Silverstone British Superbikes Test Day

28th April 2023

After a very wet British Super Bikes Test Day at Donington I thought it could only get better at Silverstone. Unfortunately, the weather forecast was not looking good when we headed down to Northamptonshire on a bleak Tuesday.

As is standard practice at Silverstone there are no tickets being sold on the gate. You must purchase them online and have the Silverstone app installed on your phone with the tickets installed. Not an issue for me, but last year there was confusion on the gate as fans tried to purchase tickets and download the app.

This year we were straight in with no queuing, probably nothing to do with the app and more to do with not a lot of people turning up.

Heading round to Luffield where we always start shooting in the morning, we were greeted by a fleet of yellow construction and demolition vehicles. The Silverstone merchandise shops have gone and the adjacent car park was being torn up. I’ve been told this is for a new kart track.

At Brookland's a mud banking has been constructed and not turfed yet. It was also fenced off as they were probably still working in that area but no one was working while we were there. At the back of Luffield a large grandstand has appeared over the winter. This should give great views as should the raised bank, but it didn’t help us out this time as it restricted where we could watch the racing.

I don’t think the area around Brookland's will be ready for the first BSB round at Silverstone on the 7-9 April. So if the inside of Brookland's is a spot you like to watch from you might be disappointed if you are going to the opening round.

As we know Silverstone quite well we had a chat and headed to the Village complex. This is a place I wouldn’t go first thing in the morning to take photographs as the sun is in the wrong place, but as there was no danger of the sun coming out, we were able to shoot from anywhere around the track.  First rule of photography - don’t shoot into the sun!

Standing in the rain with nothing on track, we did consider kicking the BSB test day into touch as there looked to be a Ferrari test day going on. Silverstone's track can be split into two tracks, with the BSB Championship using the National circuit and the Ferraris using the rest. It was tempting but we stuck it out.

After and hour or so the rain did ease off and the sound of motorcycle engines could now be heard. This was encouraging and soon enough a few bikes started to appear through the gloom.

The morning session was the same as Donington. The support classes came out and tested in the rain and the BSB teams remained in the pit garages.

Well not all of them, the FHO team as they did at Donington, came out. Hats off to Brookes and Hickman! Last year the FHO BMWs were shooting a few flames coming into the corners, but this year the map (wet track?) they were using was throwing huge flames, which kept us entertained. We are easily pleased!

The afternoon session was a little drier with the odd heavy shower just to remind us it's not summer just yet. We stayed round the Luffield complex and used the BRDC grandstand. This, like all of the other grandstands is not usually open on a test day so it was a welcome, dry location when the rain started again.

As the afternoon progressed the track dried and the BSB teams came out for the last session which made the trip worth while. Josh Brookes was the fastest over the combined two days of testing.

Can we take anything from the test results? Looking back at last year's, Bradley Ray who went on to win the championship was in the top five during testing, so yes and no. Fast riders will always be up there, but to win the championship you need to be constant and have a bit of luck. 

BSB Combined Test Times Silverstone 2023

In the Superstock Josh Wainwright #53 was first in the combined classification with Lewis Rollo #8 and Alex Olson #75 in third.

The conditions at Silverstone were not great. Some riders hate the wet, but others love it and put in good times. Some of the riders didn’t get out on track much at all. We will know more about who will be a title contender with the first round at Silverstone next weekend at the season opener.