Irwin tops FP1 as BSB returns

Full FP1 BSB results from Snetterton

Glenn Irwin leads the Be Wiser Ducati charge in the opening free practice session at Snetterton as the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike championship returns from a mid-season break.

With defending BSB champion Shane Byrne ruled out by injury after a heavy crash at last month’s Snetterton test, Irwin has been joined by his brother Andrew who acts as his replacement rider in the Be Wiser Ducati garage.

Irwin, whose last race outing saw him clinch victory in the Superbike race at the North West 200 for the PBM-run squad, laid down a strong marker of 1m 48.051s to edge out almost four-tenths of a second on nearest challenger James Ellison for Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha.

Luke Mossey survived a small technical scare after stopping out on track, which was diagnosed as a fuel pressure issue, with the JG Speedfit Kawasaki rider claiming third on the FP1 times just ahead of FS-3 Racing Kawasaki’s Danny Buchan with BSB championship leader Leon Haslam rounding out the top five.

Buildbase Suzuki’s Bradley Ray also made an encouraging start to the Snetterton race weekend in sixth place ahead of Josh Brookes on the McAMS Yamaha who split the Suzukis with Richard Cooper in eighth.

Fresh from his Isle of Man TT triumphs, Pete Hickman has ended FP1 in ninth place for Smiths Racing BMW in front of Honda’s Dan Linfoot who returns from a neck injury sustained at Brands Hatch Indy.