Hickman fires up a fast Thruxton Friday as Barbera suffers leg injury

BSB Thruxton - FP2 Results

PETER HICKMAN maintained his place at the head of the timesheets in second free practice for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton to complete a Friday clean sweep for Smiths BMW.

A massive 0.7s quicker than his nearest rival in FP1, Hickman went quicker again with a 1m 15.140s lap to end the day three tenths clear of the next best.

Scene of a heroic run to the podium in 2018 only hours after a virus had landed him in hospital overnight, Hickman’s FP1 and FP2 session-topping times would not be bettered by another rider as he dominated proceedings on the BMW S1000RR.

Danny Buchan lifted himself up to a much improved second fastest on the FS-3 Racing Kawasaki, while Josh Brookes led the Be Wiser Ducati challenge in third position from Jason O’Halloran in fourth place as the best placed McAMS Yamaha.

Putting the lessons learned from his FP1 laps, BSB leader Scott Redding was an encouraging fifth best on the second of the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R, ahead of the impressive Glenn Irwin, who was an eye-catching sixth quickest in only his second session aboard the Tyco BMW.

However, there was more disappointment for the former Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki he parted ways with ahead of the Thruxton BSB round after his replacement Hector Barbera suffered broken right fibula in a fall at Allard. He is having physio and will be reviewed for fitness tomorrow before Free Practice 3.

Andrew Irwin ended the session just behind his brother in seventh place as the highest-placed Honda, with BSB rookie Ryan Vickers an impressive eighth. Ben Curries and title contender Tommy Bridewell rounded out the top ten.