Splitlath Aprilia with Kennaugh in BSB

Splitlath Aprilia will run Leicester-based South African Hudson Kennaugh in the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship next year.

Kennaugh narrowly missed-out on the BSB-Evo title by just three points this year and now the team will step up to the full BSB championship with the Aprilia RSV4.

Kennaugh joined the team halfway through the 2010 season, and quickly helped to develop the team’s Aprilia RSV4 into a BSB Evo race-winning machine.

Dominating the final three rounds and scoring 30% more points than any of his rivals, he took the title fight right down to the wire but was pipped in the final race of the year after a close fight with eventual winner Steve Brogan on the BMW.

Kennaugh said: “In these times of uncertainty in motorcycle racing it is great to be involved with a team that has a pure focus on achieving one goal – running at the front of the very highest class.

“When I joined the team, the season was already well underway and we had to live from round to round doing what we could between races to make improvements and develop the bike. This year we have the off-season to really get stuck into the groundwork.

“It means we have plenty of time for pre-season testing so we can hit the ground running when the season opens in April.”

Splitlath also aim to field a rider in BSB Evo.