Wayne Maxwell tops FP3 as ASBK pace hots up at P.I.

ASBK 2018 Phillip Island Test FP3

When pit exit opened to signal the start of FP3 it was Troy Bayliss first out of the blocks to shake off the problems experienced in FP2 as he set about getting stuck in on the delectable Ducati 1299 Panigale Final Edition.

Troy Bayliss - Image by TBG — Troy Bayliss – Image by TBG

Bayliss was out for five laps with a best of 1m34.917 before returning to pitlane for some changes. Unfortunately Bayliss failed to improve on that time in the remainder of the session, ending FP3 ninth quickest.

Another rider on a Ducati at Phillip Island today was the recently retired Jamie Stauffer. With son Max set to compete in 300 Supersport, Jamie is already going to be at the ASBK rounds, thus when a seat became available on Craig McMartin’s Panigale R, the 38-year-old decided to get together with McMartin for this Phillip Island test.

The two experienced campaigners will put their heads together after this next couple of days to decide if the Kurri Kurri based two-time Australian Superbike Champion will contest the full series or selected rounds. He is also likely to switch to the 1299 for the opening round if they decide to contest it. Jamie finished this FP3 session tenth quickest on a 1m35.086 to round out the top ten just behind Bayliss.

Wayne Maxwell - Image by TBG — Wayne Maxwell chases down Daniel Falzon – Image by TBG

Wayne Maxwell was the first rider in to the 1m33s in this session, a 1m33.913 on his third lap after which he returned to the pits. Maxwell then went out again halfway through the session and lowered the benchmark to 1m33.609. On the final lap of the session Maxwell went quicker again through the first split, and again at the second but lost time through the final sector and thus failed to improve that time, nonetheless Maxwell was quickest in the session.

Defending Champion Josh Waters dropped in a 1m33.883 early in his second stint of the session. It was not until late in FP3 that he then blasted a 1m33.658 to end up as the second fastest rider of the session.

Defending Champion Josh Waters - Image by TBG — Defending Champion Josh Waters – Image by TBG

Michael Blair made some massive improvements in the second half of the session, dropping in his first 1m33s lap of the test, a 1m33.833 good enough to knock Josh Waters out of second spot for much of the session. The Suzuki man’s 1m33.658 late in the session though pushed Blair back to third overall.

Daniel Falzon, making his debut with the Factory backed Yamaha Racing Team, crossed the stripe for a best of 1m33.864 to claim fourth placed ahead of Allerton and Herfoss.

Glenn Allerton was busily getting reacquainted with the NextGen BMW S 1000 RR, the previous generation of which powered him to two of his three Australian Superbike Championship victories. Allerton ended the session with a best of 1m33.887 for fifth quickest.

Troy Herfoss had topped the opening session on the Penrite Honda but could not better his FP2 time in this third session.

Mike Jones was seventh quickest on a ZX-10R borrowed from Callum Spriggs, and again Jones was the fastest Kawasaki rider of the session ahead of Bryan Staring.