Source: Supplied.

Josh Brookes asserted his authority during the opening two free practice sessions for the eighth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship by setting the pace under the existing lap record at Cadwell Park.

The Milwaukee Yamaha rider has won the last four races to hold a 12-point advantage in the standings ahead of Sunday’s two races.

The Australian saved his best for last with a blistering final lap in the closing minute to hold off the challenge from Danny Buchan with a lap faster than the eight-year-old record.

Brookes slashed over a second off his times between the two sessions, with a fastest lap of 1m26.594s and that heaped the pressure onto his main rival, the defending four times champion Shane Byrne who had a challenging opening day in Lincolnshire.

The four-time champion ended the day in tenth place on the time sheets, 1.234s down on Brookes giving him and the PBM Kawasaki team a night of work ahead to be ready to close the gap ready for Datatag Qualifying.

Be Wiser Kawasaki’s Buchan took the fight to Brookes, heading the times into the final ten minutes before having to settle for second.

Bennetts Suzuki rider Christian Iddon held an impressive third position ahead of JG Speedfit Kawasaki’s James Westmoreland.

Michael Laverty was on the pace throughout the two sessions but had his second free practice session ended prematurely when he crashed the Tyco BMW at Park corner unhurt. He remained ahead of John Hopkins on the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati.

The two riders who were victorious in last year’s corresponding round, Tommy Bridewell, riding the second Tyco BMW and Peter Hickman on the RAF Reserves BMW, split the eighth fastest rider Billy McConnell on the Smiths BMW.

Of the remaining Aussies in the field, Josh Waters (Bennetts Suzuki) was 15th and 1.760s off Brookes’ pace, while Jed Metcher (PR Racing Kawasaki) stopped the clock in 22nd.

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