Editorial Note: American James Rispoli, riding his Everquip Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, was 14th-fastest overall in British Supersport/GP2 Cup Free Practice Two at Brands Hatch with a lap time of 1:29.628. Jack Kennedy led the session with a 1:27.959 on his Integro Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.

Irwin leads Dixon by 0.007s at Brands Hatch as the countdown to race one continues

Glenn Irwin hit the top of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship free practice times at Brands Hatch this afternoon, holding off local contender Jake Dixon by just 0.007s ahead of tomorrow’s crucial opening race.

Irwin had upped the pace in the afternoon session to push to the top of the times for Be Wiser Ducati with Dixon edging into second place in the closing minutes of the 45 minute session to put him ahead of championship leader Leon Haslam in sixth.

Josh Brookes had another strong performance to finish third fastest on the McAMS Yamaha as the Australian bids to replicate his victories from earlier in the season on the Grand Prix circuit. The 2015 champion pushed Christian Iddon back into fourth place ahead of Peter Hickman, who had topped the opening session.

Haslam held sixth as he bids to seal the British title as racing gets underway tomorrow at the Kent circuit with Richard Cooper leading the Buildbase Suzuki charge in seventh ahead of Gino Rea and Tarran Mackenzie, who crashed out unhurt at Surtees. James Ellison completed the top ten for the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Free Practice 1:

1.Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) 1m:25.717s

2.Josh Brookes (McAMS Yamaha) +0.067s

3.Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki) +0.068s

4.Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.085s

5.Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.209s

6.Richard Cooper (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.345s

7.Andrew Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.573s

8.Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.693s

9.Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +0.720s

10.James Ellison (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) +0.750s

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Free Practice 2 result:

1.Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) 1m:25.233s

2.Jake Dixon (RAF Regular & Reserves Kawasaki) +0.007s

3.Josh Brookes (McAMS Yamaha) +0.096s

4.Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.110s

5.Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +0.333s

6.Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) +0.399s

7.Richard Cooper (Buildbase Suzuki) +0.403s

8.Gino Rea (OMG Suzuki) +0.500s

9.Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +0.507s

10.James Ellison (Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha) +0.573s

The final round of the 2018 Bennetts British Superbike Championship take place at Brands Hatch. For more information visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Glenn Irwin

(Be Wiser Ducati)

“I am happy but not happy! I came in P1 and I was a bit frustrated as we aren’t fast enough, so we need to work on that. We gathered a lot of information and it is obviously good to end the day in P1 as that is what you always set out to achieve.

“In the first session we lost 39 minutes as we had something different which didn’t work and then we went out in the second session and I did a good time on a harder tyre and then went fastest with the soft tyre at the end. I didn’t go as fast as we could but I think we will see super fast times tomorrow ready for race one.”