Alastair Seeley and Jack Kennedy rivalry spills over into shoving match after British Supersport race at Brands Hatch

Kennedy appeared to have the race in the bag on the final lap, but Seeley drafted past the Dublin rider on his EHA Racing Yamaha as they sped towards the line, clinching his third victory on the spin by just two hundredths of a second.

The Carrick man now holds a healthy advantage of 35 points in the title race ahead of Sunday’s second race at the Kent circuit.

Seeley, a former British Supersport champion, said: “It was just basically hand signals after the chequered flag. I went into turn one and I felt a kick – somebody had kicked my bike so I was kind of wondering why he was getting on like that.

“I remember back to Silverstone at race one, round one, when there was contact at that race as well, so for some reason he’s getting frustrated and I don’t know what the issue is. It’s a wee bit like last year when I came into the championship because he kind of got annoyed or a bit rattled, but I’ll just do my racing and my thing.

“Some people don’t seem to like it but I’m employed to win the championship and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Kennedy kicked Seeley after the race ended as the pair went into the first corner. The confrontation then continued as they pushed one another and angrily gesticulated at each other.

It seems Kennedy was upset that Seeley squeezed him into the first corner after the race had finished.

In his live television interview afterwards on Eurosport, the Dublin man said: “Racing is dangerous enough without people doing stupid things, but I can only account for myself. From what I gather, the race finishes after the flag but some people don’t think that.”

Kennedy’s Integro Yamaha team-mate, Brad Jones, finished a close third.

The race was run over eight laps after being red-flagged initially due to rain.