Tyco Suzuki's Alastair Seeley topped a frantic morning warm up session at Brands Hatch as the final countdown begins to the opening race of the 2012 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch later today, whilst team-mate and pole-sitter Josh Brookes slid off whilst setting the early pace.

The 15 minute session saw a constant change of positions as Michael Rutter and the MSS Bathams Kawasaki team held the top spot for the opening minutes from Jon Kirkham and Gary Mason. Kirkham then pushed ahead on the Samsung Honda with ten minutes remaining to move ahead of Rutter and defending champion Tommy Hill who had jumped up to third on the Swan Yamaha.


Pole sitter Brookes then stormed ahead on the Tyco Suzuki to put Kirkham back to second with the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki of Shane 'Shakey' Byrne pushing up to third. The pair switched places at the top of the times before the Australian pushed on again, however after setting a personal best at the first split he slid off at Graham Hill Bend with four minutes remaining and was unable to rejoin.

Supersonic BMW's Tommy Bridewell was another rider to slide off in the session; he crashed at Clearways unhurt whilst at the same time Peter Hickman did the same at Graham Hill Bend. In the final minute Seeley upped the ante to put his Tyco Suzuki fastest ahead of Byrne who was able to move second ahead of sidelined Brookes.

Kirkham was fourth fastest ahead of Tristan Palmer who had a last lap improvement with Rutter ending sixth. Dan Linfoot and James Westmoreland were seventh and eighth respectively with Hickman unable to improve in ninth. Ian Lowry moved into the top ten in the closing stages as Alex Polita, Noriyuki Haga and Tommy Hill just missed out on the top ten.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, warm up:

Alastair Seeley (Tyco Suzuki) 54.542s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.084s
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +0.106s
Jon Kirkham (Tyco Suzuki) +0.187s
Tristan Palmer (GBmoto Honda) +0.206s
Michael Rutter (MSS Bathams Kawasaki) +0.229s
Dan Linfoot (Buildbase BMW) +0.402s
James Westmoreland (WFR Honda) +0.592s
Peter Hickman (MSS Bathams Kawasaki) +0.667s
Ian Lowry (Padgetts Honda) +0.735s

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