Image: Keith Muir.

Yamaha Racing Team’s Wayne Maxwell led the way as practice commenced at Phillip Island’s final round of the 2017 Yamaha Motor Finance Australian Superbike Champiosnhip presented by Motul Pirelli.

Maxwell, who enters the round third in the standings, posted a 1m33.296s lap-time in the third 20-minute session of Friday’s proceedings.

It was a positive start to the weekend for the 2013 champion on his YZF-R1M, quickest in practices one and three, topping Josh Waters (Team Suzuki Ecstar Australia) by 0.074s while Bryan Staring (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) was third after topping practice two.

Round one winner Daniel Falzon (Caterpillar JD Racing Yamaha) was directly behind Staring in fourth, as Maxwell’s teammate Glenn Allerton (Yamaha Racing Team) rounded out the top five – 0.940s from the top of the charts.

Championship leader Troy Herfoss (Crankt Protein Honda Racing) was sixth today, currently leading the series by six points from Waters, as impressive privateer Matt Walters (Swann Insurance Kawasaki), Cru Halliday (IPONE/YMF/YMI Yamaha), Josh Hook (McMartin Racing Ducati) and Jed Metcher (Race Center Yamaha) on return rounded out the top 10.

In Supersport it was Cube Racing’s Tom Toparis who was fastest with a 1m35.648s, over a full second ahead of Mark Chiodo (Triumph), while opening round victor Mason Coote (Yamaha) slotted into third overall.

The Supersport 300 times were topped by Max Croker (KTM, Over 300) and Reid Battye (Kawasaki, Up To 300), as Tommy Edwards (Yamaha) led R3 Cup and Dylan Whiteside (Honda) was quickest of the Moto3 riders.

Qualifying will commence from 9:05am on Saturday morning, including the first of the premier Superbike sessions to be taking place at 10:40am local time.