Honda’s O’Halloran edges Byrne
Click here for full BSB FP1 results from Oulton Park
Jason O’Halloran has topped the opening free practice session for Honda at Oulton Park after pinching the fastest lap from defending Bennetts British Superbike champion Shane Byrne by just 0.008s.
Click here for full BSB FP1 results from Oulton Park
Jason O’Halloran has topped the opening free practice session for Honda at Oulton Park after pinching the fastest lap from defending Bennetts British Superbike champion Shane Byrne by just 0.008s.
Hot and sunny conditions greeted the Cheshire track, after a couple of cold and wet opening rounds, which saw the pace instantly sharpen after the majority of BSB riders took part at the in-season test at the track last week.
Byrne led the early proceedings, setting the bar a 1m 35.038s, before O’Halloran’s final flying lap saw him edge ahead for Honda to take top spot.
Richard Cooper, a BSB race winner at Oulton Park, also enjoyed a strong start with Buildbase Suzuki in third place with Leon Haslam shuffled down the fourth place for JG Speedfit Kawasaki.
Peter Hickman rounded out the top five in a return to form on the Smiths Racing BMW with a similar showing of pace from Josh Brookes on the McAMS Yamaha after a tricky start to 2018.
Glenn Irwin, who produced lap record pace on the Be Wiser Ducati during last week’s test, suffered a small off at Lodge corner but was able to continue and ended FP1 in seventh place ahead of Halsall Suzuki’s Tommy Bridewell, Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon and RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki’s Jake Dixon.
BSB rookie Mason Law impressed on the Team WD-40 Kawasaki to end the session 11th ahead of championship leader Bradley Ray (Buildbase Suzuki).
Ryuichi Kiyonari made a muted return to BSB action after over a year away, acting as Dan Linfoot’s injury stand-in at Honda, with the three-time BSB champion finishing 24th in FP1.
