The Clogher man, now based in England, made his return to the British Superbike Championship in 2020, more than a year after fracturing both legs in a crash during qualifying at Knockhill in Scotland on the Tyco BMW in June 2019.

Farmer signed for the Buildbase Suzuki team but after the start of the season was delayed by five months by the Covid-19 outbreak, he endured a nightmare opening round at Donington Park in August, sustaining a shoulder injury in a crash in qualifying which effectively ruined his prospects of re-establishing himself.

Gino Rea was drafted in as a replacement and although Farmer returned at Oulton Park in the middle of September, the 33-year-old was far from fully fit and ended the campaign with a ride on the team’s Superstock bike at Brands Hatch in October.

However, the Co Tyrone man has a spring in his step again after doing a deal to return to the Superstock 1000 Championship in 2021, when he will be bidding to win the title for a third time following previous successes in 2012 and 2018.

Farmer, who also won the Superstock 600 crown in 2011 and the British Supersport title 2017, told the News Letter:

“I’d sort of hung up the boots after the last round and the past few years have been hard work.

“I had got to the point of having enough because I had four British titles, I wasn’t really making any money out of the job and I just felt that might be it. I haven’t really had any fun over these past few years in racing and when you’re not enjoying it, then it becomes a chore.

“So I’d kind of hung the boots up, but then I had a team that was persistent - in a nice way - in trying to get me to ride for them next year and I think we can put the fun back into it and earn a bit of money as well,” added Farmer, who says an official announcement will be forthcoming soon.

“They’ve said there won’t be any pressure and I can go and have some fun and enjoy myself again, plus they made an offer of a competitive seat on a Superbike again in 2022.

“But I actually told them that unless one of three teams made me an offer to go back to Superbikes, then I’d have no interest because there’s only three teams worth riding for in BSB to be honest. If you’re not in one of those teams then you’re not going to be competitive in every round, so I’m happy to go back to Superstock 1000.

“I can enjoy it, I can still do my own job and earn some money along the way.”

After a long career in the British championship, Farmer has become somewhat disillusioned with the sport, but he is ready to come back in 2021 with a team that has promised to bring back the enjoyment factor.

“I’ve had too many false promises in the past and I’m a person who likes to keep my word, but in this game a lot of people aren’t like that and I’d got to a point where I’d had enough of it,” he said.

“It was just getting harder every year and I was even struggling to get helmet and leather deals. Obviously Covid comes into things now and I have struggled for results in the past few years, but I have won four British titles and I’m going back to Superstock next year, so it’s just pretty frustrating to even have problems sorting out the basics.

“It hasn’t been a great few years but I’m genuinely excited for 2021 and I’ve been doing my homework and training hard, so I’m motivated to get back to the front.”

Kyle White