MICHAEL Laverty was finally able to set foot on the top step of the podium as he powered his Swan Yamaha to victory in the opening race of today's fourth round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship at Thruxton.

Though Shane 'Shakey' Byrne tightened his grip on the championship with a third in the first race and victory in the second, Northern Irishman Laverty was just glad to get the monkey off his back.

Always near the front in practice and qualifying, Laverty has until now not seen that form translate into points as bad luck and rider error has blighted his title hopes.

However, things changed yesterday when he crossed the line for the Guisborough-based team ahead of Michael Rutter (Rapid Solicitors-Bathams Ducati) and Byrne, who had started 33rd on the grid.

"To get a win today is a weight off my mind now as I had been putting pressure on myself as we have been fast all season and it just hasn't quite come together in the race with bad luck and mistakes," said Laverty. "I had dropped out of the top six in the standings so knew a result here was so important and to be back on the top step of the podium is where we needed to be.  "It was a tough race and the conditions were difficult  so I am well chuffed. These seem to be my conditions as my first win last year came in similar circumstances at Oulton Park."

Team-mate Tommy Hill's tyre gamble did not pay off in the opening race, but he made amends in the second, taking fourth with Laverty seventh.

Hill said: "In the first race we simply made a wrong choice of tyre and it is always difficult in those conditions to make the decision.

"We then had to come in during the race and fire in a wet tyre to get a lap time to give us a better position on the grid for the second race.

"It was gutting as we had been up there throughout free practice and qualifying and I knew we need to push forward and get the points and the podium credits in race two.

"In race two I was just chipping away and just missed out on the podium, but it was good to be moving back up the order.

"We have gone from seventh to fourth in the championship so are inside that important top six now and we want to be winning again soon for Swan Yamaha."

Byrne, who now has a 15-point lead at the top of the standings, was happy with the outcome.

"After the problems of seeing where I was going in the opener I wanted to get out front from the start in the second race and then be able to do my own thing,” he said.

"With the clear track in front of me I was able to be that bit smoother and it worked out really well for me - the track was grippy in the wet and the bike ran perfectly.

“I took no chances, was able to ride my own race, running 11 seconds clear, so I really couldn't have asked for anything more.”

Bishop Auckland's Barry Burrell, riding the Buildbase BMW, took a winning double in the Mirror.co.uk BSB-EVO class finishing ahead of WFR Honda rider Glen Richards in each of the races.