Leon Haslam to ride for KRT in WorldSBK 2019
35-year-old Leon Haslam will join Jonathan Rea at KRT to complete the rider line up of Kawasaki’s official squad in the 2019 WorldSBK Championship as Tom Sykes seeks other opportunities for next season. Haslam has been Rea’s WorldSBK team-mate before, at Honda shortly before Rea first joined Kawasaki.
Leon Haslam
“I have to say a big thanks to Kawasaki for this opportunity. Returning to the World Superbike Championship is something I’m really looking forward to. After scoring race wins, lap records, pole positions and a championship runner-up position in my seven years there it’s going to be great to get back to WorldSBK. The support of Kawasaki throughout my three years in the British Superbike Championship and via KHI at the Suzuka 8-Hour race has been exceptional. The like-minded approach from Kawasaki UK and KHI in Japan has been really appreciated and I’m now hoping to repay them with the 2018 British Superbike title and then to challenge for next year’s WorldSBK Championship. The 2019 season will throw up some new challenges as the competitiveness between the manufacturers continues to be at the highest level but I’m confident that with the professional and successful team behind me we can enjoy plenty of success.”
Currently leading the British Superbike Championship on his JG Speedfit Kawasaki ZX-10RR Leon is set to join Rea and Kazuma Watanabe this weekend to compete in the 41st Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hour race as part of the official Team Green effort.
Leon Haslam is an experienced WSBK campaigner, with five race wins and 39 podiums to his credit. He has recently competed as a wild card for Kawasaki at selected WorldSBK events, in between his regular commitments in BSB for Kawasaki Motors UK. Haslam has won six races from twelve in the British championship so far and enjoys a lead of 80 points.
A rider of vast experience in almost all forms of racing, Haslam’s best WorldSBK season to date was 2010, when he finished championship runner-up. Leon will begin his working relationship with KRT during this year’s winter test programme.
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager
“It’s understandably tough to replace a rider of Tom’s quality and the final decision to sign Leon for 2019 was made after considering many factors, some obvious and others to answer internal team factors. There’s a complex sporting strategy behind this decision, and to satisfy our team goals we felt that Leon was the best possible rider for the job. Rumours and speculation have filled many of the last weeks and we are happy to finally confirm Leon as the KRT choice. KHI knows, I know, he knows, and crew chief Marcel Duinker knows that he takes onto his shoulders a big responsibility and, at 35 years of age, to get this opportunity is his best chance to prove he still has something extra to contribute. We have a clear idea where to find this contribution and I’m personally motivated to use his experience matched to ours to try to make a stronger package that nobody has yet witnessed from Leon. As we say in KRT… “Results are the greatest evidence of endeavour”.
Leon Haslam Career Profile
- Born: May 31 1983, Smalley, Derbyshire, England.
- Age: 35 years old.
- 1991: Schoolboy motocross debut.
- 1995: UK youth motocross Champion.
- 1996: UK youth motocross Champion.
- 1997: Gilera UK scooter Champion, 12 race wins from 16 races. Debut in Honda CB500 Cup, one race win from one race.
- 1998: 7th in UK 125cc championship. One race win, two fastest laps.
Grand Prix debut, finished 17th at Donington Park. - 1999: 5th in UK 125cc championship, one race win, four podium finishes. 4th in Spanish 125cc championship. 125cc GP wild card, finished 19th at Donington Park.
- 2000: 27th in 125cc Grand Prix Championship, with Italjet.
7th in UK 125cc championship, three wins from four races. - 2001: 19th in 500cc Grand Prix Championship, with Honda NSR500V.
- 2002: 18th in 250cc Grand Prix Championship, with Honda RS250.
- 2003: 11th in UK Supersport Championship, Ducati (half season only). 11th in UK Superbike Championship, Ducati (half season only). 21st in World Superbike Championship, Ducati. Three races, 6th place x 2.
- 2004: 8th in World Superbike Championship, Ducati. Best finish of 3rd place. Qualified on the front row twice, led the Australian race before retiring. 19th in UK Superbike championship. Winner of UK Superbike round at Brands Hatch, contested four rounds.
- 2005: 4th in UK Superbike championship, Ducati. Three pole positions, 19 podium finishes.
- 2006: 2nd in UK Superbike championship, Ducati. Won “best qualifier” award, 18 podium finishes.
- 2007: 3rd in UK Superbike championship, Ducati, four race wins.
- 2008: 2nd in UK Superbike championship, Honda, five race wins.
- 2009: 6th in World Superbike Championship with Stiggy Motorsports Honda Team.
- 2010: 2nd in World Superbike Championship with Alstare Suzuki Team.
- 2011: 5th in World Superbike Championship with BMW Motorrad.
- 2012: 8th in World Superbike Championship with BMW Motorrad.
- 2013: 13th in World Superbike Championship with Ten Kate Honda.
- 2014: 10th in World Superbike Championship with Ten Kate Honda.
- 2015: 4th in World Superbike Championship with Aprilia Red Devils Team.
- 2016: 2nd in British Superbike Championship with JG Speedfit Kawasaki Team.
- 2017: 3rd in British Superbike Championship with JG Speedfit Kawasaki Team.
- 2018: Leads the British Superbike Championship with JG Speedfit Kawasaki Team.
