Alastair Seeley is ready to regain the Motorpoint British Supersport crown and the Mar-Train Yamaha rider proved that as he came within a split second of the Indy circuit lap record as he set the pace in the opening test session.

Seeley needed his pace as Techcare/Profile Triumph's Luke Stapleford and Smiths Racing Triumph's Graeme Gowland pressed him hard. Stapleford snatched second place on the leaderboard in the closing minutes of the session from Gowland, but it was close, with only 0.086s separating the leading trio.

Seeley said: "We've done the hard work preparing for this weekend in testing. The team has worked hard and so have I, both on and off track, so it's now a matter of getting in amongst the rest and getting stuck in. The Mar-Train Yamaha is a great bike which I knew before I came to the team, but we will take nothing for granted and this weekend is all about solid points - although I'll obviously be gunning for wins if they are there for the taking."

Billy McConnell was closing on his team-mate Gowland to be fourth fastest ahead of the early pace-maker Luke Mossey, who slipped back to fifth. Luke Hedger, graduating into the series on the back of his Pirelli National Superstock 600 title, quickly got in the groove on the Gearlink Kawasaki in sixth place.

Sam Hornsey edged out Taylor Mackenzie to be seventh fastest with Jake Dixon and Glenn Irwin completing the top ten while Sam Coventry, aboard the Road & Racing Performance/Future Moto Kawasaki was the fastest of the Motorpoint British Supersport Evo class riders.

Motorpoint British Supersport Championship, Brands Hatch, test:

1. Alastair Seeley (MarTrain Yamaha) 46.783s
2. Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing Triumph) +0.052s
3. Graeme Gowland (Smiths Triumph Racing Team) +0.086
4. Billy McConnell (Smiths Triumph Racing Team) +0.106
5. Luke Mossey (Techcare/ProfileTriumph) +0.232s



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