NEWS

KNOCKHILL BSB: HILL TAKES CHARGE IN FIRST PRACTICE

02/07/2010

Hill is back to his best in first BSB practice this morning

By David Miller
Image by Paul Sturman

Worx Suzuki's Tommy Hill is back to his best following a disappointing Mallory Park British Superbike round, setting the fastest time in free practice at Knockhill this morning and fending off the attentions of Michael Rutter and Michael Laverty in second and third.

Hill set his time of 49.418 with 11 minutes of the session to go and it was two-tenths quicker than the Riders Ducati man while Relentless Suzuki's Laverty is only fractions further in arrears with the Swan Honda of Stuart Easton in fourth at his home race.
HM Plant Honda's Ryuichi Kiyonari set the early pace with a 51.429 but that latest one lap as Hill hit the front but he was soon demoted by Alastair Seeley, on the second Relentless Suzuki, before team-mate Laverty went fastest on a 50.824.

With 40 minutes to go, Seeley went quickest with a 50.386 and Hill took second on a 50.537 before Laverty set the pace on a 50.218. Kiyonari bounced into second a lap later before he was replaced by Easton, who went round in 50.360.

The Scot then went one better and cracked the 50s barrier with a 49.830 as Rutter jumped into third before going fastest with a 49.695 and still-injured James Ellison found himself in fifth on a 50.282.

On the half hour, Kiyonari replaced Easton in second with a 49.763 and ten minutes later Rutter went fastest and then bettered it with his quickest lap of 49.615 which remained until it was beaten by Hill while Laverty remained in third and Easton fourth.

Kiyonari heads a theoretical second row with Brookes sixth, Seeley seventh and Chris Walker, on the CW Racing Suzuki, sitting in eighth place. MSS Kawasaki's Simon Andrews is ninth and Ellison, on the second Swan Honda, rounds out the top ten.

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