Team Honda’s Josh Hook took the leap to the vacant factory Superbike seat for 2013, an opportunity the young gun has grabbed with both hands. As the teams prepare for a group test in Queensland next week, we thought it would be an opportune time to catch up with Josh and get up to speed on his debut showing and hopes for the rest of the season.

You’ve got one round in the books on the Superbike. How would you rate your first outing at Symmons Plains?

It was a pretty rough start to the year really. Obviously I had that pretty decent crash down there which wasn’t good for my confidence, but also being a V8 Supercar round we didn’t get a lot of track time either.

We had a test there the week before to get used to the track which helped a bit. I think two fifth places are a pretty good result for me, hopefully we can slowly build on that. We should have a bit more testing time for the next one to keep building the feeling on the bike.

Josh Hook is adapting to the challenge of his rookie Superbike season well. Image: Andrew Gosling/TBG Sport.

You spent that single season on the Team Honda Supersport machine and now you’re straight onto one of only four factory seats in the country. Is there any sense of pressure there – self-imposed or other – that you have to be coming up with the results?

I think my first year in Superbikes was always going to be hard, and the team and myself did know that. As well, being on factory team, riding a Superbike, a lot of people do expect me to be up there and racing for podiums and wins.

It comes down again to just getting more time on the bike and building on that. The team is working well together and hopefully those top results will be coming by the end of the year. It’s a big building year.

There’s a huge break between rounds, which we’re coming to the end of shortly. Do you get to spend much time with the team over that period and if so is there anything specific you can work on away from the racetrack?

Yeah it’s a big break. I really need to be on the bike, it’s a bit of a killer. You can’t be getting any better without riding. It makes it hard for the team. It’s not ideal, it’s just what we’re working with at the moment. It’s the same for everyone. It’s good that we’ve been able to organise a few test days leading up to Queensland, and a some time afterwards too, so there’s a lot of riding over the next two months.

It should be a really good time for me and the team, I can’t wait to just be back on the bike again. I’ve been down to Melbourne a few times for sponsor events and two-up days which has been good as well, plus I’m always in contact with them over the phone. It’s just a matter of managing the break and doing what you can.

Hook came away from Tasmania with two top five race finishes. Image: Andrew Gosling/TBG Sport.

Queensland Raceway is next up on the calendar for you. On paper it’s a fairly basic circuit. You have first-hand experience, most recently on the Supersport bike, so how do you then adjust your approach to suit the Superbike?

I think it’s really good for me because we’ve got a teammate who just kills it up there. That shows us the Honda is very good around Queensland Raceway. Having Jamie [Stauffer] there by my side will be a definite advantage. I went alright there last year on the 600, I tend to like the track a bit.

It’s not a technical track, there’s only really the six corners, so it’s just a matter of breaking it down into certain parts to help build a fast lap time. We’ve got a few test days there beforehand so we might go okay, I think we’ll be pretty competitive.

You mentioned on your social networks earlier in the week that you have some news to share about some more racing coming up? Can you fill us in at all?

Not at this stage, it’s all up in the air. It’s all still confidential. In a few weeks time I should be able to release a bit more information and we’ll go from there.

So it’s something that Honda has organised?

Yep, it’s with Honda. I’ll be able to tell you more pretty soon.

Thanks Josh, I hope the test next week is a productive one for you.