Former MotoGP and British Superbike Championship rider Chris Burns has announced he will come out of retirement with a view to making his debut on the Isle of Man TT and North West 200 in 2021.

Burns hasn’t been seen racing competitively on track since a stint in the ONK Dutch Superbike Championship, where he was a race winner and finished third overall in 2012. 

He also has starts to his name in premier class of MotoGP where he competed aboard the Harris WCM in 2003 and 2004, while he enjoyed notable success in most categories including British Superbike, Supersport and National Superstock, and even the German IDM Superbike series where he was team-mate to Michael Schumacher when the F1 legend made a brief foray into four-wheels between stints with Ferrari and Mercedes.

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Having spent much of the last decade out of the saddle, Burns will be returning - COVID-19 delays permitting - in 2021 with a new career that looks set to be forged on the roads with Wilson Craig Racing.

“I’ve been interested in the roads since I raced at Oss and Hengelo in 2011 when I was in the Dutch Superbike series – I loved them,” he admitted.

“After so many years racing on the big International tracks, I really took to these roads circuits and I knew then I wanted to tackle the Isle of Man TT.

“I had to take a step back from racing in 2012 for various reasons but coming back to try my hand on the roads has always been my plan. To be given the opportunity to join a team as successful and well respected as Wilson Craig is genuinely a dream come true for me.

“I am really excited about 2021. Darren and the team have been fantastic and we are all chasing the same goals. I’m looking forward to experiencing the North West 200 for the first time and in doing as much homework as I can at the moment learning the TT course.

“I am physically fitter than I’ve ever been so I just can’t wait to get back out there and see what we can achieve.”