Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki ready to race after Jerez test

The Anvil Hire TAG Kawasaki team of Richard Cooper, Filip Backlund and Shaun Winfield have become the latest of the MCE British Superbike teams to kick off their 2015 season, taking to the track at Jerez for their opening test ahead of Thursday’s official Donington Park event.

Returning to a superbike for the first time since a horrific break to his arm sustained at Thruxton in August, Cooper says the team’s development has been noticeable.

“It’s been good to get back on the Anvil Hire Tag Kawasaki Superbike after breaking my arm last August. The work that the team have done since I last rode the bike was instantly noticeable from the very first session. The bike has improved in all the areas that we were previously struggling and this has allowed me to concentrate on riding the Superbike to its full potential.

“Over the three days in Jerez we have worked through a lot of different settings to get the feeling I wanted and to get comfortable on the bike again. It’s been good to be working with all the team and also working my new team mate. I’m confident that we can both be strong right from the very first round at Donington Park.”

Swede Backlund, who made an impression on the series last year after taking over the FFX Tools Yamaha from Ian Hutchinson and immediately scoring a number of top ten finishes, added: “It has been a great three days of testing at Jerez. It was my first time on the bike and I felt very confident and comfortable as well straight away.  We tried a lot of different things, more to see what happen with the bike and for me to understand.

“In the end we found some good and strong information so it feels good to fly back home with that in the back of my head ready for the official test at Donington Park. I want to say a big thanks to the whole team who made these days so good.”