Josh Brookes conquered the opposition at Brands Hatch to score his first double win of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship to celebrate the Yamaha R1 20th Anniversary in style with the McAMS Yamaha team and bolster his title aspirations.

Brookes fired off the line into the lead ahead of Glenn Irwin and Richard Cooper who had a storming start to move ahead of Leon Haslam, Danny Buchan and Jake Dixon. But then there was disaster for Cooper though as he crashed out unhurt at Paddock Hill Bend.

Dixon though had moved into fifth place, making a decisive move down the inside at Druids to grab the position. At the front the leading trio began to break the chasing pack with Brookes, Glenn Irwin and Haslam holding a small advantage over Dixon, Christian Iddon who had moved up the order, and Tarran Mackenzie.

Irwin was trying to make a last lap attack, but Brookes had the advantage and held him off to the line by just 0.090s to bag another five Podium Points for his championship challenge with Haslam holding on to the final podium position for the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team.

Dixon had been under threat from Mackenzie but the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki rider managed to hold him off in the closing stages of the race with Iddon scoring sixth place for the Tyco BMW team.

Tommy Bridewell had an impressive performance to finish seventh and give the Moto Rapido Ducati team their best result of the season on his debut weekend, passing Buchan on the final lap. James Ellison and Peter Hickman completed the top ten.

Pic by Double Red