Tommy Hill was crowned British Superbike champion after overcoming title rival John Hopkins on an epic last lap.
Hopkins loses out after furious last lap battle at Brands Hatch
Tommy Hill was crowned British Superbike champion after overcoming title rival John Hopkins on an epic last lap in the final round of the season at Brands Hatch.
Hill had gone into the final race with a two-point deficit to the American and knew he had to finish ahead of the former MotoGP man to lift the title he was cruelly denied by a crash last year.
Samsung Suzuki rider Hopkins was on course to take the crown as he ran in third place - ahead of Hill - with four laps to go.
But the Swan Yamaha rider did not give up and swept past Hopkins at Hawthorn Bend before taking second place on the penultimate lap from James Ellison.
Hopkins also dispatched Ellison to set up an enthralling final-lap showdown, which saw the two trade places an incredible five times before Hill prevailed on the dash to the line to win by 0.006secs.
"Magic, absolutely unbelievable," said Hill, who with 647 points finished just two clear of Hopkins.
"I didn't know that I had beaten him until I saw the reaction of the crowd.
"Winning the title means everything to me - I just got into the rhythm and rode as hard as I could so to come out on top like this is just so special."
The race was won by Shane Byrne for HM Plant Honda, his second win of the afternoon after Hill had finished fourth and Hopkins 12th after an electrical problem in race one.
Byrne's winning double took him to third place in the final standings.
