Image: Keith Muir.

IPONE Yamaha privateer Michael Blair emerged fastest at the conclusion of Monday’s single-day 2017 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) test, following a mixed day of weather at the seaside Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

Blair posted a 1m33.197s laptime on his final lap of the fourth session, to edge out factory Yamaha Racing Team rider Glenn Allerton by 0.212s and Daniel Falzon (JD Racing Yamaha), who was fastest in the third session earlier on.

The day began in damp conditions that slowed both of the morning sessions, however with the rain clearing for the afternoon, a field of 28 premier class riders went to work on making the most of the two dry 30-minute sessions – the final one red-flagged in the closing moments.

Preparing for his first full season in the ASBK’s premier class, Pirelli-equipped Blair’s laptime comes as yet another indication that the seven-round 2017 series will be one of the most hard-fought on record with an influx of new teams and wide-range of talent.

Behind the leading trio and making it four R1s at the top of the charts was Allerton’s factory teammate Wayne Maxwell, trailed by defending ASBK champion Troy Herfoss on the first of the 2016-spec Crankt Protein Honda Racing CBR1000RR SPs.

Australasian champion Robbie Bugden, who has transferred to the Motorcycling Australia (MA) series for 2017, was an impressive sixth-quickest on his ZX-10R and the final rider within the 1m33s bracket. Seventh was Herfoss’ teammate Bryan Staring in his official Honda return and the final rider within a second of Blair.

Another privateer in Beau Beaton (Racer’s Edge Performance/Craig McMartin Racing Ducati) – fresh from representing Australia in the Island Classic – posted the eighth fastest laptime of the day after opening the day on top, ahead of Matthew Walters (Kawasaki Connection) and Cru Halliday, who made his first appearance in a new-look satellite effort.

Next came a host of incoming talent, with Sam Lambert (BMW) 11th, Callum Spriggs (DesmoSport Ducati) 12th, Australian Supersport champion Troy Guenther (Next Gen Motorsports BMW) 13th and Kyle Buckley (Kawasaki BCperformance) 14th. Second session leader John Hunt (Yamaha) ended up 15th.

In Supersport it was eventually Victorian Mark Chiodo (Triumph) who led the way with a 1m35.947s, also set in the final session, topping World Supersport regular Lachlan Epis (Kawasaki), Mason Coote (Yamaha), Ryan Taylor (Yamaha) and Sam Muldoon (Kawasaki).

The combined Supersport 300/R3 Cup category was led by Broc Pearson (Yamaha) at 1m52.371s, marginally ahead of Reid Battye (Kawasaki), Tom Edwards (Kawasaki), Jack Mahaffy (Yamaha) and reigning class champions Brandon Demmery (Yamaha) and Drew Sells (Kawasaki).