BSB championship leader Shane Byrne has been fastest in just about every session of this delayed Brands Hatch meeting.
Whether in the snow affected round a few weeks ago or in the bizarrely almost heat-wave like conditions today, the 1098R seems the dominant tool in British Superbike racing right now and Byrne is using it to full advantage to hold a substantial lead in the series after two rounds.
However, the heat this weekend might be affecting the grid more than it normally would. Byrne has so far been unable to match the lap times he set in April at a much cooler
Brands Hatch.
"I am pleased that I was fastest in free practice but I am not so happy that my lap times are way off," admitted the former
MotoGP rider.
"The bike is pretty much the same as it was when we were here a month ago but our lap times are nowhere near what they were that weekend and I can guarantee it's not for the lack of trying!"
When he was here in April, Byrne managed to set a 1m 25.8s lap time on the all conquering Ducati v-twin machine. But so far in hotter conditions that would normally bring lap times down, the best he can manage is a 1m 27.1s lap. Still top of the pile but the rider is unsure of the reasons why this might happen.
"I am losing time on corner exits and I am not sure if it is the heat or something else but the grip just isn't there," he said.
Also applying the heat was his team-mate Leon Camier coming off his best result fo the year so far at
Oulton Park last weekend.
Camier has had a very unlucky six months with a horrific injury sustained at Cadwell Park in '07 and starting the season with shoulder ligament damage from a testing crash.
In trying conditions at Oulton the youngster put together some good results including his first Airwaves Ducati podium result and comes here full of confidence.
