Truelove steps up to BSB with Raceways Yamaha

Matt Truelove will make his Bennetts British Superbike championship debut next season with Raceways Yamaha which will act as a satellite squad to McAMS Yamaha.

Having got to grips with the YZF-R1 this season in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 series, Truelove makes the move to BSB in 2019.

His Yamaha will carry McAMS branding and race under the Raceways Yamaha banner alongside the factory-supported duo of Tarran Mackenzie and Jason O’Halloran.

Truelove, a Dickies British Supersport race runner-up, will join the McAMS Yamaha squad in Spain for next week’s Almeria test to begin his adaptation to BSB and is relishing his debut in the top class.

“This is a perfect situation in terms of set-up to start out in Superbikes, as I’ve ridden the Superstock version of the bike, the team have developed a race-winning machine and I know the guys really well,” Truelove said.

“I’m obviously taking a big chance entering Superbike and I’m under no illusions it’s going to be tough, after all this is the toughest bike race series in the world.

“You only have to look at some of the big names who sometimes struggle to hit the front. But there’s no pressure and I’m going to focus on learning as much as possible and trying to progress.

“It’s great to have a test at Almeria so soon and I also hope I can learn from Taz who achieved so much in his rookie season. I’m so thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to get going.”

“We’re looking forward to giving Matt every opportunity to make the transition into Superbikes as smoothly as possible,” Grant Bunting, team manager, added. “He knows it’s a tough class but if he wants to do it, this has got to be a good way with a team that has already developed a bike, so he concentrate on his own improvement.

“He’s a good lad with an ideal temperament to keep chipping away so we’re all really looking forward to see how he can progress.”