Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki has completed its rider line-up for the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship (BSB) with the signing of youngster Max Cook alongside Lee Jackson.
Taking the place of Moto2 World Championship-bound Rory Skinner in the factory Kawasaki UK supported FS-3 Racing squad, Max Cook arrives in BSB on the back of winning the 2022 Junior Superstock Championship.
Set to compete as one of the youngest riders on the BSB grid, 19-year old Cook’s career progression draws parallels with the rider he is replacing having previously competed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup - where he was a podium winner - and in the Moto3 Junior World Championship competing alongside the likes of Pedro Acosta and Izan Guevara.
Having returned to racing in the UK in 2021, Cook went on to dominate the 2022 Junior Superstock Championship with nine victories from 15 races.
Set to undergo a rigorous fitness and Spanish-based testing programme to prepare him for the demands of competing on a fully-fledged BSB-spec Kawasaki ZX-10RR, Cook is delighted his Kawasaki UK backing is taking him all the way to the Superbike class.
“This is a dream come true for me. Firstly, I would like to thank Nigel and Darren for supporting me for six years and now, to finally be their rider is so surreal! Nigel has supported me throughout my years at Red Bull Rookies Cup, Moto3 Junior World Championship and most recently, winning the Junior Superstock 600 championship, so he knows what I can do on a bike.
“Of course, this is a big step for me, but I feel like I am totally ready for the challenge and looking forward to showing people what I can do.
“To have Lee Jackson as my teammate is amazing. We all know he is very fast, and he is someone that I have always looked up to, so I can’t wait to soak up his knowledge.
“I have already had a taste for the superbike in early October, and I’m very excited to give it the beans in a proper run out in winter testing!”
Drawing comparisons with Skinner - who achieved seven podiums and a run to the Title Showdown during his two seasons with the team - having supported him through the junior ranks, Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team manager Nigel Snook believes Cook can live up to such a lofty promotion.
“We’ve been supporting Max for six years and have been really impressed with his progress. He’s served his apprenticeship winning the BSB Moto 3 championship in 2017, then progressing through the British Talent Cup, Red Bull Rookies and the Junior World Championship. His talent really shone through this year as he dominated the Junior Superstock Championship and made a very impressive Supersport debut at the final round at Brands Hatch.
“As a team, we pride ourselves on actively supporting young talented riders, so the decision to promote Max to ride alongside Lee Jackson fitted perfectly with our philosophy. As a front-running BSB team, it’s easy to overlook a long-term development plan in return for instant results.
“We believe every team in the paddock has the responsibility to nurture young talent to keep British riders at the forefront of world racing and show everyone that the British Superbike Championship is the strongest domestic championship in the world.
“Just coming up to his 20th birthday, Max will certainly have his work cut out getting used to the raw power of a superbike, but we’ve got a full testing plan in place for him over the winter, and he’s very excited to get going.
“Based on his previous experience, we don’t think it will be too long before he surprises a few people.’’
Cook will be paired with the experienced Jackson, who will be looking to build on a breakthrough 2022 BSB campaign that saw him collect two wins - his first in the series - and a run to fifth in the overall standings.
