WorldSBK exile Xavi Fores was the unsurprising leader after the first session of Bennetts British Superbike testing at Monteblanco today.
The works Honda man and team-mate Andrew Irwin, who went into lunch in fourth place, rode here late last year so are very familiar with the track.
Fores set a 1’37.563 to top the sheets with McAMS Yamaha newboy Jason O’Halloran in second, a little under half a second in arrears. Quattro Kawasaki’s Glenn Irwin finished in third place, 0.177s further back with little brother Andrew in fourth 0.095s slower.
Be Wiser Ducati’s Scott Redding, who was the subject of much speculation over injuries sustained in pitbike crash during January, claimed fifth in his first outing on in the BSB-spec Panigale V4. The former MotoGP rider set a 1’38.385.
Luke Mossey, who switched to OMG Suzuki in the winter, ended in sixth place on a 1’38.403 with Bradley Ray in seventh but half a second slower. Taz Mackenzie finished in eighth with Claudio Corti putting the WD-40 Kawasaki in ninth. Luke Stapleford completed the top ten.
Dean Harrison, Danny Buchan, Ryan Vickers, Ben Currie and Josh Elliott rounded out the top 15 with Josh Brookes in 16th, Richard Cooper’s Superstock Suzuki in 17th, Tommy Bridewell 18th, James Hillier 19th and David Allingham in 20th.
