Loris Cresson will end the 2020 season as World Superbike rider after inking a deal to ride for Pedercini Kawasaki at the season finale in Estoril.

A regular top ten finisher in World Supersport in recent years, 2020 has been a challenging one for Cresson but he is thankful to Team Toth for allowing him to combine his RPM84 outfit with the long established squad and run his own Yamaha out of their garage.

“I am so excited to join the OUTDO Kawasaki TPR team for the last round of this years Superbike World Championship. Honestly, after the difficult season and the year we have had had it’s the best thing to have happened," said Cresson.

"I am eager to get to Portugal and to understand the bike and discover all the new things. It will be strange to be on track with the guys I usually watch and who I watched when I was younger. Telling myself that I will race Superbike and be in the same Superpole for example as Scott Redding or Jonathan Rea or Leon Haslam it’s crazy.

"I remember in Barcelona I saw Leon and he said hello and now I will be riding with them. We never gave up this year, not one person who supported me. We had three years in World Supersport and some good races, but this year was a tough one, but sometimes it’s like that. We can now end the year positive.

"I think the category will suit me, I have ridden in World Endurance and didn’t do so badly. I know there will be a lot of work, but I like work and I am ready. I want to thank Imre and Team Toth for allowing us to share their garage this year. They are a good bunch of people and I have nothing but good things to say about them. I want to also thank Lucio Pedercini and David Salom for giving me the opportunity.”

No stranger to riding larger machines (he has previously competed in the World Endurance Championship), Cresson becomes the first Belgian to race in WorldSBK since 2016.