GUISBOROUGH-based Swan Honda returned to the top step of the podium at Oulton Park as Stuart Easton took the opening victory of the day at the third round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.

Easton took a lightning start off the line to lead the pack into Old Hall on the opening lap and, despite coming under pressure from championship leader Tommy Hill on the Worx Crescent Suzuki, he was able to maintain the advantage to the finish.

It was a challenging second race for the team though as Easton struggled in the opening laps and believing he had an issue with his rear tyre he pitted before rejoining the race.

The problem reoccurred when Easton went back out on track and he was forced to retire, however the impressive performance in the opening race has elevated him to second in the overall championship standings.

Easton said: “The whole weekend we have been up there on top, apart from qualifying where we were second so I felt that we would be able to challenge for both race wins.

“In the first race we had edged out a lead and there was nothing really between us, so I just kept fighting and was able to hold on.

“In the second race it didn’t really work out as we had hoped. I thought that I had a problem with the rear tyre so I came in to the garage, but we later found out it was just a setting that didn’t work out with the electronics.

“It was disappointing as it had worked in the first race, but we really went into the second one blind as we had only had a handful of laps to practice in the wet.’’

■ Warren Hughes and teammate Jamie Campbell-Walter took a dramatic victory in the second round of the FIA GT 1 World Championship at Silverstone at the weekend in their Sumo Power prepared Nissan GT-R.