OMG to WSB 

Words and images courtesy OMG Racing

The OMG Racing UK Team are heading to the ‘World Stage’ later this year, as they prepare to take on the final round of the 2024 FIM Superbike World Championship at the iconic Jerez circuit in October with riders Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers.

2022 Bennetts British Superbike Champions OMG Racing UK are excited to confirm their participation in the WorldSBK finale, taking place at Circuito de Jerez on 18-20 October.

The team are the official Yamaha entrant in the British Superbike Championship, in which the team have secured 11 victories and a further nine podium finishes this season. The Cannock-based outfit will switch to a full WorldSBK-spec R1, including Magneti Marelli electronics, working closely with Yamaha Motor Europe Motorsport Racing & Development.

For riders Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers, it won’t be the first time they’ve ridden in the World Superbike paddock. For Ryde, the WorldSSP paddock holds special memories, with the 27-year-old claiming a maiden podium finish on the Yamaha R6 at his home round at Donington Park in 2015. The Nottinghamshire rider is relishing the opportunity and hopes to make more lasting memories in Spain later this year.

Ryde said: “It’s obviously really exciting to hear that the team will be going to compete in the final round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Jerez, and it is something I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to do. I love Jerez, it is such an awesome track. I did a few laps there on my R6 earlier this year, and I really like the circuit, so I’m already itching to get out on the World Superbike-spec R1. The team are working hard behind the scenes now to get it all ready, and I just can’t wait. Thank you to Alan, Paul and all my guys for giving up their time and efforts to give us the chance to ride on the world stage.”

Vickers’ last visit to WorldSBK came in 2022 when he was drafted in to replace Leon Haslam in the Czech round at Autodrom Most. Narrowly missing out on a points finish; the number seven rider hopes to take the learnings of the season so far to battle to three point-scoring finishes at Jerez in October.

Vickers said: “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to race at Jerez for the final round of the World Superbike Championship. I’m eager to get out there and give it a shot with the same team and bike, just upgraded to the World Superbike-spec. I think it’ll be a good indication as to where we are as a team and how our bike is compared to the world bike. Kyle and I both feel really good on our R1 in Britain, so it’ll be interesting to see how it feels when we put the World Superbike electronics in. Jerez is one of my favourite tracks, I did a test there on a Superbike back in 2019 and I’m excited to get back there this year to race in World Superbikes.”

The news comes as the team enter the final three rounds of the 2024 Bennetts BSB season, with the squad leading the team’s standings and well in the hunt for the rider’s title with Ryde sitting 19 points adrift of the series leader. Vickers heads to Oulton Park fifth in the standings.

Alan Gardner, OMG GRILLA Yamaha, Team Owner, said: “We’re excited to confirm that the OMG Yamaha Team are heading to World Superbikes later this year to compete in the final round of the championship at Jerez. It’s a great opportunity to show what we can do compared to the other Yamaha teams and riders at a circuit both riders know well. We’re in a good place going into the final few rounds of the British Superbike Championship, so we’ll be giving it our all to try and head to the world stage as BSB champions. We’d like to thank Yamaha Motor Europe who will be helping us with setting up the R1, but also to our partners for helping make it happen.”

Paul Curran, OMG GRILLA Yamaha, Team Principal added: “It’s great to be able to give our team the chance to compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship at Jerez later this year. The whole team have worked hard to be where we are heading into the final three rounds of the BSB Championship, and I think we can put on a strong showing when we get to Spain in October. Jerez is up there as one of the best circuits in the world so naturally we’re hoping to put on a good performance for our fans, partners and ourselves. We have technical support from Yamaha Motor Europe who will assist with setting up the World Superbike-spec Yamaha R1, but I’m confident we’ll use the machinery to our advantage and come away with our heads held high.”