Full BSB FP1 results at Brands Hatch

Joe Francis has used his last lap in drying conditions to be a sur🉐prise topper of the opening practice session at the Bennetts British Superbike championship finale at Brands Hatch.

The PR Racing Lloyd & Jones BMW rider has often impr🔯🃏essed in wet and mixed conditions this year and with rain threatening throughout FP1 following heavy thunderstorms overnight Francis duly produced a 1m 35.483s on a slippery surface to top the session.

That lap saw Francis beat Peter Hickman’s own final lap effort by 🍃just under two-tenths of the second to push the Smiths Racing BMW rider into second place as he looks to end his BSB campaign on a high despite being mathematically ruled out of the title showdown.

With Quattro Plant J👍G Speedfit Kawasaki’s Ben Curries surging up to third place late on, Josh Brookes led the BSB title contenders with fourth place on the Be Wiser Ducati.

Needing to overturn a 28-point deficit to team-mate Scott Redding to win the title, Brookes saw Honda’s Andrew Irwin and McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran split him to the ex-MotoGP rider who claimed seventh place on the💮 FP1 times.

Fellow BSB Showdown member Tarran Mackenzie, who is also out of title contention, claimed eighth place for McAMS Yamaha ahead of Racedays Yamaha’s Matt🦩 Truelove an🌳d CDH Racing Kawasaki’s Josh Owens.

That left final BSB title fighter Tommy Bridewell in 11^th place in FP1 for Oxford Racing Ducati.

The opening practice session was brieflyไ suspended by a red flag after Dan Linfoot suffered a suspected engine issue with his Santander Salt TAG Yamaha.