GSE Racing, the team that are favourites to win the British Superbike title this year with Shane Byrne on an Airwaves-backed Ducati, are switching factories and will be the OFFICIAL Yamaha squad in British Superbikes in 2009.
An official announcement is expected from the team tomorrow morning (Wednesday).
Visordown has been told that the high-profile squad will make an official announcement saying that it will run the Japanese factory's all-new R1 superbike in the domestic class in 2009 in the first of a three year deal.
It is also expected that Yamaha will announce that Rob McElnea, who has delivered three British Superbike titles for the company and has run the Yamaha team in the domestic championship for the past 13 years, will continue to run Yamahas in the BSB championship but will focus mainly on supplying the firm with it's assault on the road circuits of the NorthWest, Ulster GP and Isle of Man events.
There have been four domestic Superbike teams in the running for the high-profile machinery. Paul Bird has headed up one approach, Rob McElnea another, Shaun Muir from Hydrex Bike Animal a third and GSE the fourth.
The move means that it is now likely that the Ducati NorthWest 200 squad, who are running Michael Rutter in the BSB series this year, are favourites to take over the factory-supported Ducati tag.
The decision on who will run the factory Yamahas next year was made on Monday morning.
Visordown has been told that Leon Camier has already signed to ride for Team GSE on the Yamahas in 2009 but that Shane Byrne is currently assessing his options before committing to a team.
According to our information, HM Plant Honda's Cal Crutchlow has already been in talks with GSE Team Boss Colin Wight about the possible chance of a ride in the squad next year.
