BSB Testing 2022
Jason O’Halloran was building momentum for 2022 at Snetterton over the weekend as the entire British Superbike Championship participated in a three-day official test at the Norfolk circuit.
The opening action of the new season began with an intense pace at the top as the leading six riders ended the test inside the existing lap record. O’Halloran’s benchmark lap from the final session was an impressive 0.572s under the existing record, with five manufacturers featuring inside the top ten. This was a crucial three days of testing as BSB has strict limits set on pre-season testing and outside of the official tests there are very few opportunities for riders and teams to shake down their machines.
O’Halloran won more races than anyone in season 2021 only to lose a massive lead in the championship when the series switched to Showdown mode, he is out to ensure that doesn’t happen again in 2022.
Jason O’Halloran
“First test of the year done and it’s been a really good few days for us, the weather has been perfect so we’ve had loads of track time. I’ve tried so many different versions of the bike here, at least one maybe two per session which is perfect for information and data. To go fast at the end is good, I made quite a big mistake on the fast lap too, but more importantly testing is to gain information and feeling and I am very happy with what we have achieved. The whole team have done a great job and I’m looking forward to the next test.”
Tom Sykes rapidly adapted to the MCE Ducati on his first visit to the Snetterton 300 layout, as the former World Superbike Champion ended his debut test with the team just 0.072s adrift of the leading time.
Tom Sykes
“Day three at Snetterton saw the weather start out a bit tricky so we missed the first session this morning, but we’d only planned on doing one anyway today. We used it just to try a few things and understand the package a little bit more, but overall, it has been a really positive three-day test. We got lucky with the weather, everything seems to have gone to plan, and now I understand quite a lot more. Now we need to look where we need to improve and keep working. We have the next test at Donington Park on Thursday but looking at the forecast it doesn’t look like we are going to get as many blessings there, but the season is getting closer and after these three days I definitely feel more prepared. The main thing was to get an understanding on where we need to improve. The Ducati has a lot of strong areas and I know there are areas also to work on and so it has been a positive start at this test in that respect.”
Bradley Ray saved his best until the final session of the three-day test as he continues his preparations for the new season after a change in manufacturer and he fired the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha into third place.
Double champion Josh Brookes was back at the sharp end, holding fourth place as he lapped under the circuit record on his return to the circuit and just 0.115s adrift on the timesheets. The MCE Ducati team opted to sit out the final session of the weekend with both riders inside the top four, as they bid for a ninth Championship title.
Josh Brookes
“We’ve had a great test at Snetterton, the weather has been unbelievable for the time of year, and we’ve managed to work through some key points. Today was critical to finish the circle of changes. The session we did wasn’t particularly important for the lap time that we could achieve, but more the feeling that I was getting from the bike. Yesterday’s bike I was happy with, we were under the lap record, and I was able to do competitive times, today’s bike was more difficult to ride, so that gives everyone in the team a clear direction of which way to go, and I think moving forward now we can make some good progress. A big thanks to the team and my crew who put a big shift in this weekend, and we are looking forward to seeing what Donington brings us next week.”
FS-3 Racing Kawasaki’s Rory Skinner had topped the penultimate session of the weekend as he set his personal best lap at the Norfolk circuit. The Scot couldn’t quite better his time in the final run of the day, but completed the top five ahead of next week’s R&G Official Test at Donington Park.
Danny Buchan was sixth fastest for the SYNETIQ BMW team; he had been the pace-setter during the early stages of the Official Test, with his best lap coming from the opening day of action.
Defending Champion Tarran Mackenzie was back in action running the number one plate for the first time in 2022, and on his return from a pre-season training injury. He set the seventh fastest time, just 0.013s adrift of the existing lap record for McAMS Yamaha.
Peter Hickman was the leading FHO Racing BMW rider in eighth place as he held off Buildbase Suzuki’s Danny Kent. Tommy Bridewell completed the top ten for the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team.
Peter Hickman
“It’s been five and a half months since I’d ridden a Superbike so Friday was a little bit of a shock to the system but it did feel pretty much the same as last year and it felt like coming home which was really nice.
“It’s been good just getting back into the swing of things. We had some new ideas some new strategies to try which we have been trying and while it’s not quite right yet, we’re working through it. I’ve got a new engine spec so we’re working with that and trying to get everything working together. For now we’re working through things which we believe will be an improvement in the long run and we’re happy with the progress we’ve made over the weekend.”
As the times began to tumble just 0.995s covered the top 15 riders with Andrew Irwin, Lee Jackson and Kyle Ryde just edged outside the top ten. 2018 Champion Leon Haslam ended the test 17th fastest as he continued to work with his new VisionTrack Kawasaki team.
The Superstock category was headed by Tim Neave on an Edwards Yamaha ahead of Alex Olsen on the FHO Racing BMW. Joe Francis was third quickest on the Stauff Fluid Kawasaki while Billy McConnell made it four different brands at the top with P4 on the Jackson Racing Honda.
Levi Day was 13th quickest Superstock on a Powerslide Racing Suzuki while countryman Brayden Elliott was P15 on the CFS Filtration No Bull Honda.
