Gregorio Lavilla enjoyed a winning double at Thruxton last season and the Airwaves Ducati rider is confident of an action replay in this Sunday's second round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship after running comfortably fastest during free practice.

The Spaniard, who began his bid to regain the crown he won in 2005 with a maximum points scoring performance at Brands Hatch, on Easter Monday, maintained that pace at the Hampshire circuit, recording consistently good laps through the two sessions.

“Everything has been fine, and I am very happy with my times and performance. I enjoy riding here and have put in a lot of laps. I have concentrated on ensuring the right set-up and also tyre choice, putting in race distance runs,” explained Lavilla, the champion of two years ago.

His best lap came in 1m 15.060secs, some 0.175secs up on Tommy Hill aboard the Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha who was delighted with his performance: “I'm well pleased with that, if a little surprised, as I had a few problems with grip, but now I am working confidently to achieve consistency over a race distance.”

Jonathan Rea, the 20 year old Ballyclare rider, who had topped the morning session, ahead of Lavilla, is also feeling confident after a good run during the second session, ending with a best lap of 1m 15.277secs.£ The HM Plant Honda rider is currently jointly second in the title stakes with Leon Camier aboard the Bike Animal Honda.

The former British 125GP and Supersport Champion ran fifth best, with a lap in 1m 15.422secs, marginally slower than that of reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari who is running free of the problems that slowed him in the opening round.

Leon Haslam, eager to opening his seasonal winning account, as he plays catch-up in the early season title stakes, put in a best lap of 1m 15.497secs aboard his Airwaves Ducati and is confident of better things. He was a quarter of a second up on British Supersport Champion Cal Crutchlow, riding the Rizla Suzuki, with the Stobart Vent Axia Motorsport Honda duo of former champion Shane Byrne and Tom Sykes all but matching his time.

Karl Harris completed the top ten aboard the Hydrex Honda but was some 1.2 seconds down on Lavilla's time, while in the British Superbike Cup, former champion and current series leader James Buckingham, riding the Quay Garage Honda, was 23 ^rd overall, but best in class with a lap of 1m 17.781secs, some four tenths of a second faster than Marty Nutt, aboard the NuttTravel Yamaha.

ends