Oulton BSB: Haslam fastest in wet final practice

JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s Leon Haslam set the quickest time during the final MCE British Superbike free practice session at a wet Oulton Park circuit.

It was a JG Speedfit one-two as his team-mate James Ellison pushed his ZX-10R to P2 with a handful of minutes remaining to the 45 minute outing.

Haslam was the only rider to lap inside the 1’47’s this afternoon and a 1’47.682 was good enough for him to top the sheets, and he was one second faster than Ellison who clocked a 1’48.650.

Initially it was Haslam who set the pace, only for Be Wiser Ducati’s Shane Byrne to get the better of him with a 1’48.718 rotation. But Haslam was not giving up and leap-frogged the former champ to go P1. Byrne ended FP3 third on the timing screens.

Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot and Bennetts Suzuki’s Tommy Bridewell completed the top five fastest times this afternoon. Moto Rapido Ducati’s Danny Buchan narrowly missed out on a time within the top five, and had to settle for sixth, with Irwin, Kiyonari, Jackson and Laverty rounding off the top ten.

There were some fallers out on track, including ePayMe Yamaha’s John Hopkins, who crashed unhurt at Hizzy’s. Also Lloyds and Jones PR Racing BMW’s Matej Smrz fell at Knickerbrook and was declared OK at the trackside.

But in the overall combined times it is Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon was remains the fastest rider, after he posted a 1’35.215 during a dry FP2 yesterday.