Gino Rea returns to MV Agusta BSB effort for final rounds

The Bike Devil MV Agusta team will welcome back Gino Rea for the final two rounds of the 2019 British Superbike Championship having lost James Ellison after just one round.

Ellison was brought into the burgeoning MV Agusta outfit from Round 9 at Oulton Park to finish the season but after a big accident there forced the team out of the following Assen event, it also lost the 15-time BSB race winner to OMG Suzuki.

Nonetheless, the team returns to the BSB ranks for the final two events at Donington Park and Brands Hatch with World Supersport race winner Rea.

The Briton has already competed for the team in 2019 after emerging as a last-minute replacement for 2015 Moto3 World Champion Danny Kent, who was dropped after his conviction for carrying a knife, on the eve of Round 8 at Cadwell Park.

With Rea – who scored a podium at last weekend’s 24hr Bol d’Or Endurance World Championship race - going on to score the team’s first-ever points that weekend, he is hoping to pick up from where he left off on the MV Agusta F4RR

“I'm very thankful and pleased to be continuing my BSB journey with the Bike Devil MV Agusta UK team. The last-minute call up at Cadwell Park was great and we exceeded our expectations. I'll be looking to continue the work we did there and the developments the team made at Oulton Park to start the Donington weekend as strong as possible. 

“I'm coming off the back of a podium at the EWC 24hr Bol d'Or race where I led the race, so I'm feeling ready to go. My hunger and determination is as high as ever and I'll work hard to do the best job we can together. Improving on our last outing is the goal and I want to do a good job in order to land a full time ride in 2020.

“I am pleased to announce the signing of Gino for the final two rounds of the 2019 season,” added team manager Dave Tyson. “Hopefully we can build on the performances we had together at Cadwell Park, where he did a fantastic job, showing his experience and ability to develop the bike. 

“We want to have a strong end to the season and with five races remaining we are aiming for positive weekends at both Donington Park and Brands Hatch.”