Wednesday, January 10 2018

Australia's Josh Brookes will return to the British Superbike Championship this season, joining McAMS Yamaha for his 2018 campaign as he bids to secure a second title after coming to within three points of last year's crown.

Title-winner Brookes and Yamaha have together in recent seasons become synonymous with success in BSB; dominating the 2015 season and delivering the Anvil Hire TAG Yamaha team their strongest campaign to date last year, qualifying for the Showdown for the first time, scoring the squad their first race win and narrowly missing out on title glory.

Brookes will be teamed at McAMS with 2016 British Supersport title-winner Tarran Mackenzie, who will make his much-anticipated debut in the premier class. The 22-year-old stormed to the 2016 Supersport title before joining the McAMS Yamaha team for his title defence. He won the opening six races last season before he was called up to race in the Moto2 World Championship.

Brookes is looking ahead to the new season, his ninth in BSB, and will be working closely with crew chief Stewart Winton, with whom he shared previous BSB successes.

Brookes said: "We did a good job last season with TAG Racing, coming second in the championship, but I know that everyone moves forward and I felt that this was the progression needed. The McAMS Yamaha team has the development from the factory and has connections with the World Superbike team who have improved in certain areas which then filter down to BSB - that will have a big impact on what I can potentially achieve this year. I also have Stewart Winton as my crew chief, so we are working together again for the fourth season. I believe he is a fundamental part of my success.

"I would like to win the championship again and then try and defend a title, as a rider of course I would like to run the number one plate. I am still really motivated and I look forward to every race, it doesn't feel like I have had nine years in BSB; I am still happy and want to race as much as when I first arrived.

"I know when I first started racing I was four years old and Dad lied about my age so I could go in my first race, at that point I didn't realise or anticipate my career, it was just a fun thing I did with my family. I aspired to make a career in racing and I haven't achieved all my goals; I believe I have the ability, but at the same time I have far exceeded what people would have thought I would have done in my career already, but there is still more to come."

Tickets for MSV rounds of the 2018 BSB season are available now - click here for a list of events.