Buildbase Suzuki’s Richard Cooper believes sitting out most of today’s wet second Bennetts British Superbike free practice session was the right choice after ending up third quickest.

The pint-sized former Superstock 1000 champ clocked the fourth fastest lap in this morning’s dry FP1, just 0.529secs off pacesetter Jake Dixon before setting the third quickest time in this afternoon’s session.

Cooper opted to sit out the earlier part to allow the rain to ease off and the track to dry simply because he didn’t fancy getting cold and damp but now admits it was the right decision.

“I didn’t want to get wet, that’s the simple fact,” he revealed to Bikesport News. “Yes of course you’re probably going to get wet at Oulton Park but I didn’t want to get wet pants in the first 15 minutes.

“It proved the right choice because we went out and did the last 15 minutes and built up lap by lap. We made no changes to the bike, just put Silverstone wet settings in and I dare say, another lap we could’ve gone even quicker.”

Cooper is no stranger to going well on a Friday, and admits that he’s been frustrated many times this year when he’s enjoyed a strong opening day only to fall back on Saturday and Sunday.

But he hopes this could be the turning point. “It’s a nice feeling to have a good feeling with the bike so early,” he added. “On a number of occasions we’ve been fast on Friday but no-one sees that and it’s frustrating for me because you feel the weekend is going to go your way and it doesn’t.

“That’s just the nature of BSB because you can be fast on a Friday but it doesn’t mean you’re going to get a result on a Sunday. And that’s something I’m desperate for – a result on Sunday.”