Smith returns to WorldSSP action with VFT Racing in 2022
The British rider last competed in WorldSSP in 2020 but will be back for 2022 after agreeing to race for Italian team VFT Racing
British rider Kyle Smith will be back on the FIM Supersport World Championship grid in 2022 as he links up with VFT Racing for the upcoming campaign. Smith missed out on racing in WorldSSP in 2021 despite impressing as a replacement rider the year before but brings plenty of experience of the Championship to the team.
Smith, who will race alongside Swiss rider Marcel Brenner in 2022, made his debut in WorldSSP in 2015 and immediately made his mark with fourth place on debut before consistently challenging for a top five result throughout the season. He claimed his first victory in the final race of the season at Losail. He returned for 2016 and added two more wins to his name throughout the season.
2017 proved to be a more challenging season for Smith as he did not stand on the podium at all, but he returned to the rostrum in 2018 with third place at Portimao. 2019 was another season without a podium for Smith but in 2020, as a replacement rider at GMT94 Yamaha, he claimed two podiums in four races at Barcelona and Magny-Cours.
Reacting to his return to WorldSSP, Smith said: “I am really motivated to return to the World Supersport scene and to start a new project, with a team that believes in me. I can't wait to work hard for a successful season and show what we are capable of. I would like to thank all the sponsors who support us.”
Fabio Menghi, Team Manager at VFT Racing, added: “We were working on having a line-up consisting of fast riders for 2022, and I'm really happy to have Kyle Smith on our team. Kyle, together with Marcel, makes a duo of drivers who will give us more than just a few satisfactions, especially since our team, with over 30 years of experience, is more motivated and hungrier for success than ever. I would like to thank the sponsors and all those who believe in this project like we do.”
Smith will be joined at the team by Brenner who returns for a second campaign with the team after impressing in his debut season in 2021 after joining the Championship from the Czech Round onwards. He claimed a best result of fifth place in his 13 races last season and will be hoping to build on that in 2022.
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