Brookes wins opening BSB Showdown clash as Laverty lands podium finish

Josh Brookes won the opening race of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship Showdown to extend his advantage to 14 points in the overall standings ahead of Sunday afternoon's second clash.

The Milwaukee Yamaha rider lead the pack off the pole position from James Ellison and Shane 'Shakey' Byrne with John Hopkins tucked in behind onboard the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati.

The pack were jostling to move ahead and Byrne was the first to have a moment into the Chicane and it gave Hopkins the opportunity he needed to move ahead. A lap later though the PBM Kawasaki retaliated to reclaim third position, but the pair also had Michael Laverty for company and the Tyco BMW rider bided his time and then on the thirteenth lap he passed both Hopkins and Byrne with two decisive moves to move into third.

Brookes had broken away at the front from Ellison but the battle for the final podium position then became a five-way scrap between Laverty, Byrne, Hopkins, Christian Iddon and Richard Cooper.

Byrne and Hopkins traded blows in the closing stages and then the defending champion had his sights set on Laverty. A last lap move at the Chicane put him narrowly ahead but Laverty carved his way back on the exit to hold the position.

Hopkins held fifth position to score the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati team their best result of the season from Cooper and Iddon who made it five manufacturers inside the top ten.

Tommy Bridewell moved to eighth on the second of the Tyco BMW's but now drops below his team-mate Laverty in the overall standings whilst Peter Hickman and Danny Buchan completed the top ten.

Dan Linfoot was the sixth of the Title Fighters in fourteenth place for Honda Racing.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Assen, race one result:1.Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha)2.James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +6.757s3.Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +8.425s4.Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) +8.811s5.John Hopkins (Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati) +10.071s6.Richard Copper (Buildbase BMW) +13.145s7.Christian Iddon (Bennetts Suzuki) +16.901s8.Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) +18.118s9.Peter Hickman (RAF Reserves BMW) +21.541s10.Danny Buchan (Be Wiser Kawasaki) +22.533s

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings after Assen race one:1.Josh Brookes (Milwaukee Yamaha) 5782.Shane Byrne (PBM Kawasaki) 5643.James Ellison (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 5424.Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) 5165.Tommy Bridewell (Tyco BMW) 5156.Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) 509

The MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship visits Silverstone Circuit for the penultimate round of the Showdown and 2015 season. 


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