Japanese star Yukio Kagayama has joined the New Forest-based Crescent Suzuki team.
Kagayama will race a GSX-R1000 alongside new teammate and former BSB champion John Reynolds, who rode for the team in 2002.
The 28-year-old Kagayama, from Yokohama, has been a factory Suzuki rider since 1993 and his placement in the British series is a sign of how highly the company view the standard of racing in this country.
Crescent Suzuki team boss Paul Denning said: "Yukio Kagayama is a factory rider who has ridden against the best riders in the world and proved his ability.
"We are proud that Suzuki Motor Corporation trusts our ability as a team to do one of its top factory riders justice and we aim to repay that faith with good results."
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