TAG Racing yteam up with Honda for 2021 BSB challenge
TAG Racing join forces with Honda UK to put 2020 woes behind them
TAG Racing have joined forces with Honda Racing UK in a partnership they hope will bring them back towards the front of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
The 2020 season was a tough one, to the extent that the team decided to withdraw from action after round two to focus on 2021. They did so because of an inherent chatter problem with their Yamaha R1, to which there was no clear resolution in sight.
Now, with close support from Honda Racing UK, the team will race the new Fireblade, which enjoyed an impressive debut year with Andrew and Glenn Irwin. Working closely with the official Honda team, TAG Racing will have a race-winning base setting from the outset and, perhaps more importantly, have some continuity with Dan Linfoot, a former Honda rider, staying put. Throughout the year, team owner Gary Winfield and his crew will be able to share data with Honda and, once thoroughly tested, perfected and given some mileage by the factory team, receive updated parts. “Our bike is going to be as close to theirs as possible,” Winfield explained to MCN. “It was a nobrainer to try and get a deal done with Honda after seeing the new bike come straight out of the box at Donington and do as well as it did. “It’s great that Honda have overlooked the bad year we’ve had. They’ve obviously seen our potential from previous seasons, and the foundations are still the same as when we worked with Josh Brookes [where they finished runner-up in the 2017 BSB title race]. It’s a fresh start for everybody. It got to a point last season where we were almost riding to survive and not crash, rather than riding to race, which is obviously what we’re there for – we want to race for the win, not to just ride around and avoid any chatter.”
Linfoot spent four seasons with Honda, securing two victories, 12 further podiums and a spot in the Showdown in 2015 and 2016.
“It will be nice to understand the difference with this new model compared to the length of time I had with the old one,” Linfoot told MCN. “Going back to the years that I was at Honda, I rode the old bike for so long. I wouldn’t say I wanted to stay there, but I wanted to ride a newer model which was more capable than the old one. It’s quite nice now that I’m going to have that chance, albeit with a different livery and team.”
When TAG withdrew from the 2020 season Linfoot headed to the Superstock 1000 class with Michael
‘It made sense after seeing how good it was out of the box’
Rutter’s Bathams Racing, ending up with a podium at Brands Hatch. “It was nice to get on the stock bike,” Linfoot admitted. “I was getting on with the bike and had a load of confidence because I was running at the front and battling for wins again. God, that brought the fire back for what I want to do. That’s why you go racing!
“All those events where you’re running around in 18th and your head is down, it seems to eat you up and take over your life. I just can’t wait now to be riding in my normal way again and to get back to those consistent top-six finishes that I know I’m capable of.
“That’s where the team needs to be and where I need to be. I’m so motivated now after two rubbish years, so I want and need to make this work.”
Shaun Winfield remains on the stock bike, whilst a decision has not been made with regards to running second superbike rider.