2015 Moto3 World Champion Danny Kent will line up for Mar-Train Yamaha in the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Having impressed throughout 2023 running in his own, family-run LKR Honda team, including two podium appearances, Kent has been signed up by Northern Ireland’s Mar-Train Racing to ride their Yamaha R1 in next year’s campaign.

Kent, who became Britain’s first Grand Prix World Champion in 38 years when he won the Moto3 title in 2015, has scored BSB podiums with two different manufacturers and is keen to become a regular front-runner as he makes the switch to Yamaha.

Two-time British Supersport champions, Mar-Train Racing stepped up to the Superbike class for the first time in 2023 with direct support from Raceways Motorcycles and the McAMS Yamaha team, regularly fighting for the top six positions in an impressive debut season.

Their support from Yamaha Motor UK will continue for 2024, through the new ‘official’ team OMG Racing, while Steve Rodgers’ Raceways Motorcycles effort will continue to back the Lisburn-based set-up.

Alongside the Kent deal, Mar-Train have made significant signings on the technical side, penning an agreement with ex-Tarran Mackenzie McAMS Yamaha crew chief Chris Anderson, who will join Mar-Train full-time for 2024 building and developing the R1 and acting as crew chief to Danny Kent.

Kent said: “I’m very happy to be joining Mar-Train Racing and Yamaha for the 2024 Bennetts BSB season. I’d like to thank Tim and everyone at Mar-Train for giving me this opportunity and believing in me. Mar-Train put together a very competitive package with Yamaha and I feel we have everything in order to have a successful 2024. The goal, as always, is to be a consistent podium challenge and secure our first BSB win together.”

Team Owner Tim Martin commented: “We’ve been really impressed with Danny’s performances in BSB so far, especially this year, so when it became clear he was available for 2024 I was keen to get him signed up.

“You don’t become the first British rider to win a Grand Prix World Championship in 40 years by chance, so he clearly knows how to ride and that Grand Prix style should really suit the high corner speed, flowing style required to ride the Yamaha R1.

“We’re looking to make the ‘next step’ as a team in 2024, and signing Danny is one part of our plan, but the other was the hiring of Chris Anderson from McAMS Yamaha. Chris has played a huge role in McAMS’ success over the last seven years, so we are delighted to have secured his expertise as we look to become regular championship front runners in 2024.”