Samsung Honda's Jon Kirkham celebrated the first victory of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season at Brands Hatch this afternoon after stealing the lead from Tyco Suzuki's Alastair Seeley on the final lap.

On the opening lap Graeme Gowland and Florian Marino crashed out at Paddock Hill Bend as Shane 'Shakey' Byrne took the hole shot off the line from the front row. As the pack streamed through Druids for the first time Michael Laverty and Patric Muff slid off on the exit with the pair trying to rejoin. Laverty was able to return to the pitlane with damage to the Samsung Honda.

Byrne held the lead from Kirkham and pole sitter Josh Brookes, but a few laps later and MSS Bathams Kawasaki's Michael Rutter dived down the inside of Brookes at Druids to move third behind Byrne and Kirkham.

Kirkham hit the front of the field from Byrne by the seventh lap and then Rutter pushed the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki rider back a further place to third across the line on the eighth lap. Tommy Hill was attempting to carve his way through the field and was running up to 16th after the opening ten laps on the Swan Yamaha.

More to follow.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, race one result:

Jon Kirkham (Samsung Honda)
Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) +0.136s
Michael Rutter (MSS Bathams Kawasaki) +0.750s
Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +3.023s
Gary Mason (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +5.191s
Tommy Bridewell (Supersonic BMW) +6.155s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +6.284s
James Westmoreland (WFR Honda) +8.813s
Freddy Foray (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +9.145s
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +9.411s

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