Tommy Hill extended his lead in the early season chase for the MCE Insurance British Superbike crown with a first race win but in this second round at Thruxton Josh Brookes emerged as a real contender for honours as he enjoyed his maiden victory in the series.

In the opening race at the Hampshire circuit, HM Plant Honda rider Brookes had the edge over Hill until the penultimate lap when the decisive move came on the fast approach to the Club Chicane.

Hill nosed his Worx Crescent Suzuki into the lead, and headed off Brookes by 0.818secs to complete his second victory of the season, and afterwards he reflected: “It was a case of having a chance and taking it. I decided to go for it, everyone was moving around, sliding a bit, then the opportunity came. I made the move and pushed on to take the race.”

It was the perfect ending to a bitter-sweet weekend for Hill who had taken a bruising in a heavy tumble in practice, then bounced back to claim pole start at record pace. “It certainly feels good to be ahead in the points. The team have done a top job for me again.”

Yukio Kagayama enjoyed his first podium finish in that race, relegating Swan Honda’s Stuart Easton, who had led the first half of the race, into fourth place ahead of the RidersMotorcycles.com Ducati duo of Michael Rutter and Martin Jessop who was rewarded for his race pace with pole start for the second race.

Brookes also improved his starting slot, securing a front row start, and he made good use of that, powering clear, and then dictating terms from the front as Hill tried everything he knew to reel him in.

There was only 0.391secs between them as they crossed the finish line, but for Brookes it was maiden race winning glory in the championship. “It feels pretty good – I’ve waited a long time for this. The bike has been good all weekend and I was able to lead all of the way.

“I could feel Tommy breathing down my neck but I knew that I didn’t make any mistakes, then the race was mine. I always knew that I was capable of doing this, and now I have the trophy to prove it,” added Brookes, the first Australian to win in BSB since Troy Bayliss back in 1999.

Easton took third place ahead of Ryuichi Kiyonari who had fought back from running wide at the Complex. Jessop took fifth from John Laverty and Rutter.

Hill now leads Brookes 90-56 in the standings with Easton 50-41 up on his hospitalised team-mate James Ellison who has undergone surgery to have the right femur broken in a heavy crash in practice on Saturday pinned.

In the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class David Anthony completed a winning double on the MIST Suzuki with Gary Johnson, on the AIM Suzuki, chasing him home in each race. Hudson Kennaugh finished third in the opener for MAR Kawasaki, with Craig Fitzpatrick taking the final podium finish on the Close Print Finance Honda next time out.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton
race one result:
Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 25m 27.870s
Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) +0.818s
Yukio Kagayama (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +1.185s
Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +1.510s
Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +5.670s
Martin Jessopp (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +7.490s
John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +9.154s
Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +9.300s
Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +9.493s
Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +17.014s

race two result:
Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) 25m 23.986s
Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) +0.391s
Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) +17.112s
Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) +7.146s
Martin Jessopp (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +7.263s
Michael Laverty (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +7.789s
Michael Rutter (Ridersmotorcycles.com Ducati) +8.241s
John Laverty (Buildbase Kawasaki) +10.378s
Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) +12.218s
Gary Mason (MSS Colchester Kawasaki) +12.240s

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Hill (Worx Crescent Suzuki) 90
Josh Brookes (HM Plant Honda) 56
Stuart Easton (Swan Honda) 50
James Ellison (Swan Honda) 41
Alastair Seeley (Relentless Suzuki by TAS) 40

Next round
1/2/3 May – Oulton Park