As the year draws to a close, we can look back favourably at yet another successful season for TAS Racing and the Tyco Suzuki team, both in British Championship and also on the International Road Racing scene.

We came up that little bit short in the British Superbike Championship, finishing in third place, but we certainly left an indelible mark on the series on the final weekend when Josh Brookes posted a subliminal hat-trick – joining an exclusive ‘three in a day club’ – to increase his win tally for the season to five BSB top steps.

The Australian posted 15 podiums during the 2013 British Superbike campaign, which is a phenomenal achievement in what is regarded as the world’s premier national Superbike series.

PJ Jacobsen had a solid, albeit not spectacular, debut season in British Superbike. The American youngster missed out on the all-important top six, but did impress in the latter part of the year with a memorable podium in the Netherlands.

Since the last round at Brands in October, there has been what looks like an almost revolutionary process within the Tyco Suzuki ranks, with the departure of both the aforementioned riders.

But every cloud has a silver lining and we were delighted to announce, just a few weeks ago, that former MotoGP star John Hopkins would be leading the Tyco Suzuki charge in British Superbike for 2014. The Californian needs little or no introduction to the wider two-wheel audience globally and will be a great asset to both Tyco and Suzuki, not to mention the team’s associated sponsors, when the season gets underway next April.

His new team-mate will be affable Aussie Josh Waters. The 26-year-old double Australian Superbike champion got his first taste of the BSB series in 2013, but having returned to the Suzuki family with TAS Racing – the great all-rounder will undoubtedly be a top-six contender in 2014 onboard the Tyco Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike.

In the British Supersport class young Taylor Mackenzie did us proud in his first season aboard a GSX-R600. His 10th place in the series doesn’t really reflect his progress spike during the season. Where we should look to is the final round at Brands where he actually led one of the races for a brief period.

We are delighted to have Taylor and the Mackenzie family back on-board next season as Taylor’s mannerly nature and desire to succeed mirrors that of the entire Tyco Suzuki team; and what his father Niall brings to ‘the party’ as a three-time British champion and Grand Prix regular – just could not be purchased with his mother Jan also set to be involved in the Tyco Suzuki hospitality set-up for a real family affair.

On the roads this season we have a lot to be proud of with Guy Martin winning the Solo Founders Superbike Championship at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man, with lap records and 600cc victories to boot. The enigmatic Lincolnshire man went on the take a hat-trick at the season finale Ulster Grand Prix, and how can we forget Josh Brookes’ 127.726mph lap at the Isle of Man TT as a newcomer.

We are currently busy as ever preparing GSX-R machinery for the 2014 season, but we would like to thank all our sponsors and supporters for sticking by us this year. We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.


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