Josh Brookes rates Cadwell Park | Tops testing

Josh Brookes leads BSB field on Thursday at Cadwell Park

Images by Dave Yeomans

Overnight Josh Brookes set the pace in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship official test ahead of tomorrow’s opening free practice session at Cadwell Park, firing the Be Wiser Ducati under the race lap record to top the times ahead of Danny Buchan by 0.716s.

Brookes’ 1m26.448 was enough to head the time-sheets ahead of this weekend’s eighth round of the British Superbike Championship, but is still half-a-second away from the fastest ever motorcycle lap of the Cadwell Park circuit which was set by Leon Haslam last year during qualifying at 1m25.932s. 

Despite it being a circuit that he is truly spectacular to watch at, and one which has brought him some success, Josh doesn’t list the track amongst his favourites.  We spoke to him before he went out on track at Thursday where he gave us his take on the circuit. 

Josh Brookes

“Cadwell Park is most known for the jump, and I’ve become popular with the fans for jumping it but that causes people to assume I love the Cadwell Park Circuit. The truth is I don’t particularly like it that much.

“It’s a tricky circuit to get a set up for. The first half of the track is fast and flowing while the second half is all first and second gear, really tight and twisty. You can never get the bike to do both perfectly so that can be frustrating.

“The circuit is also very narrow so at Superbike speeds you feel like your riding on a balance beam.

“This weekend there is an added three-hour practice on Thursday evening so this will be valuable to get some extra track time and attempt to find that set up with the least compromise. Everyone will be out there doing the same thing, so no advantage, but still nice to get the set-up closer.

“I’m excited to see how the Ducati works here, it’s been very competitive bike at most rounds this year so far so hi expectations.”

He then went out and found the Ducati working pretty well there right out of the box. 

Danny Buchan had been running inside the top five for the majority of the test, holding off the improving Scott Redding, who moved up the order as the test progressed on the second of the Be Wiser Ducatis.

Christian Iddon was the leading Tyco BMW in fourth place, ahead of local hero Peter Hickman who completed the top five ahead of Tommy Bridewell and Andrew Irwin on the Honda Racing Fireblade.

Glenn Irwin was back inside the top ten on his second appearance on the Tyco BMW, holding off Xavi Forés and Luke Mossey who completed the top ten, but the OMG Racing Suzuki rider crashed in the final ten minutes sustaining an ankle injury. Josh Elliot also crashed at the end of the session at Park uninjured.

Jason O’Halloran ended the day 14th while countryman Ben Currie was 18th. 

Cadwell Park Test Times

1. Josh BROOKES AUS Ducati – Be Wiser Ducati 1:26.448
2. Danny BUCHAN GBR Kawasaki – FS-3 Racing Kawasaki 1:27.164 
3. Scott REDDING GBR Ducati – Be Wiser Ducati 1:27.502
4. Christian IDDON GBR BMW – Tyco BMW Motorrad 1:27.53889.65
5. Peter HICKMAN GBR BMW – Smiths Racing 1:27.555 
6. Tommy BRIDEWELL GBR Ducati – Oxford Racing 1:27.608 
7. Andrew IRWIN GBR Honda – Honda Racing 1:27.650 
8. Glenn IRWIN GBR BMW – Tyco BMW Motorrad 1:27.685 
9. Xavi FORÉS ESP Honda – Honda Racing 1:27.932 
10. Luke MOSSEY GBR Suzuki – OMG Racing Suzuki 1:27.973 
11. Dan LINFOOT GBR Yamaha – Santander Salt TAG Yamaha 1:27.979 
12. Ryan VICKERS GBR Kawasaki – RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki 1:28.064 
13. Bradley RAY GBR Suzuki – Buildbase Suzuki 1:28.153 
14. Jason O’HALLORAN AUS Yamaha – McAMS Yamaha 1:28.203
15. Claudio CORTI ITA Kawasaki – Team WD-40 1:28.453 
16. Luke STAPLEFORD GBR Suzuki – Buildbase Suzuki 1:28.609 
17. Josh ELLIOTT GBR Suzuki – OMG Racing Suzuki 1:28.757 
18. Ben CURRIE AUS Kawasaki – Quattro JG Speedfit Kawasaki 1:28.896 
19. Alex OLSEN GBR BMW – Smiths Racing 1:28.911 
20. Shaun WINFIELD GBR Yamaha – Santander Salt TAG Yamaha 1:29.172
21. David ALLINGHAM GBR Yamaha – EHA Yamaha 1:29.209
22. Sam COVENTRY GBR Kawasaki – Team 64 Motorsports 1:29.307
23. Joe FRANCIS GBR BMW – Lloyd & Jones Bowker Motorrad 1:29.685
24. Dean HARRISON GBR Kawasaki – Silicone Engineering Racing 1:29.768 
25. Matt TRUELOVE GBR Yamaha – Raceways Yamaha 1:29.793
26. Héctor BARBERÁ ESP Kawasaki – Quattro JG Speedfit Kawasaki 1:29.815
27. Tarran MACKENZIE GBR Yamaha – McAMS Yamaha 1:30.206
28. Dean HIPWELL GBR Kawasaki – CDH Racing 1:30.846
29. Gino REA GBR MV Agusta – Bike Devil Sweda MV Agusta 1:31.440 
30. Fraser ROGERS GBR Kawasaki – Gearlink Kawasaki 1:31.988 

British Superbike Standings