Honda Racing BSB 2019 Preview

Xavi Forés is a Spanish motorcycle racer, who in 2019 will make his debut in the British Superbike Championship with Honda, aboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2.

Xavi brings a wealth of experience with him to the Honda team having raced across various championships, and is a three-time champion winning the CEV Stock Extreme Championship in 2010, the European Superbike Championship in 2013 and the IDM Superbike Championship in 2014.

More recently Xavi raced in the World Superbike Championship, where in 2018 he was the most successful privateer in the series. Finishing 19 of the 25 races in the top-10, he was on the podium five times during the season. He has also raced in World Supersport, Moto2 and 125GP.

“I am excited to come to England and race in British Superbikes! I have always watched the racing and it looks like a fantastic series with a great fan base.

To have the opportunity to race in the UK and ride new circuits excites me and I’m looking forward to the challenge. Thank you to Honda for this opportunity and I can’t wait to get started!”

Andrew Irwin is an upcoming talent in motorcycle racing and aged just 24, has experience across many championships from Worlds to British. Starting his two-wheel journey in 2002 on a motocross bike, he was crowned Irish Motocross 50 Champion.

By 2011 Andrew had moved into Supertwins where he finished 2nd in 2011 and won the championship in 2012. In 2013 he had a part season in Superstock 600. In 2014 Andrew had progressed to the British Superstock 600 Championship finishing the year 10th and wrapped up the 2015 season 4th in the series. 2016 and 2017 saw the Irishman in the British Supersport Championship, where he finished as runner-up in 2017.

Andrew started the 2018 season in the World Supersport Championship where he scored a best result of 10th at Donington Park. He was then recruited by Paul Bird in the British Superbike Championship at the fourth round, where he replaced injured Shane Byrne for the rest of the BSB season, lining up next to his older brother Glenn. Impressing during his debut on a Superbike, his highest place finish was at the final round at Brands Hatch, where he was fighting for the podium and eventually finished 4th. Catching the eyes of many team bosses in the BSB paddock, Andrew was snapped up by Honda for the 2019 season.

“Honda has such a pedigree and most of the top riders in the world have ridden for them at some point in their careers. To be part of that racing history and heritage really excites me. This year was my first year in Superbike and was a huge learning curve!

Towards the end of the season I found my way and felt it was all coming together, so now with Harv and the team I will be aiming for the Showdown, which I believe is a realistic target.

We will have a full season and also a test programme, which I didn’t have this year and I was still competitive, so we’ll be aiming for the front and I see no reason why we can’t be up there.”

Tom Neave is a rising star in British racing and at just 23-years old he already has a wealth of experience behind him. Born into a farming family in Lincolnshire, it was assumed he’d work in the family business but the riding bug hit when Tom and his twin brother (Tim) were brought a 50cc quad bike aged nine.

Tom eventually started competing on two wheels when he was 15-years old, entering the UK Junior Flattrack Championship winning the series that year. In 2012 he won the Mini Bike Flattrack Championship.

In 2013 Tom competed in the Thundersport GB minitwin series taking race wins and also in the Superprestigo qualifier race finishing 3rd. In 2014 he again took part in the Superprestigo race where he qualified 4th from 56 riders (0.1 seconds behind Marc Marquez). The same year he raced in the Supertwin series taking six consecutive pole positions and smashing four lap records by over a second.

In 2015 Tom graduated from Supertwin to Superstock 600 in the Thundersport Elite 600 Championship where he enjoyed many race wins. 2016 was his first-year racing in the British Superbike support National Superstock 600 Championship where he finished the year 17th; taking two 6th places and several top-15s.

The next year he finished 5th in National Superstock scoring three wins, a 2nd place and claiming two pole positions, as well as a setting a new lap record at Cadwell Park; he was also again selected for the Superpresitgio race.

In 2018 Tom moved into the National Superstock 1000 Championship, although missing the first few rounds due to injury he finished 2nd at Knockhill and 3rd at Brands Hatch – where he also took the pole position. But it was ahead of the seventh round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, when a call from Honda’s team manager changed his year.

Tom was drafted in to ride the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 at Thruxton and Cadwell Park, stepping in for injured Dan Linfoot. He impressed with his first time on a Superbike and finished in the points in 12th and 15th at his home-round at Cadwell. Tom finished the 2018 season in BSB competing at Silverstone and Oulton Park with the Halsall Racing team and wrapped up the year on his own bike at Brands Hatch.

For 2019 Tom returns to the Honda Racing team in the National Superstock 1000 Championship, as Honda make their return to the series.

“I am chuffed to bits to have signed with Honda for 2019, it’s something I have always wanted and worked towards. Honda is such a big name in racing and they are one of the teams you look up to.

After my accident at the last round I thought I’d blown my chance, but Harv called, we got the deal done and I am so thankful for this opportunity. I had such a good time with the team over the summer and now to have a full season with them is the consistency I need for my career.

I can’t wait to get going now, it’s going to feel like an even longer off-season with my excitement, but as I’m a Lincolnshire lad I can pop to the workshop anytime and see my Fireblade SP2; the lads will be sick of me before the season starts!”