Ellison sets new lap record for pole at Brands Hatch Indy

James Ellison has set a new lap record of 44.728s at Brands Hatch Indy as he blitzed the competition on the McAMS Yamaha with JG Speedfit Kawasaki duo Luke Mossey and Leon Haslam complete the front row. 



After topping the Saturday free practice sessions, Ellison was pushed hard by Mossey throughout FP3 and qualifying but with his first flyer he instantly produced a 44.728s to trump Mossey's provisional pole time of 44.931s.



Ellison's lap proved unbeatable as the new lap record on two wheels around the Brands Hatch Indy circuit. Heading into the Brands Hatch Indy race weekend the previous outright lap record from 2011 was 45.112s set by Shane Byrne but it was smashed on three separate occassions with Ellison's pole lap ultimate claiming the outright honour by almost three-tenths. 



As Mossey settled for second it left Donington Park double winner Leon Haslam to complete the front row with his 44.933s withstanding a late charge from Be Wiser Ducati's Shane Byrne. 



Byrne looked set to disrupt the front three with a fastest of anyone in the second sector but was unable to put the lap together and improve on his 45.030s. 



The five-time BSB champion will be joined on the second row by Moto Rapido Ducati's John Hopkins and Honda Racing's Jason O'Halloran who demonstrated impressive pace gains from the 2017 season opener. 



Tyco BMW's Christian Iddon claimed seventh in qualifying ahead of Anvil Hire Yamaha's Josh Brookes as McAMS Yamaha's Michael Laverty completed the top nine who contested the Q3 pole shootout.

Full BSB Brands Hatch Indy qualifying results:



1. James Ellison GBR McAMS Yamaha YZF-R1 44.728s 

2. Luke Mossey GBR JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10R 44.931s 

3. Leon Haslam GBR JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10R 44.933s 

4. Shane Byrne GBR Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R 45.030s 

5. John Hopkins USA Moto Rapido Ducati Panigale R 45.044s

6. Jason O'Halloran AUS Honda Racing CBR1000RR 45.120s 

7. Christian Iddon GBR Tyco BMW S1000RR 45.182s 

8. Josh Brookes AUS Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha YZF-R1 45.384s 

9. Michael Laverty GBR McAMS Yamaha YZF-R1 45.483s 



10. Dan Linfoot GBR Honda Racing CBR1000RR 45.298s 

11. Jakub Smrz CZE Lloyd & Jones/PR Racing BMW S1000RR 45.327s 

12. Taylor Mackenzie GBR Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000 45.379s 

13. Glenn Irwin GBR Be Wiser Ducati Panigale R 45.391s 

14. Jake Dixon GBR RAF Reserves Kawasaki ZX-10R 45.408s 

15. Tommy Bridewell GBR Team WD-40 Kawasaki ZX-10R 45.502s 

16. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Bennetts Suzuki GSX-R1000 45.556s 

17. Peter Hickman GBR Smiths Racing BMW S1000RR 45.600s 

18. Shaun Winfield GBR Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha YZF-R1 45.674s 



19. Bradley Ray GBR Buildbase Suzuki GSX-R1000 45.928s 

20. Billy McConnell AUS Quattro Plant FS-3 Kawasaki ZX-10R 45.938s 

21. Lee Jackson GBR Smiths Racing BMW S1000RR 46.345s 

22. Aaron Zanotti GBR Platform Hire Yamaha YZF-R1 46.547s 

23. James Westmoreland GBR Gearlink Kawasaki ZX-10R 51.076s 



Ruled out by injury 



Davide Giugliano ITA Tyco BMW S1000RR