Kent’s Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne is back on the grid this weekend for the start of the MCE British Superbike championship.

Byrne won his fourth BSB title last season and became the first rider to do so in the championships history, and this season he will be targeting title number five.

Shane will have Stuart Easton as his teammate for the season again and they will be joined by Ian Hutchinson as teammate for Donington Park this weekend. Hutchinson competed for part of the season in the BSB with Folkestone based FFX Yamaha in 2014.

Having been signed straight after last year’s campaign, both quadruple MCE BSB champion Byrne and double British Supersport champion Easton are looking to make great starts to their respective season for Paul Bird’s team and both were well on the pace at last week’s test at Donington Park, whereby Shakey was fastest.

Shakey has shown no ill effects following injuring his hand in a previous test in Spain and starts the season as one of the favourites given his two titles, a narrow second place as well as a third in the series standings in the past four years. Byrne also holds the record for the number of wins having been top scorer for a second successive season and whose tally now stands at 61 MCE BSB victories.

Speaking ahead of the season opener Paul Bird, said: “Here we go again! Having the most successful team and rider in the history of the series means we are very much the ones to beat but it’s not going to be easy. All three riders are raring to go and will be out to perform at their very best this weekend.

“I’m expecting Shakey and Stuart to be strong and Hutchy will also do the first three MCE BSB rounds with us to prepare for the TT. It’s a busy weekend for me too as I have to be in two places at once. I’m combining visits to both Brands Hatch, where Frankie is making his racing debut, as well as Donington. I’ve every confidence that he will do well so we are hoping for a successful weekend on both two wheels and four.”    

The opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Donington Park this Easter weekend of April 4/6th.

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