Image: Foremost Media.

Three-time Mi-Bike Australian Superbike (ASBK) champion Glenn Allerton will contest the opening round of the 2023 series onboard a Shane Kinderis-prepared BMW M 1000 RR, with the intention to source competitive Ducati V4 Rs for the following races.

Allerton competed with technical support from Kinderis for a number of years, his latest stint spanning from 2018 when he rejoined NextGen Motorsports.

However, Kinderis has indicated that NextGen Motorsports will take a step back from ASBK this season, raising question marks as to Allerton’s next move, notably absent from the ASBK pre-season test. It is understood that Allerton is to race for a Sydney-based outfit in 2023 onboard a Ducati, but with a competitive V4 R not yet sourced, Allerton and Kinderis have made arrangements to compete on a BMW at Phillip Island – in an environment and infrastructure similar to The Bend last season.

“For round one I’m really confident, because the guys that I had helping me at Tailem Bend and Phillip Island time helping me from Europe, Robin, who works in the WorldSSP paddock with data and suspension and Davis from the Bitubo Factory, those guys are going to be there,” Allerton explained to CycleOnline.

“It’s basically all systems the same as we had at Tailem Bend, where we really strong with that good technical support and Shane helping me out as well. We are actually in a good position, I believe. We are probably in the best position I could be in for the first round.”

It has been heavily rumoured throughout the pre-season that Allerton had secured an opportunity to compete onboard a V4 R for 2023, the team to be an emerging addition to the ASBK paddock. While that opportunity seemingly remains in place, the New South Wales-based rider has expressed the urgency to secure a V4 R so testing and preparations can begin as planned.

“We haven’t been able to get our hands on a decent competitive bike, being an old one or a new one,” Allerton continued. “That plan has kind of been put on its side [for round one], and with help to get on the grid from Thrumster Business Park and Di Candilo Steel City we’ve made it possible to be out there, just so I can be on the grid. The most logical way to get on the grid for round one and be competitive is on the bike that I finished the year on last season.”

Allerton has a proven capability of challenging at the front onboard the M 1000 RR, and if the Ducati opportunity comes to fruition as planned then points gained onboard the BMW at Phillip Island next weekend at round one could prove pivotal in his chase for a record fourth ASBK title.