Jenny Tinmouth signed by Honda
for 2015 BSB campaign
Honda (UK) has announced that Jenny Tinmouth will join the Honda Racing British Superbike Championship team as it makes its full-time return to the series for 2015. Tinmouth will complete what will now be a three-rider line-up, joining Jason O’Halloran and Dan Linfoot to contest the premier class aboard the Superbike-spec Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.
Tinmouth, who has achieved many firsts for women in motorcycle racing, is no stranger to the British Superbike Championship. She has competed in the series since 2011 and is also the first and only female to have ridden in BSB. Tinmouth has also experienced numerous successes at the Isle of Man TT races, where she currently holds the record as the fastest female around the legendary Mountain course. The Cheshire-based rider set the lap record during her first TT in 2009 and went onto break her own record the following year with an average lap speed of 119.9455mph.
For 2015, Tinmouth will become a full-time member of the Louth-based Honda Racing BSB squad, competing alongside O’Halloran and Linfoot for the entire 12-round championship. Honda is making its return to BSB having spent 2014 working on the development of the CBR1000RR Fireblade superbike machine and, following its success and championship win with Alex Lowes in 2013, is ready to return in full force with its three-strong rider line-up.
Nick Campolucci - Head of Motorcycles at Honda (UK):
"There'll be a focus on Jenny because she's a female racer, of course. After all, she's the first and only woman rider to compete in British Superbikes. But she's a proven competitor and current Isle of Man TT lap record holder. Jenny joins the team on merit and we are very pleased that we have the opportunity to work with her. Honda has served up a number of firsts when it comes to broadening the representation of women in motorsport and Jenny is the latest female member of the Honda Racing family. She joins British motocross sensation Natalie Kane and Laia Sanz who achieved the highest ever placing in this year's Dakar Rally, by a female rider, finishing ninth overall in this year's race."
Havier Beltran – Honda Racing team manager:
"This is a fantastic opportunity for Jenny being part of the Honda Racing team, alongside Dan and Jason. She's been on Hondas for a couple of years now running her own team. This year will be a huge learning curve, getting used to the team and the bike, but will also really push her in the series and hopefully generate some good results. It will also be a learning curve for us, but we're excited for the challenge. We've been aware of Jenny for a while now, not only being the only female in the BSB series but also her successes at the Isle of Man and can't wait to see her on the bike at the first test in March."
Jenny Tinmouth:
"I'm absolutely over the moon and cannot believe I'm riding for Honda Racing in the British Superbike Championship. The offer was totally unexpected. I went for a meeting with Nick (Campolucci) to discuss the season and had a few cheeky questions I wanted to ask about Honda helping me out with bikes, and when the offer came I couldn't believe what I was being asked. I went into the meeting thinking it would just be some help and came out as a full-time Honda rider. It's always been my ultimate dream to ride for the team and to have the opportunity this year is just amazing. I’m riding the Honda BSB bike for the first time during a team test in March and I can't wait."
Information from a Honda press release