BSB: Battle of the Dans, Buchan leads Linfoot in final free practice ahead of Datatag Qualifying

Danny Buchan topped the final Bennetts British Superbike Championship free practice session at Knockhill this morning, as FS3-Racing Kawasaki had the edge over the opposition ahead of the all-important Datatag Qualifying this afternoon in Scotland.

As the session got underway in dry conditions the Smiths Racing BMW team were one of the first to fire in a flying lap with Peter Hickman completing a short run, but for OMG Racing Suzuki’s Luke Mossey a minor tip off at the Hairpin cost him time before he was able to return to pitlane. The team were soon able to get him back on circuit but he ended the session 14th fastest, although he was just 0.565s off the best lap set by Buchan.

Mossey wasn’t the only rider to experience a slow speed get off at the Hairpin; both of the Tyco BMW riders also crashed at the final corner before remounting and returning to pitlane to repair minimal damage before continuing the session.

At the top of the times Buchan was leading a resurgent Bradley Ray, Hickman and Iddon with Josh Brookes completing the top five at the halfway mark of the final 45 minute session. As the time ticked down Andrew Irwin moved up into second for Honda Racing, although in the final five minutes he was bumped down the order to seventh when the final flurry of improvements came from the opposition.

Linfoot had surged up into second for the Santander Salt TAG Yamaha team in the closing ten minutes, running just 0.103s adrift of Buchan with Tarran Mackenzie also improving his time in the final moments of the session to put the McAMS Yamaha into third place and just ahead of his teammate Jason O’Halloran.

Ray completed the top five ahead of Datatag Qualifying with Iddon edging out Andrew Irwin and yesterday’s fastest rider, Scott Redding on the leading Be Wiser Ducati. Hickman and Glenn Irwin completed the top ten, nudging Brookes and championship leader Tommy Bridewell just outside in 11th and 12th respectively.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, Free Practice 3:

1. Danny Buchan (FS3-Racing Kawasaki) 47.493s
2. Dan Linfoot (Santander Salt TAG Yamaha) +0.103s
3. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.246s
4. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.260s
5. Bradley Ray (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.294s
6. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.362s
7. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) +0.365s
8. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.383s
9. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +0.396s
10. Glenn Irwin (Quattro Plant – JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.445s