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Sport

Lydd’s Bradley Ray leaving Superbike World Championship after two seasons to rejoin OMG Racing Yamaha and spearhead team’s 2025 British Superbikes Championship title bid

By: KentOnline Sports Reporter

Published: 05:00, 12 October 2024

Updated: 07:02, 12 October 2024

Bradley Ray says he wants another British Superbikes title after agreeing a deal to return to the series next year.

Ray will again join forces with OMG Racing Yamaha, the team he won the 2022 crown with, before switching to the Superbike World Championship with Italian squad Motoxracing Yamaha.

Bradley Ray left the BSB in 2022 after winning the championship at Brands Hatch. Picture: Simon Hildrew

However the Lydd rider has found the step up challenging, with a sixth place in Imola last year his best result. He finished his debut campaign in 19th place and is 21st this time around with two rounds remaining.

The first of those, in Portugal, takes place this weekend with the season finale in Spain a week later.

“I’m really pleased and excited to be returning to the OMG Racing UK team and to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in 2025, the same team I won the title with on the Yamaha back in 2022,” Ray said on britishsuperbike.com.

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“I have lots of happy memories there and I’m more than ready to make some more next season.

“The time in WorldSBK has been great, a very hard and very steep learning curve as the level there is so high. I’m returning to the BSB series with very high motivation, I know what I want from my career, I know how much hard work I’ve put in and how much I’ve developed since 2022 and I want to put that hard work, dedication and knowledge to the best possible use for both mine and the team’s advantage.

Bradley Ray was the class of the BSB field in 2022, winning nine races en route to his coronation at Brands, above. Picture: Simon Hildrew

“I’m now hoping to end this year on a high in both Portugal and Jerez before signing off for now from WSB and then getting straight down to work with (team owner) Alan [Gardner], (team principal) Paul [Curran] and the team over the winter and start the title attack in 2025 for title number two!

“I wish the whole team the very best of luck this coming weekend for the BSB title decider and finally I’d like to say a big thanks to Yamaha Europe, Yamaha UK, (team principal) Sandro Carusi and the whole Yamaha Motoxracing team for the past two World Championship seasons.”

Ray first joined the OMG team in 2021, before their transition to the Yamaha R1 in 2022. That change proved pivotal, winning nine races and securing 14 further podium finishes on his way to winning the title, partnered by Kyle Ryde. The two will be reunited next year along with rookie Joe Talbot, as OMG expand their line-up to three racers.

For the last two years Bradley Ray has been in Superbike World Championship action. Picture: Giulio Di Natale

“We’re excited to welcome Brad back to not only BSB but to the OMG Racing Yamaha team,” said team owner Gardner.

“We thoroughly enjoyed having him with us in the past and he adapted to the Yamaha R1 machine for his title-winning season with us in 2022. Since then, he’s remained with the Yamaha brand, and we’re excited to welcome him back in 2025.

“The three riders we have on board next year presents a really strong line up, with Kyle a Championship contender this year, Brad being a proven champion in BSB and Joe with his very experienced team-mates he can learn from.”

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