Motorcycle News homepage

18/02/2008 - Honda UK's British race team announced!

Honda Racing has announced that Leon Haslam and Cal Crutchlow are to join the new-look HM Plant Honda team to compete in the 2008 British Superbike Championship.

Honda Racing and HM Plant have won the last two British Superbike titles with Japanese ace Ryuichi Kiyonari and now they’ve put together a team of two young British stars who will be going all-out for glory from the first race of the season in just a few weeks time.

24-year-old Haslam from Derbyshire and 22-year-old Crutchlow from Warwickshire will both field the all-new CBR1000RR on behalf of the official Honda team in the 12-round championship, which begins at Brands Hatch in Kent in early April.

"I’m so excited to be back with Honda on the new Fireblade in BSB," enthused Haslam, who rode for Honda in 500cc GPs in 2001. "Honda is a very big part of my family’s history with my dad Ron riding for them for so long and the new bike looks like a winner straight out of the crate. I can’t wait for the season to get started."

Crutchlow won the 2006 British Supersport Championship for Honda and now returns after a year with Suzuki in the top class. "I think in my first year of being in the British Superbike series I’ve done myself proud and enjoyed it immensely," explained Crutchlow. "Moving to HM Plant Honda is a step towards winning the BSB title – which has always been my aim – so this is a fantastic opportunity."

The pair will be joined in HM Plant colours in the British Supersport championship by Steve Brogan. The 27-year-old Liverpudlian finished 2007’s British Superstock Championship in second place on his Tengo Honda Racing Fireblade.

Brogan will not only contest the fiercely-competitive Supersport series on the Honda CBR600RR, he will also be aiming to go one better in the Superstock class aboard the new CBR1000RR Fireblade, which will run in separate sponsor colours which are yet to be announced.

"I’m so happy to be part of a team like HM Plant Honda," explained Steve. "Doing Supersport and Superstock will make for a busy weekend, but I’ve proved I can do it. I can now have a really good stab at both championships. I’m in the best team and riding for the biggest and best motorcycle manufacturer so it’s a real privilege."

2008 will also see Steve return to Northern Ireland’s North West 200 as part of the HM Plant team.