ANVIL HIRE TAG KAWASAKI CONFIRMS THREE-STRONG MCE BSB RIDER LINE-UP

Anvil Hire TAG Racing will line up with a three-rider squad for the 2015 MCE British Superbike Championship, with Swedish Superbike Champion Filip Backlund joining former Superstock Champion Richard Cooper and Shaun Winfield on Kawasaki ZX-10R machinery.

Cooper returns for his fourth season with the team after their promising debut season in the premier class last year was cut short through injury. The Nottingham-based rider finished on the podium at Brands Hatch, before a broken arm forced him out for the remainder of the season.

Cooper said: “I am really excited about getting back on the Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki again after missing out last year with the injury. I felt that when the crash happened my season was just getting going and I was starting to make an impression. I had been building up on the Superbike and had made the jump into scoring consistent top ten finishes and then the podium at Brands Hatch just topped that really.

“Seeing the developments they have made with the bike since I last rode it makes it a really exciting prospect for me. I think if we can pick up where we left off then we should be in a good position. Every rider wants to be in the Showdown, but the past seasons have shown if you can be consistently finishing in the top six then there is no reason why we can’t be there. I am looking forward to getting back out and we have a good test schedule in place to hit the ground running.”

Backlund made his MCE BSB debut at Donington Park last season, scoring his best result of a ninth place on his next outing at Assen. The Swedish rider has previous experience of the Kawasaki in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship, where he was a race winner.

Backlund said: “I am very happy to be joining Anvil Hire TAG Racing. They had a very impressive debut season and I am sure that they will be even stronger with that experience behind them. It feels great to be back on a Kawasaki as it’s a bike I have ridden for some years now and I know its general feeling and how to ride it. I’m just now waiting to get testing started and to be on a race bike again. We will be aiming to make the Showdown, but ultimately I go racing to win and to be on the podium – that is always my goal.”

Winfield makes a full-time switch to the top class after competing in Superstock last season. The 21-year-old Swadlincote rider experienced his first season on a 1000cc machine, but frequently filled in for the injured Cooper in MCE BSB in 2014.

Winfield said: “I’m looking forward to doing my first full season on the Superbike. Hopefully the experience of racing at some rounds last year, as well as having the chance to test pre-season, should see us build on what we did last year.”

Team owner Rob Winfield commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Filip to the team and to also have Richard and Shaun back with us for what is just our second year in this class.

“Coops was so unlucky to get injured, just after we made the step up to the podium, and getting him back on the bike was always a priority for us.

“Filip is a very promising and professional rider and we are looking forward to working with him over the year. You don’t win races in Superstock without having a lot of talent and he also impressed when he jumped on the Yamaha Superbike towards the end of last year.

“As a team we are also committed to supporting young British riders. Shaun had some good rides after being thrown into the Superbike last season and we are looking forward to seeing what he can do with a proper testing programme behind him,” he added.

For more information please visit www.britishsuperbike.com