Jack Kennedy topped Supersport proceedings on the Mar-Train Yamaha while Jamie Van Sikkelerus and Harry Truelove made it an all-Yamaha top three. Kiwi Damon Rees was eighth quickest on an Ashcourt Yamaha as he fights his way back to fitness after significant arm injuries.
Max Cook topped the charts in the National Junior Superstock class ahead of Louis Valleley. Young Aussies Seth Crump and Jacob Hatch were eighth and 13th respectively. Crump was 1.5-seconds off the fastest rider while Jacob Hatch was a further second down.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship
R&G Official Test – Snetterton – Combined Times
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 1m:46.571s
- Tom Sykes (MCE Ducati) +0.072s
- Bradley Ray (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.098s
- Josh Brookes (MCE Ducati) +0.115s
- Rory Skinner (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.164s
- Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.540s
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.585s
- Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW) +0.743s
- Danny Kent (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.746s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.821s
- Andrew Irwin (SYNETIQ BMW) +0.836s
- Lee Jackson (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.936s
- Kyle Ryde (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.954s
- Ryan Vickers (FHO Racing BMW) +0.986
- Christian Iddon (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.995
- Dan Linfoot (iForce BMW) +1.038s
- Leon Haslam (VisionTrack Kawasaki) +1.061s
- Glenn Irwin (Honda Racing) +1.144s
- Josh Owens (Rapid CDH Kawasaki) 1.472s
- Luke Mossey (TAG Racing Honda) +1.611s
- Takumi Takahashi (Honda Racing) +1.654s
- Tom Neave (Honda Racing) +1.757s
- Ryo Mizuno (Honda Racing) +2.146s
- Storm Stacey (KKQ Euro Parts Kawasaki) +2.218s
- Chrissy Rouse (Crowe Performance BMW) +2.591s
- Luke Hopkins (Black Onyx Security Honda)+2.927s
- Dan Jones (iForceBMW) +3.115s
- Leon Jeacock (Specsavers Suzuki) +3.298s
- Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) +4.149s
- Liam Delves (Rapid CHD Kawasaki) +4.800s
- Joe Sheldon-Shaw (NP Racing BMW) +5.449s
- Ian Hutchinson (Milwaukee BMW) +5.518s
- Bjorn Estment (Powerslide / Catfoss Suzuki) +5.624s
- James Hiller (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +8.454s
- Sam Cox (NP Racing BMW) +9.578s
British Superstock Combined Times
- Tim Neave (Edwards Yamaha) 1m49.228s
- Alex Olsen (FHO Racing BMW) +0.032s
- Joe Francis (Stauff Fluid Kawasaki) +0.597s
- Billy McConnell (Jackson Racing Honda) +0.713s
- Brent Harran (Optimum Bikes Honda) +0.860s
- Davey Todd (Milenco Padgetts Honda) +1.018s
- Charlie Nesbitt (VisionTrack Suzuki) +1.118s
- Lewis Rollo (Milenco Padgetts Honda) +1.205s
- David Allingham (TAG Honda) +1.246s
- Tom Ward (IN Competition Aprilia) +1.254s
- Ash Beech (Jones Dorling Suzuki) +1.438s
- Shaun Winfield (TAG Honda) +1.461s
- Levi Day (Powerslide Racing Suzuki) +1.541s
- Jack Nixon (FHO Racing BMW) +1.568s
- Brayden Elliott (CFS Filtration No Bull Honda) +1.623s
- Richard Kerr (AMD Honda) +1.867s
- Tom Oliver (Buildbase Suzuki) +2.137s
- Matt Truelove (IN Competition Aprilia) +2.265s
- Kade Verwey (XG Racing BMW) +3.086s
- Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) +3.177s
- TJ Toms (Platform Hire Kawasaki) +3.434s
- James Hillier (Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha) +3.533s
- Rob McNealy (McNealy Brown BMW) +3.617s
- Ben Luxton (XG Racing BMW) +4.048s
- David Brook (Guildford Audio Honda) +5.064s
- David Sellers (True Heroes Suzuki) +5.282s
- Luke Verwey (WSE Racing BMW) +5.751s
- Anthony Moore (Specsavers Suzuki by Hawk Racing) +10.201s
British Supersport Combined Times
- Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Yamaha) 1m51.234s
- Jamie Van Sikkelerus (MPM Routz Yamaha) 1m51.685s
- Bradley Perie (Appleyard Macadam Yamaha) 1m51.880s
- Harry Truelove (Appleyard Macadam Yamaha) 1m52.827s
- Zak Corderoy (Gearlink Kawasaki) 1m52.900s
- Lee Johnston (Ashcourt Yamaha) 1m52.916s
- Eunan McGlinchey (Gearlink Kawasaki) 1m52.959s
- Damon Rees (Ashcourt Yamaha) 1m53.416s
- Eugene McManus (Affinity Sports Academy Kawasaki) 1m54.831s
- Sam Munro (Munor Racing Yamaha) 1m54.988s
- Max Wadsworth (Specialised Group Yamaha) 1m55.039s
- Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) 1m55.176s
- Max Ingham (DOT Racing Kawasaki) 1m56.155s
- David Jones (Dragon Racing Ducati) 1m56.648s
- Caolan Irwin (R&R Racing Yamaha) 1m57.513s
