With the season of testing fast approaching for the start of the 2017 British Superbike Championship, most of the rider line up for an arguably even more exciting new season has been confirmed.
Reigning champion and 2017 favourite Shane Byrne stays with the Be Wiser Ducati team as they attempt to secure back to back championships aboard the Ducati Panigale 1299. Haslam stays with Kawasaki but switches to the Bournemouth Kawasaki squad as 2016 runners up, GB Moto, leave the paddock.
The biggest news concerns the return of consistent BSB podium finisher and 2015 champion, Josh Brookes. He joins the Anvil Hire Yamaha team in a late deal which should throw even more action and competition into the title race.
The consistent pairing of Dan Linfoot and Jason O'Halloran return for Honda racing aboard the brand new Honda Fireblade, knowing that they should now have the machinery to match the top teams in the paddock. Also racing a brand new bike for this year are the Bennetts Suzuki squad who welcome back Sylvain Guintoli to the championship alongside Superstock 1000 champion, Taylor Mackenzie aboard the 2017 GSXR 1000.
There will be two more Yamaha R1's on the grid next year as Team Traction Control, backed by Monster Energy and McAms, move up to the BSB stage after performing well in the Supersport class in recent seasons. They have possibly the strongest two-rider line-up in the paddock in former race winners James Ellison and Michael Laverty.
No comments:
Post a Comment