2009 Bennetts British Superbike Championship

BSB 2009: The speculation continues

The 2008 Bennetts British Superbike Championship may have only just ended but already attention is turned to the new season and which riders will be going where for 2009.

James Ellison and Leon Camier have already put pen to paper to ride for the GSE Racing Yamaha team, Sylvain Guintoli replaces Atsushi Watanabe at Crescent Suzuki with the former Japanese Champion switching to the Relentless Suzuki by TAS garage. The latest rider transfer comes from reigning Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Champion Glen Richards and World Supersport ace Josh Brookes joining forces with the HM Plant Honda team. So who will be lining up on the grid with them in 2009?

Michael Rutter may have entered his 300th BSB race at the final round of the 2008 BSB season at Brands Hatch but he told the BSB website that he is more determined than ever to finally be crowned champion after finishing runner-up in previous seasons. Alistair Kennedy's North West 200 Ducati team have made a big impact in their debut BSB season, securing podiums in their first year after getting to grips with the electronics problems that plagued them at the start. With the GSE Racing team switching allegiances from Ducati to Yamaha, will Kennedy's team uphold the Ducati honour next season and take the Italian factory to its ninth BSB title since 1995 and make it two consecutive championship-winning seasons for Ducati?

Daily Star Cup Champion John Laverty is also yet to sign for next season and despite running to Superstock regulations on the Buildbase NW200 Ducati, he has been regularly mixing it with the leading riders and scoring top ten finishes. Will the Irishman get a promotion following his title win to challenge in the main championship?

Then there is the second of the Laverty attack on the title; Michael may have failed to finish on the podium this year but he has had several near misses with the podium and some bad luck with the Relentless Suzuki by TAS, will he be sitting on the opposite side of the garage from Watanabe next season?

Simon Andrews has been chasing a factory ride to mount a challenge for the 2009 BSB title, but the Lloyds British Yamaha rider is still unsigned for next season. Andrews has the final round of the World Endurance Championship at Qatar to look forward to in November, but what will next season hold for this season's top Yamaha rider?

The MSS Discovery Kawasaki team will also be looking for new riders following Billy McConnell's departure to the Raceways Yamaha team in the British Supersport Championship. Easton is hoping to incorporate some road racing in to his schedule next season so will this mean that he stays put or switches teams for next year? Team manager Nick Morgan has been rumoured to be looking for new foreign riders to join his team in BSB 2009, with Julien De Costa and Didier Van Keymeulen the speculators favourites.

Shaun Muir will also be looking for new recruits for next season following the departure of James Ellison and the rumoured move of Guy Martin from the Hydrex Bike Animal Honda team. He will be looking for another world-class rider to pick up where Ellison has left off and a rider that would be able to replace Martin on the roads. Easton's has already confirmed he will ride with the team at the Macau GP so could this be a sign of things to come?

The Rob Mac Racing Yamaha squad are also still to confirm their rider or riders for next season, with Karl Harris and Jon Kirkham both linked to the team. Will McElnea give Harris a second shot after what has been a difficult season or will Kirkham get the chance to shine in the top class after his strong showing when he replaced Harris at the final round? Then there is Guy Martin who is rumoured to have signed with the team, but will he be leading the challenge to secure the British Supersport title in 2009?

Then there is the Australian invasion, will Jason O'Halloran's performance at the final three rounds secure him a permanent ride in the UK and did Broc Parkes' visit to the Brands Hatch final round secure him a place on the grid next season?

You also can't discount former Champion Gregorio Lavilla and current team-mate Chris Walker from making a return in 2009, with neither looking likely to stay put in the World Superbike Championship paddock and several rides in BSB still up for the taking.

Name ................................ Team
Leon Camier
James Ellison ......................... GSE Yamaha
Sylvain Guintoli
? ..................................... Crescent Suzuki
Atsushi Watanabe
? ........................................ Relentless Suzuki by TAS
Josh Brookes
Glen Richards ....................... HM Plant Honda
?
?........................................... Hydrex Bike Animal Honda
?
?......................................... North West 200 Ducati
?
?........................................ Rob Mac Racing Yamaha
?
?......................................... MSS Discovery Kawasaki

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britishsuperbike