Leon Haslam topped this morning’s MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship warm up session at Knockhill, holding the position from John Hopkins by just 0.111s as pole sitter Shane 'Shakey' Byrne crashed out unhurt.

The session began with James Ellison moving into the leading spot for JG Speedfit Kawasaki, but Luke Mossey quickly displaced him from the top after just two further laps. His position was rapidly under threat though and Hopkins fired the ePayMe Yamaha to the top of the times.

As the countdown reached the final ten minutes, Christian Iddon had his second crash of the weekend, falling at turn nine unhurt as Smiths Racing BMW’s Howie Mainwaring also slipped off without injury.

Haslam was closing and in the last five minutes of the session he moved to the top and consolidated his position with a string of faster laps to stay ahead of Hopkins by 0.111s. Byrne was improving in the final moments but a crash at turn three in the final seconds ended his chance of moving up the order, however he was able to return to the pitlane.

Michael Laverty meanwhile had climbed the order, pushing the Tyco BMW up into third place ahead of the leading Honda Racing contender, Dan Linfoot and Mossey who held fifth place.  Peter Hickman moved into sixth on the second of the JG Speedfit Kawasakis ahead of Jake Dixon who had another strong performance to finish seventh for the Briggs Equipment BMW team.

Tommy Bridewell overcame his issues in yesterday’s Datatag Qualifying to have a resurgent warm up in eighth place to make it all six manufacturers in the top ten with Byrne and Ellison rounding out the order.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Knockhill, warm up result:

Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 48.174s
John Hopkins (ePayMe Yamaha) +0.111s
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +0.238s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +0.255s
Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Teccare Kawasaki) +0.301s
Peter Hickman (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.308s
Jake Dixon (Briggs Equipment BMW) +0.365s
Tommy Bridewell (Bennetts Suzuki) +0.368s
Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.395s
James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.498s