Team News

Halsall and Bridewell Reunited For 2018 BSB Campaign

Tommy Bridewell is returning to the Halsall Racing fold after inking a deal to contest the 2018 British Superbike Championship on Suzuki machinery.

Bridewell, of Devizes in Wiltshire, has a long history with team owner Martin Halsall, and will reunite with the Bolton-based entrepreneur to launch an attack on this year’s title.

And he will be joined at the Movuno.com Halsall Racing squad by Kent’s Tom Ward, who will also pilot a Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship.

Bridewell’s return will mark the third time he has ridden for Halsall’s squad, and he believes this could be his best chance yet, as the team-owner has pulled out all the stops to build a team around him.

Halsall has chosen to return to Suzuki power, which the team ran in the hard-fought domestic series during 2015 and 2016.

He has also recruited Bridewell’s team of Italian mechanics who he has worked with for a number of years, and Bridewell is confident that this will lead to his and the team’s best year yet.

“Martin and I have always stayed close friends, and when we first spoke about working together again, I said I would like to be back on a Suzuki,” said Bridewell. “Martin went out and sorted it, and he got my Italian mechanics back, which is so important to me.

“Now I believe we have all the tools for the job. I’m feeling very confident that we can be fighting for the podium from Round One. I’m very pleased to be back with the Movuno.com Halsall Racing outfit and I’m just eager to get out there now. I can’t wait to see what we can do, and I’m certain we can be serious contenders from the outset this year.”

While Bridewell has his eyes on the podium, his team-mate Tom Ward will be making the step up to 1000cc power after a solid 2017 in British Supersport.

In what looks to be a very fierce class this year, Ward is looking forward to getting to grips with the extra power, along with the new experience of being part of a team.

“I’m super excited to be part of a team this year as I’ve been a privateer for the last couple of years,” he said. “It’s such a great opportunity, stepping up to a team with such a wealth of experience and to have Tommy as my team-mate.

“It will be a new challenge as I’ve not ridden a 1000 before, but I feel it will suit my riding style. I’m really looking forward to throwing a leg over the new Suzuki and we will hopefully get a good base for the bike when we go testing, so I can hit the ground running at Round One.”

Team owner, Martin Halsall, admits he is very excited about the season ahead. “I’ve wanted Tommy back since we left BSB at the end of 2016, and I’ve also felt we had a lot of unfinished business with the Suzuki, so this is probably my dream team combination,” he said.

“We’ve put a fantastic team in place, we’ve got the Italians back and we are here to fight for the title. I’ve always believed in Tommy and what he can do, and I believe this year will be our best yet.

“We’ve also brought Tom into the team in Superstock 1000, which is another new step for us. It’s great to be able to help bring on a young, up and coming rider and I think Tom has fantastic potential and will surprise a lot of people this year.

“It’s going to be a busy 2018 for everyone involved at Movuno.com Halsall Racing, but we’re all raring to go and looking forward to the season ahead. Hopefully we will have plenty to celebrate as the year moves on.”

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