Motourage

Relentless Suzuki by TAS Racing will head to Spain for the opening test of the year at Cartagena on March 3-6 with riders flying in from Northern Ireland, England and Australia.

Alastair Seeley, now in his third full season with the team, is no stranger to Relentless Suzuki’s pre-season testing program and Guy Martin is well settled after a pre-Christmas test on the team’s GSX-R1000 Superbike. Australian Josh Brookes, the team’s sole representative in this season’s British Superbike Championship, has been riding a ‘tricked-up’ GSX-R1000 in Australia, sent out to him by the team in November – letting him learn the characteristics of the Suzuki before he makes the long journey to Europe next week.

Josh Brookes:
“After riding different machinery for so long, I’m surprised just how quick the Suzuki felt so natural to me; I did feel at home on it straight away. Yes it is technically a street bike, but it gave me the chance to set up things like footrest and handlebar positioning before Spain. I’m more driven than I have ever been for a season – after a spending time at home doing different activities every day to keep myself focused – and I’ve never been so fit.

“I’m now looking forward to meeting all the guys in my new team and getting to know them before the season starts. I hear quite a few of them are into Mountain Biking and Motocross so that should be fun; we can have a laugh and hang out together.

“I’ll be in the Fox Sport TV studio this weekend in Sydney and I’m on the commentary team for the World Superbike races at Phillip Island, which gives me a chance to tell everyone what I’m doing this season and give them some information on the team before I leave for Spain on Monday.”

Philip Neill, Team Manager:
“I think everyone in the team is looking forward to getting stuck in this season, and it will be nice to have all the guys out in Spain together. Josh is pleased with what he’s achieved at home in Australia on the GSX-R1000. He had suspension and different bits and pieces sent out also, so it’s given him a base-setting and a head start before he jumps on the Superbike proper.”

Relentless by TAS Suzuki is delighted to announce Josh Brookes as their first major signing for the 2011 British Superbike Championship, with the Australian set to make his first appearance in their distinctive black and white livery at a European test in early December.

The 27-year-old New South Wales rider finished this season’s British Superbike Championship in second place overall, amassing five victories from 13 podiums, but will be looking to go one better in Relentless by TAS Suzuki colors in 2011. Brookes is currently at home in Australia preparing for the 2011 BSB campaign but is delighted to have secured his Relentless by TAS Suzuki deal for a full-on assault on next season’s Championship.

Josh Brookes:
“I’m really excited about the whole project to be honest. I obviously know the strength of the GSX-R1000 Superbike having raced alongside the guys this season in BSB, so once Philip discussed his ideas with me, I was keen to go in the Suzuki direction straight away. Everything has come together very easy and the whole thing feels really good to me. I’m also looking forward to basing myself in Northern Ireland for next season as I know the boys have a top working environment over there. I just want to do my training, get fit and focus on my racing. I’m confident I can do that with Relentless by TAS Suzuki and the end product will hopefully be the Championship.”

Philip Neill – Team Manager:
“Even though he was my undisputed number-one choice for next season I didn’t think Josh would become available, so to say I’m excited to have secured his signature would be a bit of an understatement. I’ve admired him as a rider ever since I first watched him race and as an ex-motocross man like myself, I found it very easy to relate to him when we entered into our discussions. It has all come together very well and pretty much along the same lines as the Guy Martin deal. That’s the way I like to do business. I’m also pleased that he has decided to base himself in Northern Ireland next year close to our workshop. This will give the whole team a better chance to get to know him and I’m sure he’ll enjoy the Northern Ireland way of life.”

Honda (UK) and the HM Plant Honda team have announced their continued commitment to the British Superbike Championship, Isle of Man TT and North West 200 road races for 2010.

The duo of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Josh Brookes will compete on the CBR1000RR in the British Superbike class, with the 2009 British Supersport Champion, Steve Plater, moving to the British Superstock Championship.

Plater, the 2009 Senior TT Winner, will also line up on the TT and NW200 grids alongside 15-times TT legend John McGuinness, for a second season.

Building on their long-term relationship since 2004, Honda (UK) Racing and HM Plant will be looking to continue their successful partnership and performance for the seventh consecutive year, in what is considered the strongest domestic motorcycle racing championship in the world.

