Josh Brookes is ready to attack in the opening MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship race at Silverstone this afternoon after setting the pace in the final free practice session in dry conditions; snatching the top spot on his final lap of free practice three.

Earlier in the session Christian Iddon had been the early pace setter but soon Leon Haslam had forged ahead on the JG Speedfit Kawasaki. It was a tough free practice three for Honda Racing’s Dan Linfoot who had initially experienced an issue before crashing out unhurt at Farm later in the session.

A hectic final ten minutes of the session saw the rider change multiple times at the top of the timesheets with James Ellison and McAMS Yamaha holding P1 just before the chequered flag, but with several riders improving their times on the final lap, it all changed in the final 60 seconds.

John Hopkins had moved up the order for Moto Rapido Ducati, but he ended up fifth as Ellison moved ahead. Peter Hickman then went to the top of the times for the Smiths Racing BMW, only to be displaced seconds later by Jake Dixon who went top for the RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki squad.

However the final result went the way of Brookes as the 2015 champion pushed into the leading spot for the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team with the fastest lap of the session ahead of fellow Showdown six contenders Dixon, Hickman and Ellison.

Hopkins completed the top five ahead of Glenn Irwin on the leading Be Wiser Ducati with Sylvain Guintoli having a strong second in seventh place. Andy Reid led the Tyco BMW charge in eighth place ahead of Haslam with Iddon completing the top ten to push Luke Mossey to eleventh.

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne was twelfth fastest, narrowly ahead of Jason O'Halloran ahead of today’s opening race.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Silverstone, Free Practice three:

1. Josh Brookes (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) 2m:06.160s
   
2. Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki) +0.175s
   
3. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +0.350s
   
4. James Ellison (McAMS Yamaha) +0.469s
   
5. John Hopkins (Moto Rapido Ducati) +0.693s
   
6. Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.803s
   
7. Sylvain Guintoli (Bennetts Suzuki) +0.887s
   
8. Andy Reid (Tyco BMW) +0.946s
   
9. Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.975s
   
10. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +1.129s