Source: Supplied.

Tyco BMW’s newest recruit Christian Iddon got his 2016 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship campaign off to a flying start at Silverstone on Friday, setting the pace on the opening day as the times began to tumble in the second free practice as conditions improved.

The morning session has taken place in changing conditions as Czech contender Jakub Smrz moved to the top of the times for Smiths Racing BMW. However in the afternoon the pace began to intensify and Iddon waited until his final lap of his session to move to the top of the times, pushing Luke Mossey back to second place by just 0.147s.

Quattro Plant Teccare Kawasaki’s Mossey had been holding the advantage until the closing stages after he had climbed the order, but he was also being hunted down by America’s John Hopkins who had kicked off his season strongly by ending the opening day third fastest for the ePayMe Yamaha team.

That put four-time MCE BSB champion Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne back to fourth as the Be Wiser Ducati rider got pushed down the order in the final stages after running at the top of the times earlier in the afternoon session.

Australian Jason O’Halloran was the fastest of the Honda Racing riders, holding fifth position at the chequered flag to make it five different manufacturers in the top 10 and four different nationalities.

Smrz who had been the fastest rider in the opening session of 2016 was sixth fastest, narrowly ahead of returning Leon Haslam, who was the fastest of the JG Speedfit Kawasaki riders. Michael Laverty on the second of the Tyco BMWs had split the teammates, with James Ellison holding ninth place and Martin Jessopp on the RidersMotorcycles.com BMW completing the top ten.