BSB: Triumph and PTR Racing join forces for 2021 British Supersport season

Triumph Motorcycles will make an official return to the British motorcycle racing scene next year after joining forces with PTR Racing.

The full factory-supported outfit will compete in the British Supersport Championship, becoming the first manufacturer to take advantage of the new regulations.

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The British series is piloting the new regulations, which opens up the championship to manufacturers with different engine configurations and capacities, as part of a collaboration between MSVR, Dorna and the FIM. Up until now the class has been limited by rules to incorporate 600cc four-cylinder, 675cc three-cylinder and 750cc twin-cylinder machines.

Whilst Triumph-supported teams have enjoyed Supersport success in the past, in the British series and on the roads, it’s been a long time since the British company has entered a full factory effort. This new direction follows on from the successful Moto2 project, with Triumph being the sole engine supplier for the intermediate Grand Prix class. 

The Supersport bike will be derived directly from the Street Triple RS and its 765cc three-cylinder engine, with fairings based on the Daytona 765 Limited Edition Moto2 model.

Steve Sargent, Triumph Motorcycles Chief Product Officer, said: “Triumph has a long and very successful history in Supersport racing with the Daytona 675 and our experience of racing in Supersport ultimately led to the development of the Moto2 engine which has been so successful for the last two years.

“Supersport has always been an important championship which has developed riders who have gone on to race at the highest level in WSBK and MotoGP. We are therefore extremely pleased that MSVR, Dorna and the FIM are working to take the Supersport category forward and to encourage manufacturers like Triumph to come back into the class.

“We have joined with PTR Racing on this journey and they will bring a wealth of experience to run our factory supported team. We look forward to a successful 2021.”

The PTR Racing team is run by Simon Buckmaster and has a celebrated history in the Supersport class. Buckmaster’s team is the second most successful Honda outfit in World Supersport (WSS), behind Ten Kate Racing, and has finished runner-up on three occasions.

“As things developed towards the end of this year, we were happy to be able to reach an agreement with Triumph to become the Official Triumph Team,” Buckmaster added. “We can’t wait to get started; we are working together with Triumph to get the 765 Street Triple RS ready for the start of the 2021 season, to develop it through the season and to establish the eligibility for both series and other series in the world going forward.

“From that point of view, I would say this is the best thing that has ever happened to PTR and to me personally. As a young lad I started racing on a Triumph Bonneville so for me it is almost like going back to my roots.”

All being well, the new regulations being piloted in the British championship will be taken on by WSS in 2022. There are also early plans in place for PTR Racing to return to the world stage with Triumph. 

At this stage no riders have been signed to this new project, with staggered announcements expected in the coming weeks. There will also be no other Triumph supported teams in 2021, with the full factory squad being their main priority for the first year of the new regulations.

Ducati are also expected to enter the championship at some stage next season with their Panigale V2 twin cylinder bike.