Jenny Tinmouth is upbeat ahead of the opening round of the 2016 MCE British Superbike Championship at Silverstone this weekend despite crashing out in her final official testing session.

The 37-year-old from Ellesmere Port completed her preparations for the new season alongside Honda Racing team-mates Dan Linfoot and Jason O’Halloran with two official BSB pre-season tests last week.

In the first test, the trio put the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade through its paces in wet and windy conditions at Silverstone, gaining crucial settings for the championship opener on April 8-10 at the 5.9km Northamptonshire circuit. Tinmouth finished just outside the top-20.

Testing then moved on to Donnington Park and Tinmouth continued her good progress in better conditions, working her way up the timesheets and taking 1.6 seconds off her previous lap times at the Leicestershire circuit. Unfortunately in the final session she crashed out unhurt, but still finished 22nd overall.

Tinmouth said: “I’m really happy going to the first round, over the winter everyone has put in so much hard work and I am looking forward to go racing now.

“Both the UK tests have gone really well for me and I knocked 1.6 seconds off my personal best at Donington, so chuffed with that.

Read: Jenny Tinmouth gears up for 2016 British Superbike Championship in Spain

“I did have a small off during the last session, but I’m fine and happy with how the tests have gone.

“All the changes we’ve made to the CBR are good and positive, and have all enabled us to move forward so I’m really upbeat and looking forward to getting back out there.”

Jenny Tinmouth with Honda Racing team-mates Dan Linfoot and Jason OHalloran
Jenny Tinmouth with Honda Racing team-mates Dan Linfoot and Jason OHalloran

Tinmouth became the first woman to compete for a factory team in the championship when she signed for Honda Racing in 2015. Although she did not score a point, Tinmouth clocked up a number of personal bests and her deal was renewed for 2016.

Before signing for Honda, Tinmouth competed as a privateer, funding her own team through sponsorship. She made history when she became the first female rider to score a point in the championship.

Read: Jenny Tinmouth to return to British Superbikes next season with Honda Racing

In the run-up to the start of the new season, the Honda Racing squad has undertaken an intensive testing programme including five days testing at Monteblanco and two days at Almeria.

The 2016 championship gets underway with practice at Silverstone on Friday before qualifying on Saturday and the opening two races on Sunday.