Shane 'Shakey' Byrne denied the young guns the opportunity to top the opening free practice session at Thruxton this morning by wrestling the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki to the fastest time in the closing minutes of the session.

Byrne led the early stages before Alex Lowes and James Westmoreland for Team WFR Honda topped the times in the closing five minutes, but they were soon bought down by the former double champion's fastest lap. Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki's Chris Walker then was another to sneak in a fast lap in the final minute of the session to move second.

Lowes was third ahead of Westmoreland whilst Tommy Hill overcame a slow start, spending the first part of the session in the Swan Yamaha garage moved fifth in the final ten minutes with Ian Lowry and Padgetts Honda dropping to sixth.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, free practice one:

Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 1m:15.969s
Chris Walker (Pr1mo Bournemouth Kawasaki) +0.335s
Alex Lowes (Team WFR Honda) +0.602s
James Westmoreland (Team WFR Honda) +0.706s
Tommy Hill (Swan Yamaha) +0.928s
Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +0.992s
Dan Linfoot (Buildbase BMW) +1.089s
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +1.224s
Michael Laverty (Samsung Honda) +1.436s
Graeme Gowland (Team WFR Honda) +1.451

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