SPAIN’S Gregorio Lavilla took the first two rounds of the British Superbikes Championship on an eventful afternoon at Brands Hatch on Easter Monday.

Lavilla eased through the field to eventually claim the lead from Ashford rider Leon Camier on lap seven of race one.

In race two, he just held onto top spot after the appearance of the safety car following Malcolm Ashley’s heavy fall erased his lead with four laps remaining.

There were mixed fortunes for local riders. Twenty-year-old Camier, making his Superbikes debut with the Bike Animal Honda team, secured two podium finishes, holding onto second in race one and then third in the following race.

Camier actually led from the start of the first race, but was put under intense pressure from former champion Lavilla. The racing was so close the pair banged fairings on the exit of Druids on lap six, and Lavilla eventually made a pass that would stick at Surtees on the following lap.

Sittingbourne’s Shane "Shakey" Byrne, back riding for the Stobart Honda team with whom he won the championship in 2003, passed Chris Walker at Druids on the final lap to claim fourth in race one.

He had moved to fourth in race two, but ran wide at Hawthorn Bend on lap 20 and ran through the gravel. Although he rejoined the race, he ended up 13th.

HM Plant Honda’s Jonathan Rea rode well to match Camier’s second and third places, but teammate and reigning champion Ryuichi Kiyonari had to make do with 8th and 11th places.