2019 BSB
Round Three – Donington Park
Tight at the top as BSB Donington gets underway
Images by David Yeomans Photography
Tyco BMW’s Keith Farmer set the pace after the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship free practice sessions at Donington Park on Friday afternoon, firing the new S1000 RR to the top of the times ahead of Saturday’s Datatag Qualifying and opening race of the triple-header weekend.
Tommy Bridewell had initially set the benchmark, but in the closing ten minutes the Tyco BMW contender forged ahead to set the pace for the first time since returning to the Superbike class after lifting the Superstock title last season. The session saw an incredibly close field with 0.893s covering the top 18 riders.
Farmer edged ahead of 2015 champion Josh Brookes by just 0.036s with Scott Redding in third after he led the pack in the opening session for the Be Wiser Ducati team with joint championship leader Bridewell holding fourth place at the chequered flag.
Keith Farmer Fastest on Friday
“I am very happy with how the session went this afternoon; I am still learning the Superbike and we haven’t changed much today between the first and second free practice sessions. We started the day good and to finish the opening day fastest is mega. It is the first time for me on the BMW in BSB and I am looking forward to raceday tomorrow. Hopefully we can have a good qualifying and can get a good start so that we can get away with them at the front and see what we can do.”
Hector Barbera had an impressive debut in Bennetts BSB, leading the Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki charge in fifth, moving ahead of Luke Mossey and Tarran Mackenzie who is tied on points with Bridewell at the top of the standings.
Peter Hickman was eighth fastest ahead of Christian Iddon and Luke Stapleford, who completed the top ten for the Buildbase Suzuki team.
2019 BSB Donington FP1
- Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) 1m:06.527s
- Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.023s
- Luke Mossey (OMG Racing Suzuki) +0.198s
- Keith Farmer (Tyco BMW) +0.283s
- Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +0.385s
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.465s
- Xavi Forés (Honda Racing) +0.508s
- Josh Elliott (OMG Racing Suzuki) +0.669s
- Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.679s
- Dan Linfoot (Santander Salt TAG Yamaha) +0.688s
2019 BSB Donington FP2
- Keith Farmer (Tyco BMW) 1m:06.475s
- Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.036s
- Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.252s
- Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) +0.308s
- Hector Barbera (Quattro JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.310s
- Luke Mossey (OMG Racing Suzuki) +0.317s
- Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.324s
- Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +0.345s
- Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.403s
- Luke Stapleford (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.421s
Source: MCNews.com.au