Crash strewn Silverstone.

The first race at round nine of the Bennetts British Superbike at Silverstone in Northants was one of the most spectacular for crashes so far this season.

The race had to be red flagged with just four laps completed under fabulous blue skies at the British race venue, and Gregorio Lavilla went on to win the restarted race which saw a depleted grid due to the earlier incidents.

Sean Emmett was hoping for a successful return to racing after being out through injury, however he didn't complete a full lap of the initial race. Emmett's Virgin Yamaha bumped into Scott Smart on the Vivaldi Kawasaki towards the end of lap one taking them both down. Smart has sustained a badly broken collar bone which won't allow him to race for a few weeks. Emmett hasn't broken anything, but has hurt his foot and is feeling sore.

The next man to fall was Michael Laverty on lap four, he parted company with his Stobart Honda at Cospe which started off a chain of events that led to two other fallers and the red flags to come out.

Fluid from Laverty's machine caused Karl Harris and Ben Bostrom to crash out, unfortunately for Laverty as he was getting out of the way, Karl Harris'Uk Honda Racing machine hit him. The young Irish rider has been left feeling rather battered and won't be out in race two. Bostrom will also miss race two due to a broken toe.

Harris being made of sturdy stuff was fine and able to take part in the re-start, and finish just shy of the podium with a fine fourth place.

John McGuinness on his first outing on the Vitrans Honda team had his race day cut short with a crash in the restarted race one that has left him with a dislocated shoulder, which may rule the road race veteran out of Cadwell Park next weekend.