BSB - who will be where in 2009?

The British Superbike Championship - who will be where in 2009? James Ellison and Leon Camier are already confirmed to take their places on the grid with reigning champions GSE Yamaha. MotoGP's Sylvain Guintoli makes the move to the Crescent Suzuki squad, whilst Atsushi Watanabe lines up with the Relentless Suzuki by TAS team. But who will join them in the bid to be the new BSB champion?

The championship-winning HM Plant Honda team have yet to announce their 2009 rider line-up, but with Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow departing there are two rides to be taken and the speculation over who will replace them has been building. Could it be newly-crowned Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Champion Glen Richards who will make a return to BSB or could it be a rider stepping up from another class like Steve Brogan who already rides for the Honda UK team and secured them the 2008 Metzeler National Superstock 1000 crown?

Meanwhile Josh Brookes has also been linked the Louth-based team following his ride with them in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship at the final round last weekend at Brands Hatch. Many in the paddock may have questioned the motive or reasoning for bringing Brookes over for one race, but now as the plot thickens and his name is thrown into the ring for a BSB ride it may have been for a much more obvious reason. Brookes showed he had the ability to gel with a new team and bike straight away challenging at the front to secure the team's first Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship podium finish since the rescheduled round at Brands Hatch. Brookes' current team, Stiggy Honda have today (Thursday) confirmed that Anthony West will be teaming up with Leon Haslam next year meaning that the Australian star will be forced elsewhere next season; so could it be an all-Australian team for the first time in 2009 BSB?

2005 BSB champion Gregorio Lavilla was believed to be hoping to secure a ride in the UK after a difficult season in the World Superbike Championship whilst another former BSB title contender, Chris Walker has made no secret of his desire to try and finally take the title he has finished runner-up to three years in a row starting back in 1997. Could the Spaniard or 'the Stalker' be in-line for the HM Plant Honda ride?

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britishsuperbike

HM Plant Honda has announce its 2009 team line-up - North West 200 & IoM TT road race