After missing out on the top spot at Silverstone in the final minute of the test earlier in the week, Michael Laverty ended the final session at Donington Park by setting the pace, stealing the position from Shane 'Shakey' Byrne in the closing seconds of the day.

Byrne had been the fastest rider moving into the final session, but Laverty was attacking and with his last lap he fired the Tyco BMW to the top of the times ahead of the opening round of the season at Silverstone next weekend (April 8/9/10).

Laverty said: 

"It feels good to end the test fastest as it is a bit of bragging rights before the first round if nothing else. We are in a really good position and my one off lap isn't my strength at the moment, so to have done the times we have consistently is great as I don't feel we have maximised the potential at all yet.

"The continuity of staying with the Tyco BMW team for this year has put me in this position and I genuinely feel that we are the strongest out there at the moment, both over short stints and the longer distance. I knew that we would be able to pick up where we left off at the end of last year and we will keep going as we know that everyone else will keep improving too. I definitely have a much better feeling now than I did at the start of last season."

Byrne had split the Tyco BMW team-mates as Christian Iddon held third place on combined times as he proved he has got to grips with his new machine to push Luke Mossey into fourth place on the Quattro Plant Cool Kawasaki.

The Honda pairing of Jason O'Halloran and Dan Linfoot have been evenly matched all day, but when it came down to the final times it was the Australian who emerged ahead as the pair forced their way in front of Ryuichi Kiyonari on the leading Bennetts Suzuki.

Glenn Irwin had an impressive performance ahead of his rookie campaign in eighth place on the second Be Wiser Ducati with Alastair Seeley and Danny Buchan completing the top ten for the Royal Air Force and Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati teams respectively.

MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, Official test, Donington Park, combined times:

Michael Laverty (Tyco BMW) 1m:29.298s
Shane Byrne (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.044s
Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +0.630s
Luke Mossey (Quattro Plant Teccare Kawasaki) +0.634s
Jason O'Halloran (Honda Racing) +0.669s
Dan Linfoot (Honda Racing) +0.733s
Ryuichi Kiyonari (Bennetts Suzuki) +0.864s
Glenn Irwin (Be Wiser Ducati) +1.007s
Alastair Seeley (Royal Air Force BMW) +1.069s
Danny Buchan (Lloyds British Moto Rapido Ducati) +1.121s