They don’t call the British Superbike showdown for nothing, and it became a final showdown between Tommy Hill and John Hopkins in yesterday’s final round of the season in the triple header at Brands Hatch, where Swan Yamaha’s Tommy Hill became the new British Superbike champion by 0.006s and two points.

In Saturday’s Race 1 it was Michael Laverty standing tall in first place and taking his third win of the season, while Josh Brookes took second and John Hopkins edged out his closest rival for the title in a stunning duel to the finish line to take third.

With his third place in race 1 Hopkins was still leading in the championship standings going into race 2 on Sunday. The race was won by a dominating Shane Byrne, while Hill grabbed fourth, as Hopkins suffered some sort of technical glitch on lap 1. The Anglo American rider managed to overcome the problem, but he was already behind the field, but the race had high attrition, he managed to fight back to take 12th.

Going into race 3, Hopkins had dropped 9 points in the standings lead and was leading only by two. Shane Byrne again won the race, but it became a dog fight between Hill and Hopkins in the final lap, that produced one of the best races of the season which would see the two cross over the finish line side by side, only for Hill to win the title in a photo finish by 0.006s.

Race 1 and Race 2 highlight videos, with quotes from Hill and Hopkins and final championship standings after the jump.

Continue reading: Tommy Hill is the 2011 British Superbike champion by 0.006s (w/videos)

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