Aussies make great start to BSB campaign

Friday wrap from day one at Donington

Images Dave Yeomans

The 2020 BSB season finally got underway overnight with the opening practice sessions at Donington Park ahead of this weekend’s season opener at the National Circuit and it was a good start of the Aussie competitors.

Jason O’Halloran topped the Superbike time-sheets while Josh Brookes was fourth quickest.

In Superstock 1000 South Australia’s Billy McConnell was eighth and countryman Brayden Elliott 22nd while Kiwi Damon Rees was 12th in a huge 42-rider field.

Ben Currie was sixth in Supersport while Tom Toparis made his debut on the Benro Yamaha in British Supersport and despite no testing was 17th at the end of day one in a field of 34 riders.

In the ranks of Junior Supersport Seth Crump was fourth in a field 33 riders while Levi Day made his return to Ducati TriOptions Cup competition in fifth place.

British Superbike

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship got back on track overnight at Donington Park, where McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran topped practice times by 0.019s from Héctor Barberá, as the 2020 season finally got underway.

Jason O’Halloran – P1

“It is really nice to be back after such a long wait. We had a really good test last week and to start the first day of the first race weekend of 2020 feels great.  We had a good plan and worked through it and everything seemed to go pretty well. Track temperature was quite high today; we’ve got a few things to work on tomorrow as I am confident we can improve for race one tomorrow afternoon.  I felt comfortable, the last sort of two or three days riding I’ve been feeling really, really good on the bike. I’m so glad it’s finally race day tomorrow, I can’t wait!”

An incredibly close start to this year’s first official event weekend saw the top 16 riders covered by just 0.772s, ahead of tomorrow’s opening race of the season.

Former MotoGP rider Barberá snuck in the second fastest time, just behind O’Halloran, in the final moments of a frenetic session in which Andrew Irwin was also in the mix on the new Honda Racing Fireblade. He had been setting the pace earlier in today’s single session, but he ended third fastest and just 0.195s adrift of the leading Yamaha rider.

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Josh Brookes was also shuffling inside the top five during the session and he led the VisionTrack Ducati charge in fourth place, with teammate Christian Iddon in eleventh.

Danny Buchan was fifth fastest for the Massingberd-Mundy Kawasaki team after enjoying a spell at the top of the times earlier in the session. He held off Glenn Irwin on the second of the charging Honda Racing Fireblades and Peter Hickman on the Global Robots BMW, making it six manufacturers in the top seven placings.

Luke Mossey ensured both of the Rich Energy OMG Racing BMWs lapped competitively, ahead of rival BMW contender Alex Olsen, whilst Kyle Ryde completed the top ten for Buildbase Suzuki.

Tomorrow’s opening race of 2020 is preceded by a second free practice session and Datatag Qualifying.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Donington Park – Free Practice 1

Supersport 600 Championship
Donington Park – Combined Practice Times

Superstock 1000 Championship
Donington Park – Combined Practice Times