Samsung Honda's Alex Lowes headed off his MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship rivals in the opening free practice session as he topped the times at Thruxton this morning.

Lowes had set the pace early in the session, before he was displaced by Padgetts Honda's Jakub Smrz who had an impressive start to his first outing at the Hampshire circuit. He ended the session third fastest as he was nudged to third in the final minutes by Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki's Keith Farmer whilst his team-mate Shane 'Shakey' Byrne was fifth.

Tyco Suzuki's Josh Brookes was fourth with James Westmoreland on the Buildbase BMW clocking the sixth fastest time. The lone Lloyds British GBmoto Honda of Peter Hickman was seventh ahead of the Milwaukee Yamaha pairing of James Ellison and Josh Waters. Bathams Honda's Michael Rutter completed the top ten.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Thruxton, free practice one:

Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 1m:21.626s
Keith Farmer (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +0.685s
Jakub Smrz (Padgetts Honda) +1.006
Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +1.090s
Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +1.167s
James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +1.571s
Peter Hickman (Lloyds British GBmoto Honda) +1.898s
James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) +1.993s
Josh Waters (Milwaukee Yamaha) +2.143s
Michael Rutter (Bathams Honda) +2.465s

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