Reigning WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea took advantage of rising track temperatures in the second WorldSBK practice to extend his gap over Marco Melandri after the tiny Italian crashed at the Corkscrew.
Rea set a 1'23.104 with his first flying lap of the session and then retired to the garage in preparation for a race simulation but a crash from Roman Ramos at Andretti brought out the red flags, and the Irishman then only got in a handful of fast laps.
Melandri went down after only seven minutes and although he did get back out on track but couldn't find enough pace to better his time from this morning. It was still good enough to keep second on the sheets, albeit now nearly four-tenths behind the Kawasaki.
Tom Sykes leapt into third place with a 1'23.502 which was enough to see off a late charge from the Pata Yamaha of Alex Lowes, who slipped into fourth with a 1'23.837. Eugene Laverty's second flying lap of the day is still his fastest as the Irishman couldn't improve.
The Milwaukee Aprilia man remains in fifth overall on a 1'23.844. Jordi Torres hauled the MV Agusta from ninth to sixth on the day with a 1'23.869 which just pipped the Aruba Ducati of Chaz Davies.
Xavi Fores and Lorenzo Savadori also improved to stake their claim inside the top ten but Donington double winner Michael van der Mark is struggling somewhat and was unable to find any speed. He sits tenth on the 1'24.106 he ended the first session on.
Loris Baz bounced back from a crash at Andretti to end in 11th with a 1'24.175 while the still injured Leon Camier is in 12th.
The Red Bull Honda man has struggled with change of direction since he had his ribs broken for him and the Corkscrew must be murder.
Josh Herrin, Tati Mercado and Jake Gagne, who had a spill at turn three, completed the top 15.
