Chaz Davies fastest in superbikes practice

Ducati's in-form factory rider Chaz Davies continues to push his case to win his first world superbike race at Phillip Island after setting the fastest time in Friday's practice sessions.

The 30-year-old recorded the quickest lap time of one minute 30.189 seconds in the morning session, leaving him primed for Saturday's Superpole qualifying at 12:30pm.

Davies holds the WorldSBK lap record (1:30.949) at Phillip Island, but a victory has proved elusive for the Welshman around the 4.5km circuit - even though he gave it a red-hot go in 2016 before crashing out on the last lap after a titanic battle with eventual world champion Jonathan Rea.

Rea (Kawasaki, 1:30.255), Xavi Fores (Ducati, 1:30.486), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki, 1:30.573), Marco Melandri (Ducati, 1:30.627) and Alex Lowes (Yamaha, 1:30.817) all remained in the same positions after the second session.

Aussie wildcard Josh Brookes (Yamaha, 1:31.973) struggled with top-end speed and was 18th fastest on Friday, 1.784 seconds behind Davies.

The two races are on Saturday and Sunday.