered flag.
Meanwhile Josh Brookes had fired himself into third place on the DAO Racing Honda to push Max Cook on the AJN Steelstock bimota back into fourth place with Glenn Irwin still holding fifth courtesy of his early session pace.
Kyle Ryde started the weekend sixth fastest on the second of the Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing Ducatis with Storm Stacey and Bradley Ray completing the top eight. Rory Skinner and Lee Jackson rounded out the top ten riders.
ZYN British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Free Practice 1 result:
- Ryan Vickers (Honda Racing UK) 1m27.334s
- Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +0.156s
- Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +0.513s
- Max Cook (AJN Steelstock bimota) +0.525s
- Glenn Irwin (Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +0.599s
- Kyle Ryde (Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing) +0.674s
- Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing Ducati) +0.891s
- Bradley Ray (McAMS Yamaha) +0.908s
- Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha) +0.959s
- Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) +0.988s