Smart splits with Suzuki

Scott Smart and Rizla Suzuki have split midway through the British Superbike season.

In an apparently amicable split, the team and rider have “agreed to go their seperate ways in search of improved results and performance.”

“There is no question that I stryuggled to gel with the GSX-R1000. We tried making many changes and I still couldn’t find a competitive setting. I had very little confidence in the bike,” said Smart.

“While I didn’t always agree with the team on ways to improve the race bike, I agree with them now that we should have a clean break and go our seperate ways. I need to get back to winning races and I’m now looking for another team to achieve that with.”

Suzuki team manager Robert Wicks admitted factors had hindered Smart’s racing, including the injury to reigning champion and team-mate John Reynolds, the late delivery fo the race bike limiting testing, a new team structure, and differences between Smart and them about the direction to take.

There’s currently no official word on who will ride for the second half of the season, but an announcement is expetced shortly.