News

After a strong season with Kallio Racing and numerous top ten finishes, Loris Cresson will move on to a new challenge in 2020 in the World Supersport Championship, as he joins Team Toth Yamaha. The Belgian rider will join forces with Hungarian team for the first time, whilst remaining with Yamaha machinery for a third consecutive season.  

Achieving his first point-scoring ride in WorldSSP in 2016 at Losail before accomplishing his first top ten a year later at Imola, when he was eighth, Cresson has been a permanent rider on the grid in the class since 2018. Five top ten results across the two seasons have seen Cresson finish 12th in both years, with 2020 set to be the year where he improves further and becomes a front-running contender.

Aiming to become the first Belgian winner in the class since the late Miquel Paquay in 1997, back when it was a ‘World Series’ and not the World Championship it is today, Cresson stated his intentions for 2020: “I am really happy to announce that I will be joining Team Toth in 2020. It is a really good opportunity for me to continue in World Supersport, and I’m happy that the people around me gave me the opportunity. I will be able to bring my own crew chief so it should be a good year. 2019 was not the year I expected with the results, but for 2020, I expect to be inside the top five or top seven. I think it should bring great things for me; for sure, we are able to do this!”

The Team Toth have vast experience in motorcycle racing, having won 250cc World Championship podiums with Hector Barbera to being point-scorers in the World Superbike Championship in recent years. A strong start to 2019 with Barbera promised much before the season unravelled and the team struggled with permanent riders. But with Cresson on board, the team’s fortunes look set to pick up again.

Back in WorldSSP for another season, team owner Imre Toth set his targets for Cresson and his team in 2020: “I am pleased to announce that we will continue in World Supersport next year. I plan to line up two riders,  and one of them has already been confirmed.  Loris Cresson, who is a young and talented rider from Belgium, will join the team for 2020. He scored good results in 2019, and I am sure that with our experience and aboard one of the best bikes on the grid,  he will be able to achieve top results soon. Loris will team up with an Italian crew chief, and he will count on the support of expert technicians. We are ready with a new bike and we can’t wait to work together with him.”

Watch WorldSBK and WorldSSP testing unfold throughout the pre-season with the WorldSBK VideoPass!