Redding Signs For Be Wiser Ducati In BSB 2019
Grand Prix winner Scott Redding will contest the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship having signed a deal to race for the multiple British Championship winning Be Wiser Ducati Team.
25-year-old Redding, from Quedgeley in Gloucestershire, teams up with Lake District-based Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) once again, the pair resurrecting a partnership which saw team boss ‘Birdy’ back Redding in various junior championships at the start of his career which started in mini motos in 2001.
With PBM having won the BSB title most recently for Be Wiser Ducati in 2016 and 2017 before Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne was ruled out through injury when challenging for this year’s crown, Redding will have at his disposal the very latest and brand-new factory-backed Be Wiser Ducati V4 with full support from Ducati Corse for whom he has raced previously.
Redding is the most high-profile signing in BSB in recent seasons and the fact that the series is of such standing to attract a current MotoGP rider is testament to its continued success, level of competition and manufacturer support.
Scott is a four-times Grand Prix winner who for the past five seasons has raced in the elite MotoGP class, claiming two podiums during that time. He is also a twice winner of the British Grand Prix on a 125 Aprilia in 2008 at Donington Park, where he still remains the youngest rider to win a GP aged 15 years and 170 days, and in 2013 at Silverstone aboard a Kalex in the Moto2 World Championship, where he was denied the title due to injury prior to the final round.
In addition to their British Superbike Championship campaign, Redding and the Be Wiser Ducati Team are also planning on doing at least one event in the World Superbike Championship as a wild card, hopefully the UK round, once the calendar is finalised.
Scott Redding: “It’s fantastic to be coming to BSB. It’s a championship I’ve never raced in and learning the circuits is very much part of the challenge which I’m looking forward to most. This is a very exciting venture for me with a very competitive bike and the most successful team and I’m here to show what I can do. We will make the right preparations and I’m delighted the first round will be at Silverstone where I have great memories. MotoGP is tough and without the correct packages, it’s hard to win but BSB is at such a high level, I want to prove I’m capable of winning. It’s also a new experience and very important that I can race in front of my loyal fans in the UK more regularly.”
Paul Bird, Team Owner: “Scott and I go back a long way and I’m delighted to continue our relationship in this latest chapter of his career. He’s a quality rider, as is anyone who can win at Grands Prix and we are confident he will be a title fighter in BSB aboard the Be Wiser Ducati next season. A lot of people have worked hard to put this deal together so thanks to them and thanks also to our outgoing riders Shakey and Glenn. They have done a great job for us over the years, but it was time to call it a day with them and I wish them well in future.”
The second rider aboard the Be Wiser Ducati to contest the 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship will hopefully be announced in the next couple of weeks.
For further information, please visit the team’s website, www.pbmuk.net and the official website of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship www.pbmuk.net