Steve Martindale, General Manager of Honda (UK) Motorcycles:
“I’m pleased to confirm Honda’s commitment to the British Superbike Championship for 2010 and also the team’s continued relationship with HM Plant. The British Superbike Championship is very strong and the high standard of rider talent and racing can be seen at every round.”

John Jones, HM Plant Chairman:
“We have been delighted with our relationship with Honda and the exposure achieved from the HM Plant Honda team partnership over the last six years and look forward to that continuing with some great and exciting racing in 2010.”

Honda (UK) Racing will also continue its long-standing relationship and support of Clive Padgett’s Honda squad in 2010. Former HM Plant Honda BSB racer Glen Richards will compete in both the Superstock and Supersport classes, with John McGuinness alongside Glen in the Superstock Championship and Ian Hutchinson also in the Supersport series on the CBR600RR.

Honda (UK) Racing has a long and successful history in both British and world motorcycle racing championships, taking the World Superbike Championship title in 1997, 2000 and 2002 before wrapping up the British Superbike title in 2006 and 2007 as HM Plant Honda with Ryuichi Kiyonari. The team has also won many other events, including British Supersport titles with Karl Harris and many North West 200 and Isle of Man races, most notably with TT legend John McGuinness.

The British Superbike Championship is the most hard-fought domestic motorcycle racing championship in the world, attracting sponsors and riders from across the globe. The championship’s profile has risen over the last few seasons as television ratings and attendance at the tracks have increased.

Ryuichi Kiyonari

HM Plant Honda’s Josh Brookes will be back in the seat of his CBR1000RR Superbike at this weekend’s 10th round of the British Superbike Championship at Croft, paired with the former HM Plant Honda double BSB Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari who is making a sensational return to the championship just for this weekend.

The 26-year-old Japanese rider will ride for the HM Plant Honda team, with whom he won the title in 2006 and 2007, in place of the injured Glen Richards who is still recovering from a broken leg.

Kiyo has been racing for multiple world champions Ten Kate Honda, in the World Superbike Championship for the past two seasons, and the ride is a one-off as Glen is expected to return to the Honda squad at the following round at Silverstone,

The former MotoGP rider has an impressive pedigree at the 2.125-mile North Yorkshire track, the home round for Honda team sponsor, HM Plant, winning four times – once in each of 2005 and 2006 and then taking the double ahead of his teammate Jonathan Rea in 2007.

Commenting on his forthcoming BSB outing, Kiyo said, “I’m really excited to be riding for the HM Plant Honda team again. I’m also very happy to race in BSB and especially at Croft. I love this circuit and won both races when I last raced there in 2007.”

Having missed two rounds of the championship due to injury and also a penalty at Mallory Park, Josh Brookes is fired up to get back and make the most of the remaining three rounds of the season. Josh commented, “I’m totally fired up and ready to go. I had a day riding a standard road bike around Croft last week to learn the circuit which will help me a lot this coming weekend. Before going there I had it in my mind that I wouldn’t like the track, but having now ridden it I really like it and the flowing nature, so can’t wait for the event now to get back into my stride and put me and HM Plant Honda ‘Blade back up with the front runners.”

Team-mate Glen, who was due to return to his seat at Croft, commented, “I rode a lot of laps of Croft last week with Josh on a standard road bike and whilst I could ride round there all day, I really don’t feel my leg is fit to race yet so it would be foolish to come back too soon and risk further injury, but I’ll certainly be back at Silverstone.”

World Superbike racer and fellow Aussie Karl Muggeridge stood in for Glen at the previous two rounds of Brands Hatch and Cadwell Park, but the HM Plant Honda team didn’t want to stand in the way of Karl’s opportunity to race at this weekend’s Bol D’or endurance race, therefore employing the services of the familiar Kiyo.

Havier Beltran, HM Plant Honda Team Manager said, “We only needed a rider for one race weekend. Kiyo was free, has a great history at Croft and also knows the Honda Fireblade Superbike well, so he was the perfect choice. Kiyo is also experienced with bike set-up and development so we’ll also be utilising those skills this weekend as well.”