BSB: Laverty leads pack on day one at Knockhill

Tyco BMW’s Michael Laverty topped the timesheets on the opening day of the fourth round of the MCE British Superbike championship at Knockhill.

The Toomebridge rider was able to make further progress with a breakthrough found at last week’s Snetterton test to rank consistently within the top three across the first day before a late lap saw him lunge to the top of the timesheets at the end of the second session with a time 0.2 under Shane Byrne’s lap record. 

Shane Byrne made a strong start to the weekend aboard the BeWiser Ducati, setting the second fastest time of the day despite struggling on two sections of the 1.3 mile Scottish track.

Leon Haslam took third as he returns to Knockhill for the first time since 2008, ahead of young-gun Luke Mossey, who after topping the morning’s second session worked on tyre conservation in the afternoon’s 45 minute run.

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The improvement in front-end feeling John Hopkins found last time out at Brands Hatch saw the 2011 championship runner up enjoy his best Friday of the season with the fifth fastest time, ahead of Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot who completed the top six.

Peter Hickman took seventh ahead of Tyco BMW’s Christian Iddon, with Jason O’Halloran and Richard Cooper rounding out the top ten.