Having won both the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship and the MCE Rider's Cup in 2014, the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team of Shane 'Shakey' Byrne and Stuart Easton will remain with the Paul Bird Motorsport team for 2015.
Byrne became the most successful rider in MCE BSB history when he took his fourth title at a dramatic final round at Brands Hatch last month and is aiming for an unprecedented fifth MCE British Superbike title whereas Easton, fresh from winning last weekend's Macau Grand Prix, will continue alongside Byrne in MCE BSB for the Cumbrian-based team on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R.
The deal continues the successful relationship into a fourth year which has seen 37-year-old Byrne, originally from London but now living in Kent, claim two titles in 2012 and 2014 as well as finishing second on the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki in 2013.
30-year-old Easton, from Hawick, returned from serious injury in 2012 with the PBM team and after winning the Motorpoint British Supersport title in 2013, moved back into MCE BSB last year to clinch the coveted MCE Rider's Cup.
Shane Byrne: "Whereas I had lots of very good offers from other teams, my main aim was always to stay with the PBM team and I'm delighted to remain with Paul Bird for 2015. It's important to have the best team around you and given our success over the past three years, it's a proven and established package which I feel at home with. I'm even more determined to go out there and win the title again so I'm particularly pleased to get this all sorted now and we can focus on our preparations for next season."
Image removed by sender.Stuart Easton: "It's great to have the deal sorted early and we can concentrate on 2015. It was important to have continuity and to remain with the same team on the same bike so it's a positive step for me. I found myself scoring good points and had some great results in the last few meetings of this year so the plan is to continue where I left off this season and to seriously challenge for the title in 2015."
Paul Bird, Team Owner: "The plan was always to run Shakey and Stuart in MCE BSB next season and as both wanted to ride for us again, it was fairly straightforward. We've proved over the years what a successful package we have so none of us saw the need to change things. We will be the only official Kawasaki-supported team in the series next year and we don't plan on relinquishing our number one plate. We are more determined than ever to win the title again next season."
Further announcements regarding the team's additional racing activities and commercial partnerships will be revealed in due course.
The opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship takes place at Donington Park on 4/6th April 2015 and for further details, please visit www.pbmuk.net and www.britishsuperbike.com.
Notes to Editors:
Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) are winners of over 150 races in British Superbike Championship, MotoGP CRT, World Superbike Championship, 125cc, 250cc, Supersport British Championships, Superstock National Championships, Isle of Man TT, North West 200, Daytona, Macau GP and British domestic races. Points scorers in 125cc, 250cc and 500cc GPs, Points scorers in World Supersport, podium finishers in WSB, Superpole winners in World Superbike. They are based at Langwathby near Penrith in Cumbria.
Key SuccessesBritish Superbike Champions 2002/2003/2012/2014, British Supersport Champions 2002, British Superbike Rider's Cup Champions 2014, British 250cc Champions 1999, National Superstock 1000 Champions 2012, National Superstock 600 Champions 2011, Isle of Man TT winners 1999/2000, Daytona winners 1999/2000, NW200 winners, Macau GP winners, WSB race winners, MotoGP CRT race winners. National Rally Champions 2005.
Paul Bird Motorsport in the British Superbike Championship 2000 - 2014
Races Entered: 439 Pole Positions: 42Race Wins: 65Podiums: 89Fastest Laps: 53Record Laps: 24% Races Finished: 84.62%% Victories 14.80%% Podiums 35.08%
