Milwaukee Yamaha's Josh Brookes topped the opening free practice session of the Showdown at Assen this morning. The Australian bounced back from a small crash to hold the initial advantage ahead of the final fight for the 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship title with Bennetts Suzuki's Christian Iddon splitting him and arch rival Shane 'Shakey' Byrne.

The session started with a disaster for John Hopkins and the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati team as a technical problem left them sidelined for the session, in the meantime Brookes had strayed wide onto the white line of the track and tipped off unhurt.

The session resumed and Brookes soon returned to the track, climbing the timesheets and taking control at the top as Byrne was closing in on the series leader. The pair though were split at various intervals throughout the session by Jack Kennedy on the Team WD-40 Kawasaki and Iddon, with the latter pushing to second place on his final lap of the opening session.

Kennedy was narrowly adrift of Byrne in third place and then it was another Showdown spoiler in the shape of Luke Mossey who held fifth place, taking the position from Michael Laverty on the Tyco BMW. Laverty holds sixth place in the standings and he had to fend off Richard Cooper who was narrowing the gap too on the leading Buildbase BMW.

James Ellison held eighth place despite a technical problem in the closing stages of the session which prevented his final last lap stint on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki, whilst his team-mate James Westmoreland crashed twice as he aims for the Riders Cup.

Josh Waters and Billy McConnell completed the top ten riders with the final two Showdown contenders, Tommy Bridewell and Dan Linfoot held 11th and 16th respectively.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Assen, Free Practice one:

Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 1m:38.153s
Christian Iddon (Bennetts Suzuki) +0.208s
Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +0.286s
Jack Kennedy (Team WD-40 Kawasaki) +0.479s
Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Kawasaki) +0.550s
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +0.718s
Richard Cooper (Buildbase BMW) +0.859s
James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +1.142s
Josh Waters (Bennetts Suzuki) +1.166s
Billy McConnell (Smiths Racing BMW) +1.202s

Pic by Double Red