Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea put in a late fast lap to claim top spot on the first day of WorldSBK free practice just after he ran into the gravel at Redgate, a corner which claimed more than one victim in the final session.

Rea battled team-mate Tom Sykes for most of the final session as the Kawasaki looks again best suited to the Leicestershire track which has dried out enough for slicks following the morning deluge.

Rea ended with a 1’28.003 just one lap after he outbraked himself into Redgate. Sykes, who had been top on a 1’28.207 did look like he might better the Isle of Man resident but lost time in the final sector and had to settle for second.

It was bad news for championship hopeful Davies when he went down after hitting a damp patch. As he tumbled into the gravel, the Welshman appeared to whack his ankle so has been taken to the medical centre for checks.

At the same time, Topratz and Tati Mercado followed Davies in but stayed upright. However, Redgate also claimed Xavi Fores and Gino Rea, with Roman Ramos also visiting its gravel.

Lorenzo Savadori had a trouble-free session on the Milwaukee Aprilia which is working well at Donington. The Italian ended the day in third place and half a second behind Rea with Alex Lowes in close attendance.

Lowes managed a 1’28.567 on the Pata Yamaha to stay in front of Eugene Laverty’s Aprilia whose best of 1’28.50 was enough for fifth place.

Michael van der Mark bounced back from a weird front-end crash at Hollywood to bag sixth place with Leon Haslam seventh. The Derby rider ran on at Melbourne three times and a big moment exiting the same corner put the kybosh on his fastest potential lap.

Loris Baz continued his form from the wet sessions, taking seventh place with wilcard Bradley Rea relishing the mixed conditions to finish in ninth place and grab an automatic qualifying two spot.

Marco Melandri was the last of the automatic Q2 men, keeping tenth place by the skin of his teeth to finish as the top Ducati runner. Wildcard Luke Mossey put in a good showing to take 11th place with Toptratz in 12th.

As predicted by himself this morning, Leon Camier struggled as the track dried but still managed 13th place with Nico Canepa and Mercado completing the top 15. Davies ended in 6th with Mason Law 18th and Gino Rea 21st.

WorldSBK Donington combined Friday times

1 1 J. REA GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Kawasaki ZX-10RR
2 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Kawasaki ZX-10RR0.204 164,191 43
3 32 L. SAVADORI ITA Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia RSV4 RF
4 22 A. LOWES GBR Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team Yamaha YZF R1
5 50 E. LAVERTY IRL Milwaukee Aprilia Aprilia RSV4 RF
6 60 M. VAN DER MARK NED Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team Yamaha YZF R1
7 91 L. HASLAM GBR Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX-10RR IND
8 76 L. BAZ FRA GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team BMW S 1000 RR
9 28 B. RAY GBR Buildbase Suzuki Suzuki GSX-R1000 IND
10 33 M. MELANDRI ITA Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Ducati Panigale R
11 41 L. MOSSEY GBR Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki ZX-10RR IND
12 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU TUR Kawasaki Puccetti Racing Kawasaki ZX-10RR
13 2 L. CAMIER GBR Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR
14 94 N. CANEPA ITA Yamaha Motor Europe Yamaha YZF R1
15 36 L. MERCADO ARG Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki ZX-10R
16 7 C. DAVIES GBR Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Ducati Panigale R
17 99 P. JACOBSEN USA TripleM Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR
18 55 M. LAW GBR Team WD40 Kawasaki ZX-10RR
19 45 J. GAGNE USA Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team Honda CBR1000RR
20 40 R. RAMOS ESP Team GoEleven Kawasaki Kawasaki ZX-10RR
21 44 G. REA GBR OMG Racing UK Suzuki GSX-R1000
22 37 O. JEZEK CZE Guandalini Racing Yamaha YZF R1
23 12 X. FORES ESP Barni Racing Team Ducati Panigale R
24 21 M. RINALDI ITA Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team Ducati Panigale R
25 81 J. TORRES ESP MV Agusta Reparto Corse MV Agusta 1000 F4