Karl Harris outpaced Gregorio Lavilla, the current leader and defending champion of the Bennetts British Superbike series, in opening practice for the Easter Monday double race third round at Thruxton.
The HM Plant Honda rider lapped the 2.356mile Hampshire circuit in 1m 15.636secs, 112.13mph, marginally outside the outright record held by Lavilla, but importantly, on the day, a third of a second ahead of the Spaniard. “The bike is going good, I’ve done a fair few laps here to get settled in, and I’m feeling confident for these races.
“I had a second place at Brands Hatch in the first race of the season, and really felt good last Sunday despite the wet and cold, but then the bike just slipped away from me when I was leading, now, I want to set the record straight,” said the 25 year old Sheffield rider who three times won the British Supersport crown prior to his graduation into the top flight.
Lavilla, who made his British Superbike debut at the circuit two years ago, a rider replacement in the Rizla Suzuki team, enjoyed strong results in the corresponding round last year, with third and second placings.
“I enjoy the circuit, it is very fast and I feel good that I can again have good results here, building on what we have done already this season. Already I have taken two pole starts and two victories and want more,” said Lavilla who has opened up a 24 points advantage over Ryuichi Kiyonari.
The Japanese rider was fourth fastest, with a lap of 1m 16.508secs, just adrift of Leon Haslam, riding the second Airwaves Ducati. The young Derbyshire rider is keen to build on his solid start to the campaign, while Kiyonari, after crashing out of the second race at Donington in the second round is determined to return to winning ways. The Japanese rider did the double at Thruxton last year and needs an action replay as already he is playing catch-up on Lavilla in the title stakes.
Jonathan Rea, riding Red Bull Honda, headed off the challenge of Rizla Suzuki’s former champion Shane Byrne, with Dean Thomas on the Hawk Kawasaki seventh best, ahead of James Haydon on the second Rizla Suzuki. Scott Smart, the winner of the rain-lashed second race at Donington Park last Sunday was eleventh on the leaderboard aboard his Vivaldi Suzuki.
James Buckingham, the defending British Superbike Champion, headed the times in the class for independent riders – aboard the Quay Garage Honda he put in a best lap of 1m 18.716secs, 107.74mph, just a quarter of a second up on Chris Martin on the PR Branson Honda, with Howie Mainwaring third from Malcolm Ashley and Marty Nutt ahead of Sunday’s grid deciding session.
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