Haslam hits the top spot by 0.150s from Iddon at Oulton Park test
Leon Haslam waited until the closing moments of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship official test at Oulton Park today (Friday) to move to the top of the times for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team ahead of the Bank Holiday races in Cheshire (April 30 – May 2).
Haslam had been improving his pace throughout the day and in the closing moments he fired himself ahead of local contender Christian Iddon to claim the top position by 0.150s as the ‘Pocket Rocket’ now prepares for the second round of the season.
Iddon and his Tyco BMW team-mate Michael Laverty had been switching positions at the top of the times during the day, with the Stockport contender holding on to second place ahead of an improving Dan Linfoot. The Honda Racing rider split the Tyco BMWs with a last session charge to push Laverty back to fourth on combined times.
James Ellison was another rider who saved their best until last; the second JG Speedfit Kawasaki leapt up the order in the closing stages to hold fifth position ahead of Luke Mossey, who had set the pace in the second session earlier in the day for Quattro Plant Teccare Kawasaki.
Peter Hickman made it all three JG Speedfit Kawasakis inside the top ten in seventh position ahead of Australia’s Jason O’Halloran with the Buildbase BMW pairing of Lee Jackson and Richard Cooper completing the top ten.
MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Oulton Park, official test, combined times:
Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 1m:35.025s
Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.150s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +0.201s
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +0.331s
James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.510s
Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Teccare Kawasaki) +0.669s
Peter Hickman (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.804s
Jason O’Halloran (Honda Racing) +0.830s
Lee Jackson (Buildbase BMW) +0.843s
Richard Cooper (Buildbase BMW) +1.028s
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Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki)
P1: 1m:35.025s
“The official test today went really well; I haven’t been to Oulton Park for seven or eight years, so I was able to get used to the track again this morning and we have been able to work through a lot with the chassis and the power delivery.
“I am pretty happy that we have adapted our set-up for this circuit and to end up fastest definitely put a smile on my face going into the race next weekend.”