Milwaukee Yamaha’s Josh Brookes has attributed his double MCE British Superbike win at Brands Hatch to continued improvements to his R1 - some of which he has carried out himself.

The Australian was untouchable in race two yesterday but said that he hadn’t got any better in between races, the bike had. Brookes has been up to the team’s Guisborough headquarters to made modifications to the fuel tank in order to get more weight over the front and it paid off at Brands as the wheelie problem he suffered at Knockhill was reduced.

“We have got this far into the season and not been able to win one, then we do two on one day, it’s a pretty awesome feeling. It’s a team effort, the guys have worked hard to make the bike better each round. It has been a little slow and frustrating as a rider but now the bike is where it can win, which is so rewarding,” said Brookes, speaking at the track.

“I didn’t improve from the previous round, the bike did. It has given me the ability to ride with confidence. The team made a small change before race one and after the first couple of laps I thought that it wasn’t the right thing but after four laps it settled.

“Byrne had got to the front and wasn’t riding like he was injured, which I had hoped to capitalise on, but then the bike started to feel better than it did in race one. I watched him for a while and couldn’t see a passing place but then one opened up.”

Brookes has narrowed the gap at the top of the championship standings to just five points after leader Byrne crashed out of race one. The pair have a comfortable buffer of more than 50 points back to James Ellison in third place.