The stakes are high as Gregorio Lavilla and Ryuichi Kiyonari power into the double race finale to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship but there were contrasting fortunes for them in free practice at the demanding Brands Hatch grand prix circuit.

Lavilla, riding the Airwaves Ducati, was consistently on the pace, ending the day second best only to his team-mate, and then by less than a tenth of a second, while hiws HM Plant Honda rival was feeling battered and bruised after high-siding spectacularly at Clearways during the morning session.

The Japanese rider, who starts the races with a 13 points deficit on Lavilla, was soon back on track again, but had to settle for eighth place on the leaderboard, almost a full second down on his title rival.

In the confidence stakes, Lavilla is well ahead. “I know the circuit well and enjoy riding it - the bike is performing well, although there is still a little work to do to have it at 100%. I am in a strong position and will be trying very hard to take the title now.”

If he succeeds, it will be the third time that the GSE Team, running this time around under the Airwaves banner, have won the British crown, and for Lavilla it will be remarkable in that he began the campaign only as a `stand-in' rider for the team's then injured rider James Haydon.

Lavilla impressed so much in that role that he kept the ride for the rest of the campaign, repaying their faith in him handsomely. “These things happen - I am very happy, you never know what is going to happen next in racing.”

He has still to confirm his future, but Haslam is committed to the team for next season when they will again be racing in Britain, while Kiyonari knows that he has been retained by Honda to race in the championship in 2006.

“I want to win the title - very important for me,” said Kiyonari, who knows that the destiny of the crown is not within his control - he can only go out and win both races, and hope that his Honda team-mates Michael Rutter, third in the rankings, and Karl Harris can pack the placings between him and Lavilla.

It should make for interesting action, with Rutter pledging to help his team-mate, and also to promote his own interests in securing a top ride for next season - he was third fastest on the leaderboard, ahead of Glen Richards, the Hawk Kawasaki rider who took a tumble, without injury towards the end of the session.

Gary Mason, riding the Stobart Honda, set fifth best time, ahead of Honda's Karl Harris and Dean Thomas riding Hawk Kawasaki, with Kiyonari, lapping in a best 1m 27.727 eighth. James Hayden, Rizla Suzuki, and Jeremy McWilliams, riding the Stobart Honda for the first time since the Mondello Park round back in May, completing the top ten.

John Reynolds, the reigning champion, will miss the final action - he crashed heavily at Graham Hill on only his second lap, sustaining multiple rib fractures and a punctured lung and will be hospitalised over the weekend.

ends.