Neukirchner confirmed at Ten Kate Honda

Max Neukirchner will make a dramatic switch to Ten Kate Honda in 2010 to ride alongside Britain’s Jonathan Rea.

MCN exclusively revealed on Saturday that Neukirchner met with the Dutch team at their workshops last week to discuss a deal that will see the 26 year old German leave the factory Alstare Suzuki squad.

Neukirchner was mid way through a two year deal with Alstare Suzuki, but is understood to have left over question marks regarding his fitness following two serious crashes in 2009.

Neukirchner sustained a shattered Femur and broken ankle at Monza in May and then first ride back crashed again in testing at Imola in July.

In that crash the two time WSB race winner suffered fractured vertebrae and it is this injury that has raised question marks over his race fitness.

While Alstare Suzuki maintain that he is not fit to race, Neukirchner declared himself fit, which led to friction between the two parties and for them ultimately to split.

At the age of 26 Neukirchner is regarded as one of the championships brightest prospects and his move represents a major coup for the Ten Kate Honda squad.

Neukirchner will replace Spanish veteran Carlos Checa in the down sized two man, 2010 squad.