Tommy Hill set the pace in the wet opening free practice sessions at Knockhill and now feeling less pain from his injured shoulder is ready to challenge for race wins in the fifth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.

The Swan Yamaha rider was comfortable at the Fife circuit, putting in a high number of consistently fast laps despite the difficult conditions, setting the best time in each of the sessions before securing the top spot on the combined leaderboard with a lap at 86.66mph, a time of 52.810secs.

“It’s been a day, a good start and we’ve had to make very few changes to the bike – I’m feeling comfortable and we are going in the right direction,” explained Hill.

“My shoulder is OK, it is playing up a little, but if you want something and I want success in these races then you have to get on with the job. I am aware of the shoulder and its problems but I am not letting it bother me.

“You have to remember they said the healing time was six weeks, but that was six weeks of rest, not me training, testing and working, but I am not whingeing on about it. I keep telling myself you are up there at the top of the timesheets so that can’t be bad,” added Hill who is currently fourth in the standings.

Like his rivals Hill is aware of the importance of consolidating his position among the top six riders in the overall standings as only they will go into the title-deciding races in the Showdown. “I need good points and get back to winning races to score the all important podium credits,” added Hill.

French teenager Loris Baz ran his Motorpoint Yamaha second fastest, barely a quarter of a second down on Hill with former MotoGP race-ace John Hopkins racing the circuit for the first time third fastest on the Samsung Crescent Suzuki. Michael Laverty, riding the second Swan Yamaha, was fourth fastest, 53.394secs, but striving to achieve more rear grip.

Series leading Shane Byrne brushed aside any memories of the painful highside of his last race here as he took his HM Plant Honda to fifth fastest as he prepared to add to his three race winning tally. “It’s been fun, or as fun as it can be in the wet,” said Byrne who ran marginally faster than his team-mate, reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari.

Josh Brookes riding the Relentless Suzuki was sandwiched between the two Hondas on the leaderboard as Gary Mason on the MSS Colchester Kawasaki set the eighth fastest time ahead of the best of the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class riders Simon Andrews riding the Buy-Force.com PR Kawasaki.

Glen Richards was second fastest in the EVO class on the WFR Honda from the Moto Rapido Ducati in the hands of Scott Smart.

Free practice one:

1. Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 53.327s
2. Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +0.249s
3. Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +0.417s
4. John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) +0.642s
5. James Westmoreland (Motorpoint Yamaha) +1.121s
6. Glen Richards (WFR Honda) +1.254s


Free practice two:

1. Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) 52.810s
2. Loris Baz (Motorpoint Yamaha) +0.310s
3. John Hopkins (Samsung Crescent Racing Suzuki) +0.464s
4. Michael Laverty (Swan Yamaha) +0.584s
5. Shane Byrne (HM Plant Honda) +0.627s
6. Josh Brookes (Relentless Suzuki) +0.758s