Source: Supplied.

Hard-charging Australian Josh Brookes will aim to regain the British Superbike Championship this season, as he returns for the first time since claiming a maiden title in 2015.

Anvil Hire Yamaha signing Brookes, 33, has had much of his pre-season test schedule ruined by weather conditions, only getting one dry day of running on the privateer-operated YZF-R1.

“The last five days I’ve ridden on a bike, four of them have been in the wet so rain seems to be the consistent factor as of late,” Brookes said. “I’m happy with the bike in the conditions I have ridden it in, but it’s no way to gauge the performance of me or the bike – it’s just been bad conditions.

“It’s certainly no yardstick, so we’ll just have to wait for better weather. I don’t feel frustrated about it, that’s just the facts. Logic states that better weather would have been more suitable to our preparation and we just haven’t had it.

“It’s the same for everyone, everyone wants to get out and start riding properly. We have to win, the plan is to win, that is our goal and that is what everyone wants to start the season off on a high.”

The 2017 BSB season will take-off this weekend at Donington Park – the Anvil Hire Yamaha team’s home race on the calendar – where Brookes finished 3-6 on his way to the championship two years ago.