Former rugby league player Michael Howarth will make his return to the MCE British Superbike Championship at Snetterton next month with his own team running a 2014 ex-SMR Yamaha YZF-R1.

Howarth’s ME Racing squad did a deal with SMR for an ex-Ian Hutchinson R1 and the professional northerner will ride and run the team himself with help from Malcolm Ashley and SMR’s Mick Shanley.

“It has taken a little while to put the sponsors together and wrap up the funding but we will be on the grid at Snetterton and I am excited to be back in British Superbikes,” said Howarth, speaking to bikesportnews.com.

“I have lost three stone in weight since January, I am training hard because I want to go about this seriously and properly. The plan is to ride myself for the rest of this season and then add another rider next year.”