Tommy Hill is back in the MCE British Superbike Championship and he is working hard in his new role as team manager for the new BeWiser Kawasaki team.

The 2011 champion is trying to ensure that the team is able to compete at the front end of the grid from the start of the season at Donington Park over the Easter weekend in April.

It is a new challenge for Hill who is clearly enjoying every moment even if it has been hard work to realise his dream of being a team manager.

Yesterday at Brands Hatch the team, the riders Chris Walker and Danny Buchan played host to partners and sponsors as well as Kent Sports News and Bike World TV show.

Speaking exclusively to Kent Sports News, Tommy said: “It is great to see all the teams’ partners and team’s sponsors involved today, it is something that I feel pretty strongly about.

“I have been involved in a lot of teams and I have never really seen something like this and it is great for the sponsors, it is import to put a sponsors brand to a face. It is so important that everyone comes along today, mingles, meets and greets and meets the riders and has some pictures by the bikes and just really for me understand what each person and their business does, so hopefully they do business.

“So being part of the team and sponsoring the team actually gives them a return. I know there are one or two businesses within our team that have already done business with other team partners, for me that’s the icing on the cake.

“It is great today seeing the bikes, seeing the riders, seeing the bits and pieces that we have done and what involvement and effort we have put into it so far. I just want to get out there now and get testing with the riders and out on the track.”

It is an exciting time for Tommy to take a team from concept, to development to the finished product the bike and the team raring to go.

He added: “It is pretty emotional when you actually stand here and you see the bike and see the sponsors here today, there are one or two that have not come here today because they are away in Spain doing a track day.

“It is great to see the bike in all its glory, to see the sponsors enjoy it and to use imagery with the bike to send out press releases, it helps every other team sponsor as well. Everyone is giving everyone else all the coverage that they need and hopefully a return in sponsorship and marketing with the BeWiser Kawasaki team.”

The rider line-up has that perfect blend of youth and experience for the BeWiser team’s first season on the grid with Chris Walker and Danny Buchan, something Tommy feels will help.

“It is great, I have always wanted to work with a young rider in a team, and I worked with Joe Collier last year in the Superstock championship. For me it is so important to bring a young rider in the team, some of them don’t get the opportunity because it is a little bit difficult now and there is a lot of politics involved and the money they have to bring to the team.

“For me it was important to bring a young rider into the team with Danny, he had a fantastic year last year and there is no reason why Danny shouldn’t step up to British Superbikes. I hope we can give him the right platform to get some results and get where he needs to be.

“It is going to be a learning curve for Danny and I just want him to know that we are behind him, we have Danny on a two year agreement. We need to make sure we are consistent with it and provide Danny with what he needs.

“Chris has a huge amount of experience and he has more experience than I have got, he has narrowly missed out on winning the championship before and he knows what the ZX10 needs to perform.

“It is great we have the old guy and we have the young guy and we have a huge amount of experience within the team, so it is great news.”

Obviously it is a new role for Tommy and one that he is enjoying, although he does admit that he might just miss being out on that track.

He said: “Yeah I think sometimes I will miss the buzz, and everyone asks me this question. Seeing the bike today I would love to have a quick spin out on it but realistically I am not going to have time. I am going to be managing the team and looking after the team.

“For me the bike looks fantastic so it is something that I suppose when it is going I need to appreciate that I have got it to this point and let the guys that we employ do the job. I think I need to take a back step, I am going to obviously watch them out on the track and see what is different and see what is going on.”

Tommy’s experience of riding will help when the feedback sessions take place after the riders have been out on track, and he can hone straight in on areas that they need to focus on.

He added: “100%, there are certain times where you can put in too much information which can confuse the rider. I feel I am going to be on a riders side a lot more as well, rather than putting myself in a role of team manager/team owner, taking a back seat and I appreciate what the rider is saying is what they need.

“If this isn’t right then let’s get it sorted within reason, I will always fight the riders corner and make sure they are happy, and you have got my experience of riding with the other manufacturers as well. To make sure that our bike is as strong and as competitive as any other team or manufacturer out there. I will just support those in what they need and what they require to do a good job.”

With the opening weekend at Donington Park, they will all be hoping that the weather is a bit warmer than the temperatures that they are working in at the moment.

“I am hoping so, it never is it will probably be snowing at Donington it generally is at the first round with the icicles hanging off the end of your nose, and wanting heated grips. That is something we haven’t got on our bike at the moment heated grips, we might have to invest in a set of those!

“I am just looking forward to us getting to Donington now and getting the first round out of the way and come away with touch wood no injuries smooth and bring the bikes back and get some data.”

Footage from the launch will be featured on the BIKE WORLD TV Show, Thursday 5th March at 9pm on the MotorsTV channel (Sky 447, Virgin 545 & Freeview HD 71).