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Roads: David Johnson joins Ian Hutchinson at Honda for 2019

Published: 25 January 2019
  • David Johnson signs for Honda Racing for 2019
    David Johnson signs for Honda Racing for 2019
  • Ian Hutchinson in action on the Fireblade
    Ian Hutchinson in action on the Fireblade
  • Ian Hutchinson smiles on ahead of a race
    Ian Hutchinson smiles on ahead of a race
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Honda Racing have today announced that David Johnson will be joining Ian Hutchinson for the 2019 road racing season.

The duo will be competing for the team at both the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT, riding the Japanese firm’s Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 in both the Superstock and Superbike categories.

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The team will also be fielding a CBR600RR supersport machine for Hutchinson too, who stays with the team for a second season after coming back from injury. The 16-time TT winner broke his left leg for a third time, when he crashed out of the lead at the 27th milestone during the 2017 Senior TT.

Speaking about staying with the team, he said: “I’m feeling confident coming into this season on the roads. Last year was about building back up and learning the Fireblade again.

“The results were a little disappointing, as they didn’t reflect the hard work that went in behind the scenes. But since the TT I have been out on a track Fireblade and also my road bike, so with that mileage and the testing programme we have for this year, I think we’ll be in a strong position when we arrive at the North West 200. I’m keen to get started and looking forward to the team’s first test.” 

New teammate ‘Davo’ Johnson made his TT debut in 2010 aboard a Honda and has since gone on to score a string of impressive finishes, including three fourth places at the TT and a third at the 2018 Ulster Grand Prix aboard his Tyco BMW machine. 

In a statement, Johnson said: “I am really happy to join the Honda Racing team for this season. Over the years they have been incredibly successful on the roads and won a lot at the TT; I feel that I will gel with the Fireblade, so I’m very excited to get started and ride the bikes.

“With Hutchy getting fitter from his injuries I think we’ll work together well and I will have some great people around me in the team. I can’t wait to get back to the UK and start testing!”

The team will now move into a stringent testing programme, before arriving at the North West 200 in May.

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By Dan Sutherland

News Editor - I joined the MCN team straight from studying at the University of Sheffield, starting out as Acting Consumer Editor, before becoming the Senior Online Reporter, Senior Writer and more recently the News Editor. Although my first love will always be performance bikes and racing, I have a passion for all things two-wheeled. I did my Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) on my 16th birthday and passed my full test around a year later. I now cover around 20,000 road miles a year on motorcycles of all genres and in all weathers. I have also experienced elements of advanced rider training, tackled countless UK and international short circuits and achieved an ACU race licence to begin a fledgling competition career.