Alex Lowes will make a shock return to the WFR Honda team with whom he very publicly split this year to join James Westmoreland and Graeme Gowland in a three-pronged attack on the British Superbike Championship in 2012.

Lowes and WFR parted company halfway through the season after a contractural row which paved the way for Westmoreland to join with Gowland and eventual BSB-Evo Champion Glen Richards, who once again finds himself without a ride as Christmas approaches.

"It’s great to back with WFR, the team that I was most successful with last year. I spoke to the team owners about everything and it’s all water under the bridge and I think we understand each other a lot better now as a result," said Lowes.

“My year didn’t go so brilliantly after leaving WFR, it was my first year on a superbike and changing teams a lot didn’t really help but hopefully with a good test under my belt we can hit the ground running from the first race and put a consistent run together. The aim is to win the championship and with the setup and support we have there’s no reason why we can’t.”