Source: Supplied.

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) enjoyed a positive day on Friday despite an uncharacteristic crash at the beginning of FP1, going on to top the time-sheets in both practice sessions on the first day of the PATA UK Round.

Rea’s 1m27.740s time in FP2 made him the fastest rider of the day at Donington, with his teammate Tom Sykes second quickest, lapping 0.122s behind his colleague on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

Also making a good start to the weekend on his return to WorldSBK as a wildcard was Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who lapped third fastest overall, at a circuit he knows so well.

In fourth place Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was the only non-British rider in a top six which also featured Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team).

Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was seventh best, just ahead of eighth placed Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia). Completing the top 10 and therefore going straight through to Tissot Superpole 2 on Saturday were Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Leandro Mercado (IODA Racing).

Leading the way in WorldSSP was American PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who registered a 1m30.968s lap in FP2 to put him ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven).

Of the Australians Anthony West (EAB West Racing Yamaha) was 14th on the time-sheets, with Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing Kawasaki) 30th and Giuseppe Scarcella (Team Lorini Honda) 34th. Meanwhile, in STK1000 Mike Jones (Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team) was P15 and Glenn Scott (Agro On-Benjan Kawasaki) 22nd.