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Josh Waters will debut with Halsall Suzuki when the team makes its first appearance of the 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship season at Cartagena in Spain later this week.

Halsall Racing switched manufacturers during the winter following a new partnership with Suzuki GB and the Cartagena test marks the first time the new machines have lapped on circuit.

Waters and new teammate Christian Iddon are now both looking ahead to their on track return and getting back up to speed before heading to Guadix a week later.

“I am really looking forward to being back on a race bike again and also to be working with the team for the first time this year,” Waters said. “I am excited to be working with Jack [Valentine] too because if you look back at the previous success he has had in the past with Suzuki, he has delivered results.

“I think we have a lot of people in the team with lots of experience so it is going to be a big opportunity. The bikes are brand new so we have a plan of what we need to achieve at these tests and as a rider I obviously have my own goals in my head too.

“I know what I have achieved at that circuit in the past so now we just need to get up to speed and see what we can do with this new package.”

Team manager Jack Valentine commented: “This season has been a huge project for the whole team, but the opportunity to switch to Suzuki is a great opportunity for Martin [Halsall, team owner]. I am so pleased to be back working with the team at Suzuki and it is fantastic that Halsall Racing have been recognised by a major manufacturer.

“We started building the bikes completely from scratch for the season, so we have been waiting on new parts during the winter, with arrivals daily. We have the bikes built now and we have had the bikes on the dyno, but we know we still have more work to do.

“We are really happy with the position we are in ahead of testing and Cartagena will be the ideal place to start us off to get the basics done. Then we can keep building momentum from there and fine tune when we get to Guadix. After the two tests we should be ready to start pushing at the Donington Park test.”

The 2015 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship kicks off at Donington Park this Easter, 4-6 April, for the opening round of the season.