Advantage Redding as he grabs BSB Showdown pole at Assen

Scott Redding set himself up for a strong start to the 2019 BSB Title Showdown as he carried through his dominant practice pace for pole position at Assen.

Setting impressive pace around a Dutch circuit he arguably knows even better than his BSB title rivals – unlike any other venue in the run up to this – Redding very nearly got a clean sweep of top times in the knockout phases but his final Q3 effort of 1m 35.588s would prove untouchable.

The ex-MotoGP rider, who comes into the weekend just three points shy of Be Wiser Ducati team-mate Josh Brookes following the addition of podium credits, had dominated practice and is now well placed to grab the initiative in the title reckoning as his rivals endured mixed fortunes.

He is joined on the front row by Ducati counterpart Tommy Bridewell, who was the only rider to get relatively close just two tenths off, and surprise package Luke Stapleford on the Buildbase Suzuki, the youngster nabbing the first top three grid position of his career.

Jason O’Halloran topped the timesheets in Q2 but had to make do with fourth when it mattered, just ahead of championship leader Brookes and fellow Title Showdown contender Danny Buchan.

Rookie Ryan Vickers was an impressive seventh quickest on his first visit to Assen aboard a Superbike, ahead of Tyco BMW pair Christian Iddon and Glenn Irwin as the last remaining Q3 contenders.

Hector Barbera enjoyed a solid qualifying effort to start in tenth position, ahead of another Showdown contender in Peter Hickman and Xavi Fores.

Tarran Mackenzie, the sixth and final Showdown contender on the timesheets, could only manage 15th.