Michael Laverty looked set to end the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship official test at Silverstone on top, but in a dramatic final minute of the session Leon Haslam edged marginally ahead with the fastest time of the day by 0.122s.

The final session of the day was a battle for honours at the top of the times and Christian Iddon, Haslam, Danny Buchan, John Hopkins and Dan Linfoot all had a spell at the top but Laverty held the leading position into the final five minutes.

Haslam was on the attack in the closing seconds though and the 'Pocket Rocket' stole the leading position on his final lap, as he now looks ahead to his MCE BSB race return next weekend April 8/9/10.

Haslam said: 

"Today has gone really well; for me to come to Silverstone one week before the first race was a big test of where we are at, and how what we have tested in Spain works now we are back in the colder conditions. So far we have evaluated two more things that we needed to do and we have had a good race run. It seems to all be going to plan, we want to keep pushing and improving but I am leaving here really happy with how the JG Speedfit Kawasaki team have worked together here."

Filip Backlund pushed for a flying lap on the Quattro Plant Cool Kawasaki, forcing his way up the order to third place just ahead of Iddon, who was pushed back to fourth place on the second of the Tyco BMWs.

Danny Buchan had sat out the first session, but the Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati fought back with a vengeance to move fifth on the combined times and Dan Linfoot who was the fastest of the Honda Racing trio.

Shane 'Shakey' Byrne was seventh fastest on the Be Wiser Ducati ahead of ePayMe Yamaha's John Hopkins with Richard Cooper and Jason O'Halloran completing the top ten, covered by just 0.844s.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Silverstone, official test combined result:

Leon Haslam (JG Speedfit Kawasaki) 2m:06.182s
Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) +0.122s
Filip Backlund (Quattro Plant Cool Kawasaki) +0.223s
Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.233s
Danny Buchan (Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati) +0.392s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +0.481s
Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.642s
John Hopkins (ePayMe Yamaha) +0.762s
Richard Cooper (Buildbase BMW) +0.790s
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) +0.844s