Bryan Staring joins DesmoSport Ducati
After a fairly difficult couple of seasons with BCperformance Kawasaki, Bryan Staring will contest the 2022 Australian Superbike Championship with DesmoSport Ducati.
Team co-owner – Troy Bayliss
“I’m really looking forward to 2022. Although we’ve had some great results, it’s been two years since we’ve been able to race a full season, and I think we’re in a great position to race for the ASBK championship again. Mike has done a great job for us over the last 3 years, and it’s a shame the last two years have been so interrupted, but we will part on good terms at the end of the season and I wish him all the best in his racing future. It’s exciting to get to work with a new rider, introduce them to my Ducati family and the Panigale V4 R. I have a lot of respect for Bryan, I raced against him in 2018, he was a challenging rider on the track.”
The recently married 34-year-old Western Australian first made his mark with Australian Championship #1 plates across three different categories. Staring won the 125 cc Grand Prix Championship as a youngster in 2004 before then claiming the Supersport crown in 2009, followed by the Superbike Championship in 2010. The 125 and Superbike Titles were won on Honda machinery, while the Supersport crown was won with Yamaha.
Following a stint on the world stage in the European Superstock and also some time on the MotoGP grid aboard an uncompetitive CRT machine, Staring returned home to Australian racing in 2017 with Crankt Protein Honda where he finished seventh in the Australian Superbike Championship.
When Bryan returned to Australia for that 2017 season he was coming back from extensive leg injuries that he had sustained in a motocross training accident in Italy. The injuries were so severe that he had been at risk of losing part of his lower leg, however he bounced back and eventually even returned to even winning bicycles races as he got back to full fitness.
Staring then teamed up with BCperformance Kawasaki where Bryan won the opening round of that 2018 season before eventually finishing sixth in the championship, which he repeated in 2019 before improving to fourth in season 2020.
Bryan Staring
“Since returning from Europe a few years ago I’ve really enjoyed racing in the ASBK and I’m excited to get on the DesmoSport Ducati Panigale V4 R. I spent a long time living in Italy, so to be able to partner with such a passionate, and proudly Italian brand really brings back a lot of great memories for me. It’s no secret that the bike is incredible to begin with and I’m confident that I can race for wins and the 2022 ASBK Championship. I love riding motorcycles, I love racing and I’m motivated more than ever with Ben and Troy’s support.”
Staring is currently equal fifth in the 2021 Australian Superbike Championship points standings with current DesmoSport Ducati rider Oli Bayliss.
With Oli Bayliss off to World Supersport, and DesmoSport Ducati’s recent announcment that they would only run one Superbike in 2022, that of course leaves Mike Jones on the outer.
It had been widely rumoured that Jones would line up on a Yamaha in ASBK next season but we believe that potential option might not be finalised.
This interview we conducted with Bryan Staring back in late 2014 gives some great insights into Bryan and his experiences in Europe.
We believe Bryan and the Ducati could be a fearsome combination. Bryan and DesmoSport Ducati crew chief Ben Henry have actually lived together at various times during their lives as the two are close friends who both hail from Western Australia.
Team co-owner – Ben Henry
“I’ve followed Bryan’s entire career and I’m really excited to finally get to work with him. I actually have a set of his MotoGP leathers in the workshop! He has some big shoes to fill after the success we’ve had with Mike as well as the development of Oli, but I firmly believe that Bryan gives us the best opportunity to follow on from our championship win from the last full ASBK season in 2019. Of course, we still have the final round of 2021 at The Bend coming up, and I’m confident we’ll see strong results as we look to carry the momentum from Darwin, and the Southern Downs Series into 2022. It’s tough to part ways with Mike, he’s been with us since before DesmoSport Ducati existed and we’ve achieved a lot together in that time, including two championships here in the ASBK, as well as spring boarding Mike to race in Europe and even a race MotoGP. He’s an incredible rider, but our paths simply don’t align in 2022 and I expect we’ll be battling him on the track next year.”
The couple are pictured here with Bryan’s biggest supporters, dad John and mum Anthea
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Bryan is expected to ride the DesmoSport Ducati for the first time on the Monday immediately following the 2021 Australian Superbike Championship finale at The Bend.
