Image: Andrew Gosling.

Team Honda Racing has this evening confirmed it will field a three-rider team in the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship (ASC), utilising the up-spec CBR1000RR SP.

Australian Superbike Champion Wayne Maxwell will return to the factory Honda fold in an expanded operation with Motul backing, alongside returning factory riders, dual Australian Superbike Champion Jamie Stauffer and Josh Hook.

The team will also compete in the newly-introduced Phillip Island Championship, World Superbike and MotoGP support categories. The team’s participation in the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) is yet to be confirmed.

“I couldn’t be happier with what we have put together as a team package, our rider line up is going to be as strong as you could ever ask for and the new CBR1000RR SP will be an awesome motorcycle to work with,” said team principle Paul Free.

“We have a two-day test on this week at Phillip Island on Pirelli tyres before we compete at the WSBK event in just over a week, which I am really looking forward to. The Swann Series will be something new and challenging for us as a team as we have not competed at these events before.

“I am sure we will all get our heads around the program and format quickly and have a very successful season.”

Thrilled to be returning to the Honda family, Maxwell is looking forward to podium results in 2014.

“It’s great to be coming home to Honda, I have a long history with the manufacturer and I have experienced a lot of success with them in the past,” explained Maxwell. “I am expecting a lot from the upcoming WSBK weekend, I am keen to get out on the track and am hoping to reward Honda with a win.”

With a long list of Australian championship wins under his belt, Stauffer is looking to retain his position at the front of the field in 2014.

“I am really excited about the 2014 racing season,” Stuaffer said. “The Phillip Island Championship is a terrific opportunity for the team with both events being such high profile, international events and to be racing in the Swann Insurance Australasian Superbike Championship will be a new and fresh challenge which I can’t wait to begin.”

Josh Hook has gone from strength to strength since his superbike debut in 2013 challenging the front-runners right from his first race.

“The CBR1000RR SP is going to be an unreal machine, both my mechanic and I are really looking forward to getting out on the track to see what it’s capable of,” Hook said.

“We’re heading down to Phillip Island now for testing so after that we’ll know where we are at. I can’t wait to get the season started.”

Welcoming Motul as a new sponsor into the Honda Racing family, the specialist in high-performance engine oils and lubricants will join Team Honda Racing for 2014 focusing predominantly on Wayne Maxwell’s Motul Honda CBR1000RR SP.

Speaking about the new Motul partnership Brenden Stoeckert, general manager of Link International, said, “Motul is thrilled by the new relationship with Team Honda Racing and is looking forward to the opportunities this technical and racing partnership offers.

“Naturally it is great to have Wayne Maxwell back on board with Motul again this year and we look forward to an exciting year of racing.”

Anticipation is high for the first season outing of 2014 at the Phillip Island Championship on 21-13 February, where the Honda riders will have an opportunity to put the Motologic-built CBR1000RR SP through its paces.