ASBK ’23: Topsy Turvy Start to Friday in Sydney
The much-anticipated return to Sydney Motorsport Park began with the Sydney weather playing Phillip Island style games with the competitors. Overnight rain ensured the track started slick for the first morning sessions of the day, however it wasn’t rain that was the talking point, it was the humidity. Dark clouds hovered overhead as the green flag waved to get the on-track underway, but it remained warmer than expected and track conditions were less than ideal. Nevertheless, the sun broke through the clouds, and the expected rain shower has subsided, for now.
Michelin Supersport
The earliest on track in warm and humid conditions, the Supersport crew were keen to make the most of the dry running given the very, very mixed conditions predicted for this evening.
It was a return to form for the rider we all felt was going to make a big impact on the championship, the back-in-the-game Sean Condon who in fact had little impact at all at Phillip Island, where he netted just 14 points compared to championship leader Ty Lynch’s 54.
In P2 was Jack Passfield who is renowned for his GP circuit pace while Ty Lynch was third, Jake Farnsworth in fourth, Tom Bramich fifth and 2022 champion John Lytras was in sixth. Cameron Dunker would be well pleased with seventh, while Dallas Skeer, Olly Simpson and Luca Durning rounded out the top ten.
1. Sean Condon – Yamaha YZF-R6 – 1:33.276
2. Jack Passfield – Yamaha YZF R6 – 1:34.251
3. Ty Lynch – Yamaha YZF R6 – 1:34.652
The second session practice session was a near repeat of the first one with Condon up by 3/10ths for much of the time. Passfield was second, with Jake Farnsworth third, but he went down at turn nine. While he was able to get back onto the track, any crash is both damaging to the bike and to the mind game that so often can be the difference between first and not first.
Ty Lynch was fourth and some 1.2 seconds off Condon’s pace, an ominous sign for the weekend.
Olly Simpson was fifth while John Lytras looks set to just limit his damages this weekend, P6 once again.
1. Sean Condon – Yamaha YZF R6 – 1:32.958
2. Jack Passfield – Yamaha YZF R6 – 1:33.410
3. Jake Farnsworth – Yamaha YZF R6 – 1:34.056
Alpinestars Superbike
Also an early-ish session, the expectation was upon testing top man Josh Waters on the ever-increasing-legend that is the McMartin Racing Panigale V4R. But Waters would be denied by local man and dark horse of the 2023 championship, Cru Halliday who ended the session .379 up on teammate and 2022 champion Mike Jones.
In third was championship leader (and undefeated in 2023) Waters, who was now perhaps in an oddly ideal spot; privateer underdog to the factory top paining. Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss was third with new team owner Glenn Allerton on the GT Racing BMW fifth. Bryan Staring on the MotoGo Yamaha was sixth, and the top ten was rounded out by Ted Collins, Max Stauffer, Broc Pearson and Arthur Sissis.
As noted, the weather is set to get well involved today, so perhaps the morning practice times will be for now, but for now, bragging rights go to the Yamaha Racing pair of Halliday and Jones.
1. Cru Halliday – Yamaha YZF R1 M – 1:29.496
2. Mike Jones – Yamaha YZF R1 M – 1:29.875
3. Josh Waters – Ducati Panigale V4 R – 1:30.548
4. Troy Herfoss – Honda Fireblade CBR1000RR-R SP – 1:30.820
5. Glenn Allerton – BMW M 1000 RR – 1:31.200
The second session of the day for Alpinestars Superbike was a return to business as usual- of a manner only. While Waters was atop the timing sheets, he was still some half second adrift of Halliday’s fastest time in the first session.
Halliday was third, edged out by the irrepressible Mike Jones.
With six minutes left on the clock, Halliday asserted himself as the new go-to guy at SMSP, posting a 1:29.540 – very close to his morning time. Waters was some .309 adrift in second with Mike Jones .447 off the pace in third.
Bryan Staring was now up to fourth and showing the true potential of the MotoGo team and their new Yamaha R1.
As we have said over and over, Arthur Sissis could do incredible things if he could just qualify closer to the front. And so it could be, with the Unitech R1 up into fifth position, edging out Troy Herfoss who was sixth by nearly .4 of a second.
Glenn Allerton was seventh with fellow BMW rider Ted Collins eighth. Max Stauffer would have been looking to move up the order this weekend but for now was ninth and DesmoSport’s Broc Pearson was tenth and nearly 3.2 seconds behind Cru Halliday. A tough weekend ahead.
1. Cru Halliday – Yamaha YZF R1 M – 1:29.540
2. Josh Waters – Ducati Panigale V4 R – 1:29.744
3. Mike Jones – Yamaha YZF R1 M – 1:29.807
4. Bryan Staring – Yamaha YZF R1 M – 1:30.615
5. Arthur Sissis – Yamaha YZF R1 M – 1:30.643
Watch ASBK this Saturday
LIVE TV
Saturday TX 7.00pm – 10.00pm AEDT
- SBS VICELAND
- Stan Sport
- Sky Sports NZ
LIVE STREAM
Saturday TX 3.00pm – 6.00pm
REPLAY
Sunday TX 1.00pm – 4.00pm AEDT
- SBS Sport
For more information on the 2023 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship Presented by Motul season, stay tuned to the ASBK website and social pages:
Official Calendar for the 2023 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK)
