Image: Andrew Gosling.

Former Australian Supersport Champion Mitchell Carr will make his MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship debut in 2014, joining the Anvil Hire TAG Racing team aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R.

Carr will partner ex-British Superstock Champion Richard Cooper in the new-look team, which will also field riders in Supersport and Superstock 1000 this season.

“I am really looking forward to joining the MCE BSB grid as the series has always been a stand out for talent and to be surrounded by world class riders will be a great experience for me,” 2012 Australian champion Carr said.

“The success of fellow Australian racers there has really inspired me and it is proven with history that we can compete on a World level. I raced in the World Supersport Championship and that was a very big learning curve, but BSB presents a whole new challenge, however I am ready to take it all in my stride.

“I am very confident that the Anvil Hire TAG Racing team will provide me with every chance possible and I have great aspirations for the 2014 season. I know I am with a competitive team, however I do not take my competition lightly.

“I am just looking to gel with bike and improve with every outing. It will be an awesome experience, the greatest of my racing career yet to date. I am ready to take it all in and race the season of my life.”

TAG Racing team principal Rob Winfield welcomed Carr to the team, previously fielding Triumphs as Carr did during his Australian career.

“Mitchell was brought to the team’s attention a few years ago by our former rider Paul Young, who is a pretty shrewd judge of character and talent,” Winfield explained. “We first got to know him in 2011, when we provided some technical assistance to his team in Australia, and we have kept in touch ever since.

“He’s had a difficult year in World Supersport, riding a virtually stock bike against some big budget efforts, but when he tested for us in the summer we were very impressed with both his riding and attitude and, as a result, we’ve been keen to get him on our bike.

“We feel that he will be a great asset to both our team and the championship and we’ll be working hard to develop our bikes and give our riders the tools to really showcase their talents.”

Carr will depart Australia for the UK next Friday, recently spending time aboard elder brother Brayden’s Kawasaki in a series of track days.