Ryuichi Kiyonari closed in on the Donington Park lap record with a series of consistently fast laps as many of the leading riders from the Bennetts British Superbike Championship rode in a special `preview day' to the new season.

The 23 year old Japanese rider had signed off last term with a double victory at the Leicestershire circuit and was quickly on the power aboard his HM Plant Honda, dictating terms in both sessions, putting in 52 laps, the best of which was in a time of 1m 32.676s - an average speed on 97.01mph.

“It is a difficult circuit, but one that I like,” smiled Kiyonari. “It would be good now to win the opening race at Brands Hatch, but that will be tough.” His team-mate Michael Rutter will ensure that. He was less than half a second down, and that despite a tumble at Craner Curves.

Scott Smart, third fastest on the leaderboard, with a lap of 1m 34.242s, worked hard on the Rizla Suzuki, with his team-mate John Reynolds, the reigning champion, keeping a watchful, if frustrated eye on the proceedings.

He is still intent on riding in the opening round at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday, just 38 days on from breaking his right leg in five places in a crash during tesing in Valencia. “I am determined to be in the races there - I have a title to defend and have a good team around me doing all they can to help the healing process.

“I feel that I could ride a bike now - I don't use the right leg a lot on the bike apart from balance and changing direction.”

Karl Harris, three times the British Supersport champion, made a good impression, running fourth fastest on his Honda, just ahead of the vastly experienced Jeremy McWilliams, who after a dozen years and 186 grand prix races is back on the domestic scene, heading up the Stobart Honda challenge.

The Ulsterman clocked a best time of 1m 34.856s, while the Hawk Kawasaki duo of Glen Richards and Dean Thomas were marginally slower.

ends