The 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship officially got underway at Brands Hatch this morning in spectacular style as Team WFR Honda topped the opening session with Graeme Gowland in the final minutes, with the top 21 riders covered by less than a second.

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne moved to the top to get the early advantage in the session on the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki but before long Samsung Honda's Michael Laverty pushed ahead. Byrne then moved back to the top of the times again just a few laps later and the double champion stayed fastest until the final five minutes of the session as the positions rapidly changed. The WFR Hondas displaced Byrne in the closing stages of the session with Gowland going fastest with three minutes remaining and Alex Lowes moving second in the final minute.

Josh Brookes was the fastest of the Tyco Suzukis in fourth; the Australian had left it until the end of the session to move into the top five as Laverty dropped to sixth in the final minutes. Stuart Easton was sixth fastest on the second Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki; he had been running second to his team-mate in the final ten minutes before his rivals improved their pace. Alastair Seeley was seventh ahead of Chris Walker who fired himself to eighth with James Westmoreland and Ian Lowry completing the top ten.

The top 21 were covered by less than a second and with the field running so close Swan Yamaha's Tommy Hill and Noriyuki Haga ended the session in 13th and 21st respectively.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, final test one:

Graeme Gowland (Team WFR Honda) 46.192s
Alex Lowes (Team WFR Honda) +0.095s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ) +0.163s
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +0.255s
Michael Laverty (Samsung Honda) +0.317s
Stuart Easton (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ) +0.361s
Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) +0.386s
Chris Walker (Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki) +0.406s
James Westmoreland (Team WFR Honda) +0.409s
Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +0.448s

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