O’Show comes out swinging on opening day of BSB 2022 at Silverstone

2022 British Superbike Championship
Round One – Silverstone

Jason O’Halloran kicked off the first day of the 2022 Championship in style by setting the fastest ever Bennetts British Superbike lap of Silverstone National, topping the timesheets in the SUPERPICKS Free practice sessions to head off his title rivals in preparation for tomorrow’s season opening race.

O’Halloran was one of five riders to set a pace under the existing circuit lap record during today’s action, with the leading 24 riders separated by just 0.954s and just 0.040s separating the Australian from Yamaha rival Kyle Ryde at the top of the timesheets.

Whilst Yamaha locked out the leading two positions, Lee Jackson surged up the order in the final five minutes to move into third place for FS-3 Racing Kawasaki, splitting the Rich Energy OMG Racing Yamaha team-mates.

Bradley Ray had a stint of leading the afternoon session until the closing stages, but he held the fourth fastest position at the end of day one, narrowly ahead of Christian Iddon in fifth place on the Buildbase Suzuki.

Rory Skinner was sixth fastest as the young Scot ensured both FS-3 Racing Kawasaki riders featured inside the top 12, and there was a strong end to the session for Ryan Vickers as his penultimate lap this afternoon moved him up the order into seventh place.

Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Tommy Bridewell was eighth fastest and the leading Ducati contender, edging out Danny Buchan on the SYNETIQ BMW by just an incredible 0.002s.

Andrew Irwin was in tenth place, just ahead of Josh Brookes and Dan Linfoot who completed the top 12 riders who will progress directly into tomorrow’s Q2 decider for pole position.

World Superbike returnees Leon Haslam and Tom Sykes will feature in tomorrow’s SUPERPICKS Q1 session, ending the opening day in 14th and 18th respectively.

This BSB round is also being used as a bit of a shakedown by many TT riders as they get their eyes in ready for TT week and the NorthWest 200.  Peter Hickman is the most regular of the road racing stars in the BSB ranks and admits that this particular Silverstone lay-out is his least favoured track of the season.  Hickman was 19th on Friday while fellow TT campaigner Dean Harrison in 24th while the Rich Energy OMG Yamaha road race pairing of James Hillier and David Johnson were 28th and 30th respectively. Friday was Johnson’s first time on the bike after flying into the UK from South Australia earlier this week.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship
Silverstone – Friday Free Practice

RelatedPosts

High-res images from Brands Hatch BSB finale

October 15, 2024

Ryde wins BSB title after spectacular last lap battle at Brands Hatch finale

October 14, 2024