Hill signs with Worx Suzuki for 2010
Added on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Hill signs with Worx Suzuki for 2010
Tommy Hill has signed up to the Worx Crescent Suzuki team as they return to a two-rider line-up for the 2010 British Superbike championship.
Hill, who stood in for the injured Sylvain Guintoli in rounds seven and eight of the 2009 season, has signed a permanent contract as Suzuki double their efforts for 2010.
Following the loss of Tom Sykes to World Superbikes and the release of Atsushi Watanabe at the end of the 2008 season, along with the loss of title sponsor Rizla, Crescent Suzuki opted to run a single-rider effort in 2009 with former MotoGP man Sylvain Guintoli.
That decision backfired however as a crash at Donington in round three kept the Frenchman out of action for 13 races, ending Suzuki’s hopes of a title challenge.
Having lost Guintoli to WSB, Yukio Kagayama will be partnered by Hill to lead the Suzuki challenge next season.
“It is all signed and sealed with Worx Crescent Suzuki and it is fantastic news,” Hill told the BSB website. “I had several options for 2010 and I know that next season will be a big year for me. The Worx Crescent Suzuki team will give me a package I can win with and that is what I want – to come back and really have a good go for the title. I think that with the team behind me we have a good chance as we have already worked together this year.
“I am looking forward to working with the boys in the team again; Lez (Pearson) and Mark (Hanna) are both great guys and two of the best in the business so I know we can move forward. The team has official support from Suzuki and with Worx backing the team for a second season and my personal sponsor in Vent-Axia we have everything there to put us at the front.
“We have a full testing programme and we have some new parts so the team are already looking at progressing from what they had this year already. We want to win the championship and I can’t wait for the first race at Brands Hatch now.”
Team Manager Jack Valentine added: “It was always my aim to have a younger rider in the team so we’re very pleased that we’ve managed to sign Tommy. He did a very good job for us when he stood in for Sylvain earlier this year and I’m in no doubt Tommy fits the bill perfectly. He certainly showed what he was capable of in the few outings he got this year and so we’re looking forward to working with him in 2010 – I’m sure he’s going to be running at the sharp end every week.”
