DesmoSport Ducati press release:

Queenslander Mike Jones will make his anticipated return home as reigning Australian Superbike Champion this weekend when Morgan Park Raceway hosts round five of the 2016 season between 5-7 August.

Jones thoroughly dominated the round en route to the title last year, however with increased competition and now on board the official DesmoSport Ducati Panigale 1299 S, he faces a whole new brace of challenges this time around.

The likeable 22-year-old was ultra-competitive in pre-race testing at the Warwick venue last month and will enter Sunday’s pair of 19-lap premier class races as a favourite for victory in his home stop on the national calendar.

“I’m definitely really excited heading into this weekend at Morgan Park because it’s my home round of the ASBK this year and it’s going to be great to have a local crowd there cheering me on – hopefully I can make it a good one for everybody watching on!” Jones commented.

“I’m feeling really comfortable and confident on the DesmoSport Ducati heading in, during the test we made a lot of progress with the bike, as we obviously have been all year. In these last few weeks I feel like we’ve made significant steps forward that have given me a lot of confidence, so being my home round this will be a really good round for us.”

Jones delivered the DesmoSport Ducati team – owned by three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss and renowned team manager Ben Henry – a first Superpole and race victory at Western Australia’s most recent round in June. He’s now fourth in the standings with two rounds remaining.

The fifth and penultimate round of the 2016 Australian Superbike Championship will take place at Morgan Park Raceway, Queensland, on 5-7 August.