Lincolnshire rider hopes to achieve his first Isle of Man TT win with Irish team
Northern Ireland team Relentless by TAS Suzuki today confirmed their first rider for the 2011 campaign – maverick 28-year-old road racing star Guy Martin. The Kirmington rider has one of the biggest followings in British and Irish motorcycling and has achieved 10 podium finishes at the TT since making his debut in 2004, including 5 runner-up spots.
Martin will join his yet to be announced Road Racing and British Superbike team-mates in pre-season tests in Spain, scheduled for February or March. The Lisburn based team are currently planning for a first competitive appearance for Guy, in the famous black Relentless by TAS livery, at a British Superstock race at the end of April, ahead of the 2011 Isle of Man TT Races Fuelled by Monster Energy, which this year sees the centenary of racing on the iconic Mountain Course. The team are also looking for Guy to race in a number of British Superstock Championship events throughout the 2011 season as well as the North West 200 in May and Ulster Grand Prix in August.
Guy talked excitedly at the unveiling in Northern Ireland:
“You just don’t get any more of a proven team than Relentless by TAS Suzuki and with their official support from Suzuki and something like 15 TT wins, it wasn’t a difficult decision to make. I was at a Pirelli test earlier this year and took 101 pictures of their bikes and the preparation of them is ‘proper’ – that’s what made my mind up.”
He continued:
“They are the best team I’ve been with do date; that’s all there is to it. I just want to hit the ground running now.. Yeah it’s all proper and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
Team owners Hector and Philip Neill believe that they can guide the fast talking Lincolnshireman to his first Isle of Man TT races win. Philip commented:
“It’s been a difficult decision changing our line-up as we pride ourselves on loyalty. In saying that, Guy is a rider I’ve wanted to work with for a couple of seasons now, and my loyalty to other riders probably held that decision back a little. He came to us full of enthusiasm and wants to do things our way, which was a good starting point. And on top of that, I’m a sucker for a challenge and I like Guy’s free spirit attitude. He’s created a Guy Martin brand without even trying and that’s also pretty special.”
He continued:
“Obviously we know he’s a very talented rider and has been extremely unlucky not to have won races at both the North West 200 and the TT. So our motivation is to complete that task, while making sure Guy also fulfils his commercial responsibility representing a manufacturer backed team.”
