Double podium man Jake Dixon has admitted he could have had the win in today’s second Superbike race had it not been for a ‘dirty move’ by Leon Haslam.

After settling into a two-horse battle for victory with the championship leader in the closing laps, the RAF Regular and Reserves Kawasaki rider tried to take advantage of a door left open by his main title rival.

But while on the brakes at Park corner, Dixon was forced to take evasive action after Haslam’s trademark protruding leg came out, leaving the points runner-up in the grass and Haslam to take an easy win.

Dixon managed to get back on track just behind Brad Ray and salvage podium credits in third, but revealed he was decisively unhappy with Haslam’s manoeuvre.

“At 170mph, your leg shouldn’t be that far out,” he told Bikesport News. “I got beside him and he sticks his leg out, so of course I’m going to let off the brakes and try to avoid it.

“At the end of the day if I hit him I’ll either break his leg or rip him off the bike, and I don’t want to see that happen to another rider or put myself in danger.

“If I didn’t have to let off the brake I could have stopped the bike. But what can you do or say? I think if it wasn’t for him sticking his leg out I would’ve won the race.

“It was just a dirty move.”

Having secured his Showdown spot with his race two runner-up finish, Dixon says he’s going to the next round at Silverstone understanding his main championship contender’s riding strategy.

“I know the way that he plays now. There’s dirty riding and there’s safe but hard riding. I’m just going to go to Silverstone and have some fun.”