Beckenham’s Tommy Hill will try a new engine specifiation at Cartagena tomorrow after setting what team boss Shaun Muir has described ‘eye-opening’ laptimes at the Spanish circuit today.

Although Muir will not be drawn on the specifics, it is thought the laps must be close to the 1’32.9s benchmark set by Hill at last year’s British Superbikes test which has yet to be beaten.

Hill will now spend tomorrow using a different engine before the team decide which one to continue to develop at Almeria.

“Compared to the times we set here last year with the benefit of traction control, Tommy’s times today without it have been a real eye-opener. I think he is there or thereabouts with the engine today so he will test a different spec tomorrow before we move to Almeria,” said Muir, speaking to bikesportnews.com this evening.

Meanwhile, both Noriyuki Haga and Shane Byrne escaped injury after crashing at Cartagena’s final corner earlier today. Byrne, from Sittingbourne, was taken to the medical centre by ambulance but was found to be only winded while Haga picked his bike up and then helped his crew to clean it down before returning to the circuit.

Byrne was subjected to a massive highside on the exit of the 180-degree right-hander and didn’t immediately spring to his feet so was taken to see circuit medics but has subsequently been given the all-clear.