This Easter weekend (22-25 April) Brands Hatch in Kent will host the opening round of the 2011 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship as an impressive 38 riders from eight different nations line up on the grid in a bid to secure one of the most coveted titles in motorsport.

America’s John Hopkins will make his eagerly anticipated BSB debut with Samsung Crescent Racing, but first he will join the MotoGP World Championship this weekend in Spain as he returns with the factory Suzuki team. Hopkins finished fourth for the team in the 2007 MotoGP Championship against riders including Valentino Rossi, and he deputises for injured Álvaro Bautista at Jerez. Reigning National Superstock 1000 champion Jon Kirkham completes the BSB team.

For the first time since 2007 there will be a defending champion as Japanese ace Ryuichi Kiyonari continues his quest to become the most successful BSB rider of all time by claiming a fourth BSB title. HM Plant Honda has former double champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne joining him this season and expectation is high for the pair following pre-season testing.

Australian Josh Brookes finished second in last year’s title chase; he has switched to the Relentless Suzuki by TAS team for this season and will not want a repeat performance in a bid to go one better this year.

Tommy Hill suffered heartbreak at the end of 2010 but determined to win back the title for Britain with the Swan Yamaha team he wants a winning performance at his home round after topping the timesheets in the Spanish pre-season test. Michael Laverty, his team-mate, pushed him all the way and he will want to beat Hill to become the first Yamaha rider to win a race since 2009. However, Motorpoint Yamaha’s young-guns Frenchman Loris Baz and James Westmoreland will want to upset the form guide in their first full season of BSB.

The leading Kawasaki team of Stuart Easton and Gary Mason have the all-new Ninja ZX-10R for this season and the Colchester-based team are determined to have a real attack on the title this year.

BMW is the seventh manufacturer represented in BSB with six riders led by the Buildbase BMW team of Northern Irish duo John Laverty and Ian Lowry.

The Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati team uphold the honour of the Italian marque in the hands of the most experienced rider on the grid in terms of BSB race starts, Michael Rutter who will be gunning for glory alongside Martin Jessopp.

Jenny Tinmouth will become the first female racer in the history of BSB for the Splitlath Aprilia team at Brands Hatch and her reputation is on the line against her male counterparts.

The Mirror.co.uk BSB Evo class has also expanded to 15 riders after its inauguration last year. Moto Rapido Ducati’s Scott Smart was the final rider confirmed to contest the full season as he makes a return to the premier class, whilst former British Supersport and National Superstock champion Glen Richards is back in BSB with the WFR Honda team.

2011 MCE INSURANCE BRITISH SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP - ENTRY LIST

1-Ryuichi Kiyonari (Japan)-HM Plant Honda-BSB
2-Josh Brookes (Australia)-Relentless Suzuki by TAS-BSB
3-Stuart Easton (Hawick)-MSS Colchester Kawasaki-BSB
4-Dan Linfoot (Wetherby)-Sorrymate.com Honda-BSB
5-Ian Lowry (Moira)-Buildbase BMW-BSB
6-Michael Rutter (Brierley Hill)-Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati-BSB
7-Michael Laverty (Toomebridge)-Swan Yamaha-BSB
8-John Laverty (Toombridge)-Buildbase BMW-BSB
9-Chris Walker (Nottingham)-PR1MO Racing Kawasaki -BSB
10-Jon Kirkham (Derby)-Samsung Crescent Racing - Suzuki -BSB
12-Josh Day (Cirencester)-AIR Racing Kawasaki -EVO
17-Simon Andrews (Evesham)-PR Racing Kawasaki -EVO
19-Steve Brogan (Liverpool)-Jentin Honda-BSB
20-Tom Tunstall (Huddersfield)-Doodson Honda-EVO
21-John Hopkins (USA)-Samsung Crescent Racing - Suzuki-BSB
22-Alex Lowes (Lincoln)-Team WFR Honda -EVO
24-Patric Muff (Switzerland)-Tyco Honda-EVO
25-Dennis Hobbs (Guisborough)-Hobbs Racing BMW-EVO
27-James Westmoreland (Hull)-Motorpoint Yamaha-BSB
33-Tommy Hill (Lingfield)-Swan Yamaha-BSB
37-James Hillier (Ringwood)-Bournemouth Kawasaki-EVO
40-Martin Jessopp (Yeovil)-Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati-BSB
45-Glen Richards (Australia)-Team WFR Honda-EVO
46-Tommy Bridewell (Devizes)-Tyco Honda-BSB
55-Dan Kneen (Bradden)-Marks Bloom Kawasaki -EVO
56-Hudson Kennaugh (South Africa)-Splitlath Motorsport Aprilia -BSB
60-Peter Hickman (Louth)-Tyco Honda-BSB
64-Aaron Zanotti (Loughborough)-AZR - BMW-EVO
65-Loris Baz (France)-Motorpoint Yamaha-BSB
67-Shane Byrne (Sittingbourne)-HM Plant Honda-BSB
75-Craig Fitzpatrick (Derby)-Close Print Finance Honda-EVO
77-Barry Burrell (Bishop Auckland)-Buildbase BMW-EVO
78-Mateo Mossa (Italy)-777 Motorsport Suzuki -EVO
79-Nick Medd (York)-Boss D&B BMW-BSB
81-Graeme Gowland (Hexham) -Team WFR Honda-EVO
88-Scott Smart (Maidstone)-Motorapido Ducati-EVO
100-Jenny Tinmouth (Ellesmere Port)-Splitlath Motorsport Aprilia -BSB
101-Gary Mason (Litchfield)-MSS Colchester Kawasaki-BSB

BSB - denotes motorcycle complies with the full BSB technical regulations which are identical to the FIM Superbike World Championship, highly tuned engines and sophisticated electronics.

EVO - denotes motorcycle complies with the BSB-EVO technical regulations which utilises near standard engines and controlled electronics.