Tito Rabat bolsters Bennetts BSB grid joining TAG Racing Honda

Former Moto2 World Champion Tito Rabat is the latest recruit to join the Bennetts British Superbike Championship grid, replacing Luke Mossey at TAG Racing Honda after his recent spilt with the Swadlincote based team.

It was announced on Saturday on the teams’ Facebook page that Mossey had decided to vacate his seat leaving the team without a rider for round six of the season. However, that simply paved the way for Rabat, the 2014 Moto2 World Champion who went on to ride in MotoGP for five consecutive seasons, to ride for the team for the remainder of the 2022 campaign.

Rabat, 33, has been competing in the Spanish Superbike Championship this season after being a regular points scorer in the World Superbike paddock in 2021. The Spaniard heads to Bennetts BSB after a string of podiums with Team LaGlisse, who also run the Honda CBR1000RR-R SP Fireblade in the ESBK series.

It hasn’t been the season anyone expected from the TAG Racing Honda team, after sensationally stealing pole position with Mossey at the final round at Brands Hatch in 2021, they have failed to score points in 2022 with a best finish of 16^th.

“I'm really excited about the opportunity that the team has given me to ride in the BSB race at Thruxton with TAG Honda,” said Rabat. “BSB is the best national championship in the world at the moment and to be able to take part in it in front of all the British fans who fill the circuits is an honour for me.

 “I will try to do my best to make sure they enjoy the races this weekend, and although the level of the championship is very high, I will try to get a good result for Honda and the team. I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Thruxton.”

“For our little team this is extremely exciting,” Team Manager Gary Winfield told BikeSocial.

“Tito is a rider packed full of quality, and has experience of the Fireblade already this year albeit in the ESBK Championship. To have a former World Champion race in our team is a fantastic feeling for me, it’ll be a real honour to welcome him at Thruxton and get to work.

“I’m not expecting too much, I want him to give us honest feedback, learn the circuit and enjoy himself. If we can do a good job and come away with a happy rider and team that is a positive start. Ideally, I’d like us to be in the top ten but like I said, I just want us to progress in a professional manner and enjoy the weekend, this is a fresh start for us.”

BikeSocial understands that Luke Mossey is in line to replace Dan Linfoot at I-Force Racing BMW, after the Yorkshireman stepped away from the Liverpool based outfit at Brands Hatch. This would mean a reconnection with ex-crew chief, Ray Stringer.