Josh Brookes moved to the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship Free Practice times at Brands Hatch in the closing moments of the opening session to lead the charge for FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team.
Brookes edged ahead of Jason O'Halloran on the McAMS Yamaha by just 0.120s in the final two minutes of the session, displacing him from the top in less than a minute as the Australian contenders locked out the top two positions.
Championship leader Tommy Bridewell posted the third fastest time on the BeerMonster Ducati after leading the session until the closing five minutes, when his BMW and Yamaha rivals moved ahead.
LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha were formation flying in fourth and fifth with Ryan Vickers and Kyle Ryde respectively, just ahead of Glenn Irwin on the second of the BeerMonster Ducatis.
Lee Jackson elevated himself to seventh, moving ahead of Danny Kent on the Lovell Kent Racing Honda and Christian Iddon, who had been holding a top three position earlier in the session before a red flag to retrieve Liam Delves’ stricken TAG Racing Honda after a crash at Sheene Curve.
Charlie Nesbitt completed the top ten as the second rider to crash out in the session; the MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing rider tipped off at Graham Hill Bend in the final three minutes unhurt.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Free Practice 1:
- Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 1m25.946s
- Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.120s
- Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.267s
- Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.308s
- Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.314s
- Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.328s
- Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +0.392s
- Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda) +0.464s
- Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +0.469s
- Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +0.547s
For full session times please click here.