Leon Haslam beat the rain showers to eclipse his title rival Ryuichi Kiyonari by a split second in opening practice ahead of the final round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch, while current champion and series leader Gregorio Lavilla ran sixth fastest, but little more than half a second down.

The three riders are separated by just nine points as they go into the final two races of the campaign, each of which carry double points, a factor that increases the pressure on the riders, and leaves them knowing that winning is crucial to their title hopes.

“Each of us want to try and win the first race, there are no other tactics,” said Lavilla, who celebrated is 33 ^rd birthday at the circuit. “I don't like getting old, but I am happy enough doing my job although this weather is not so nice. It has been important during practice not to make any mistakes.

“Without doubt these will be the most difficult races of the season. Make a mistake and lose the championship,” added the Spanish rider who clinched his title with a victory in the first of the two races of the corresponding round last year.

The win in the second of those races was taken by Haslam, the 23 year old Derbyshire rider who shrugs aside his nine point deficit on Lavilla as he bids for the first major crown of his career: “With double points, I have just to finish ahead of Greg and Kiyo to win the title.

“It will be close racing, with the title coming down to the last lap of the last race - if I'm going to win the title, it would be nice to do it here with a double. I'm fighting for the title, for me, for the team, and for the British fans.”

Haslam showed that determination in the second session as he set the pace, putting in a best lap of 1m 33.963secs, 88.15mph around the 2.3009 mile Grand Prix circuit, trimming some five seconds off his best time in a problematic morning session. “I'm happy enough now, and enjoy riding this circuit.”

In that first session, Kiyonari had taken a tumble, high-siding off his HM Plant Honda at Sheene Curve, but he was quickly back on track and posting a highly competitive lap on a drying track, with a time of 1m 34.003secs, the best of the morning.

Jonathan Rea, riding the Red Bull Honda, stormed into third place on the combined time sheets with a superb lap in the closing seconds of the afternoon session in which he clocked an 87.94mph lap, in a time of 1m 34.186secs, some 0.15secs up on Rizla Suzuki's former champion Shane Byrne.

Karl Harris, riding consistently in both sessions, ran in 1m 34.404secs to be fifth best, just ahead of Lavilla who was working hard on the setting of his Airwaves bike and lapping in 1m 34.506secs.

James Haydon, Rizla Suzuki; Billy McConnell and Tommy Hill aboard the Virgin Mobile Yamahas; and Michael Rutter on the Stobart Motorsport Honda completed the top ten.

Aussie David Johnson, riding the STP Kawasaki, set the pace in the British Superbike Cup category with a best lap of 1m 40.313secs, half a second up on PR Branson Honda's newly crowned champion Chris Martin, with Marshall Neill and Michael Howarth also on the pace.

ends