Shane Byrne made sure it was a solid start to the MCE British Superbikes season at Brands Hatch on Sunday afternoon.

He stole the show in race one, leading the race from pole position from pretty much start to finish around the Indy circuit. In race two he was poised for at least second place when a mistake pushed him down to third.

There was a few laps when Josh Brookes did get past the 2012 Champion to lead the opening race, but Shakey was soon back in front after overtaking him coming out of Paddock Hill Bend.

There were a few riders who didn’t manage to complete the race to accidents during the race, with James Westmoreland and Dan Linfoot coming together on lap 29, with Michael Rutter and Karl Harris retiring.

Before the race had even got going as James Ellison was forced to start the warm-up laps from the pit lane as his visor came loose on the grid. After that he took his place on the grid but was given a drive through penalty as he should have then started the race from the back of the grid.

Giving his reaction after the race, Byrne said: “”I had a better start than anticipated and found myself leading the race at the start. At the beginning I might as well had been riding to the shops as I didn’t want to be leading for 30 laps because the circuit is short and then you push harder and you never know what the other guys will have in reserve.

“I cruised about then Josh passed me and that was cool, so I could see what he had. I saw Keith (Farmer) up to third and thought ‘fantastic’ as I knew Josh and Alex would be strong at the end of the race. I upped the pace in the last laps to try and get a bit of a gap and from then on tried to be consistent and it paid off.”

In the second race of the day Shakey started from third place on the grid after he could manage the third fastest lap in the opening race. James Ellison clocked the fastest lap and started race two on pole.

Byrne was quickest off the line as he led going into Paddock Hill Bend, however the lead was to be short lived as pole sitter James Ellison dived up the inside as Byrne ran wide and the Milwaukee Yamaha rider never looked back.

There was drama for fans favourite Shakey with just three laps to go in the race, he attempted an ambitious overtaking move up the inside. However, Ellison realised what his rival was doing and closed the door.

Shakey ended up taking to the grass as he couldn’t slow the bike before the corner. Alex Lowes on his Samsung Honda seized on the mistake by the man on the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki and took second place.

That was how the front three were too finish and it means that Byrne leads the Championship after a solid start to the opening weekend going into the next race at Thruxton next weekend.

Speaking after a more eventful race two the reigning Champion said: “”My strategy at the start was to wait, I got a good start and I slotted in behind James and all credit to him, he rode really well. His pace was really fast and it is hard here to pick a spot to try and make a pass.

“I felt a bit bad as I was going to make a move right at the end, I was thinking about it quite hard and then James had a moment coming out of the bottom bend and I thought ‘right this is my opportunity’ and I got along the inside of him and then about three quarters of the way he started to peel into the corner and I was saying in my head ‘no James, no don’t do it’ and I sat up and clipped his back wheel and had to go straight on. All credit to our teams though as when I was looking left when I had to rejoin there was a gap so we were all fast and strong from the beginning.”

There is no rest for the teams as they head to Thruxton for race weekend two of the BSB’s next weekend.

Race One Result of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, at Brands Hatch, was:

1. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki)
2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) +1.376s
3. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +6.207s
4. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +9.009s
5. Tommy Bridewell (Bathams Honda) +9.326s
6. Keith Farmer (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +13.351s
7. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +13.681s
8. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) +13.814s
9. PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) +16.980s
10. Josh Waters (Milwaukee Yamaha) +20.505s

Race Two Result of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship, at Brands Hatch, was:

1. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha)
2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) +1.997s
3. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +5.904s
4. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) +11.507s
5. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) +15.974s
6. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) +21.280s
7. Karl Harris (PR Racing Kawasaki) +23.038s
8. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) +23.390s
9. James Westmoreland (Buildbase BMW) +30.552s
10. Keith Farmer (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) +30.999s

After Round one of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship the standings after Brands Hatch are:

1. Shane Byrne (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 41
2. Alex Lowes (Samsung Honda) 40
3. Josh Brookes (Tyco Suzuki) 27
4. James Ellison (Milwaukee Yamaha) 25
5. Jon Kirkham (Buildbase BMW) 23
6. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Samsung Honda) 21
7. Chris Walker (Quattro Plant Bournemouth Kawasaki) 17
8. Keith Farmer (Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki) 16
9. PJ Jacobsen (Tyco Suzuki) 11
10. Tommy Bridewell (Bathams Honda) 11