Reigning MCE Insurance British Superbike champions Paul Bird Motorsport (PBM) have signed Japanese star Noriyuki Haga to contest the final three rounds of the 2013 Championship for the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki team.
The former triple runner-up in the World Superbike Championship will join MCE British Championship leader and defending champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne on board a Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki ZX-10R for all three Showdown rounds, starting at Assen this weekend.
Haga has won 43 WSBK races in a distinguished career before racing in MCE BSB last season and despite suffering a broken collarbone at Cadwell Park, bounced back late in the campaign to claim eighth place in the final standings. Earlier this season, 'Nitro Nori' took a third place podium finish at the prestigious Suzuka Eight Hours race in his native Japan alongside former 500cc World champion Kevin Schwantz. Haga will get his first taste of the Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki in a test at Snetterton en route to Assen later this week.
Team Owner Paul Bird said: "I have always admired Nori throughout his career and it's fair to say he's one of my heroes so I'm delighted to have the chance to work with him. He's proven throughout his career that he's a great rider and showed at the tracks he knew last year that he could still be very competitive. He was on pole position at Assen last year and rode a couple of brilliant races so despite not doing a lot of racing this year, he'll be very strong. He loves all three Showdown tracks and if he can also help Shakey's bid for the title, all well and good."
Gruß
Henning
ups - hab ich mit WSBK verwechselt 
