Christian signs with SMT for British Superbike (FIM spec)
03-03-2010
The news is being released today that SMT run by Robin Croft, and Christian have signed to run in British Superbikes for the 2010 season. The conversations have been developing for some time and they have now reached agreement. SMT will run Christian as a one Superbike rider team on a FIM spec machine developed from the bike that achieved pole with Karl Harris at Oulton Park last October. Christian and SMT have a strong relationship already from previous seasons and I think there is no doubt that it is going to be an exciting and also successful partnership that I am pleased to be involved with. News on testing will follow soon. A small press release photo is in the gallery here. More will follow later
The full press release on the BSB website is:
Christian Iddon will make a full-time switch to circuit racing in 2010 when he makes his debut in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship with the sorrymate.com SMT Honda team.
The 25-year-old reigning British Supermoto champion has several British titles to his name and has already raced in both World and European Championships. He is now keen to prove himself in road racing after competing at selected rounds of the KTM RC8 Cup and the final round of the 2009 Metzeler National Superstock 1000 Championship at Oulton Park where he immediatley impressed by finishing in sixth place against tough competition.
Iddon told the BSB website: "I feel that the time is right now for me to move to circuit racing as I really wanted a new challenge and I think BSB will be. I have won nine British Supermoto titles and although I didn't win the world title I believe I am ready to try something new. Last season I had my first chance to try track racing and did some events in the KTM one-make series and also the final National Superstock Championship round. I knew the depth of the field in Superstock and the quality of the riders would give me a chance to test myself and I have to admit that I had set myself expectations for that race and I managed to surpass them.
"I have never been too worried about throwing myself in at the deep end in races and I feel that it pushes you more as a rider. I have only done ten events in road racing so of all the BSB riders on the grid I probably have the least experience, but that doesn't faze me and all I can do is go out and give it my all. I have the backing of the team and also my sponsors so I want to put on a good show for them. We will have limited pre-season testing before the Brands Hatch round but I am definitely looking forward to getting out there and developing myself as a rider. I am confident in my race experience; all I need to do from now on is to try to convert the skills I have learned from Supermoto on to the Superbike.
"I am under no illusions as to how difficult this season is going to be. I know that some of the best riders in the world are lining up on the grid and it will be an absolute honour to be on track with them. I have so much to learn and it's not long before the season opener so I think it is going to have to be baby steps to begin with and I hope that by round three we should know a more about the pace we have.
"I am really grateful to Sorrymate.com and SMT for this incredible opportunity. They have put a lot of trust in me for this year and it is great to see a team of such stature giving me this chance. Having ridden with them twice before in the Superstock 600 and 1000 Championships I am fully aware just how professional the effort is and I have absolute confidence in the team I have around me. I have my own personal expectations and I don't really want to say what they are, but I have spent the last five years competing in World Championship competition so I'm used to the very top level of racing and I think that will come in very useful."
Sponsors
Team StoneBaker.
For 2010 StoneBaker Racing sponsored four riders in the British Superbike Championship. Dan Linfoot, Christian Iddon, Pat McDougall and Martin Glossop.
Dan signed for his second year with premier team Rob Mac Racing Yamaha and made the step up to compete his first full Superbike season.
Christian moved from supermoto to focus on his short circuit racing career in 2010 and competed British Superbike initially with the SMT team.
Pat joined East Coast Racing full time for 2010 competing in his and the team's, first full year in the British Supersport Championship.
Martin progressed from 125cc to 600cc racing for 2010 in British Superstock 600 with TAG Triumph.
