The 2022 Bennetts British Superbike Championship season is finally upon us, and the RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha team are set for their most competitive season yet as they embark on their fifth season of competition in the prestigious series. Riders Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde remain with the Cannock-based team for 2022 as the team make the swich to Yamaha machinery.
Both Ryde and Ray have immediately gelled with their Yamaha R1 race bikes across the preseason tests with Ray ending the opening test at Snetterton second-fastest to McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran, backing up his lap record efforts at Cartagena before Christmas. Kyle Ryde had a difficult test in Norfolk due to circumstances beyond both his and the team’s control but bounced back at Silverstone, posting the third fastest time overall across the two days, ending the weather-hit test 0.004s ahead of Brad Ray on the sister Yamaha R1 in fourth.
2021 was a difficult season for both riders despite scoring three podiums between them and Brad Ray narrowly missing out on a Showdown place at the final round of the regular season. Podiums at Oulton Park and a week later at Donington Park gave the pair a boost as the season drew to a close but the news of the switch to Yamaha brought a renewed determination and motivation to both riders after tasting success on the Yamaha R6 prior to the beginning of their BSB careers. Preseason testing has proven that the determination and motivation there in abundance for Ryde and Ray and expectation is high for the season ahead in the RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha camp.
Swelling the Superbike numbers at Silverstone are RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha’s Road Racing team of James Hillier and Davo Johnson. Hillier has been present at both pre-season tests and carried out the bulk of the development work on the Yamaha R1 after Davo’s arrival in the UK was delayed by red tape. Both riders are keen to begin the build up to the NW200 races in mid-May before they reach the Isle of Man for TT fortnight, the highlight of any Road Racing season.
Lady racers are growing in the sport of motorcycling and the team are proud to have both Chloe Jones and Lissy Whitmore as RICH Energy OMG Racing Yamaha riders for 2022. Chloe makes her debut in the National Junior Superstock Championship aboard her Yamaha R6 while Lissy makes her full-season debut in the British Junior Supersport Championship aboard her Yamaha R3. Both riders have plenty of learning to do in their new championships however the team are comfortable that they will progress strongly as the season unfolds.
