PTR Racing and XMT Racing have announced they are joining forces in a new partnership, bringing together decades of international racing experience and technical expertise to develop British talent, strengthen domestic competition and build future World Championship success.
The collaboration will connect PTR’s World Supersport programme with XMT’s British operation, creating a more integrated pathway for riders looking to progress from national competition to the world stage.
PTR has an established pedigree in international motorcycle racing, under the leadership of Simon Buckmaster; the organisation has built a reputation for turning production-based motorcycles into competitive race machines, most notably developing the Triumph Street Triple 765 into a multiple World Supersport race winner.
XMT Racing brings a complementary ambition to the partnership. Founded by Chris Hicks, the team was established with a determination to compete at the highest level of British domestic racing and to create opportunities for riders with the potential to progress. Having developed its operation from the National Sportbike class into the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship, XMT has demonstrated its willingness to invest, learn and push forward.
By bringing their expertise and ambitions together, the two teams aim to strengthen their respective racing operations and create new opportunities for future success.
PTR Triumph Racing Team Manager Simon Buckmaster: “I met Chris Hicks of XMT at the start of last year, we supplied some parts to him and then we got talking to one another more and more and we found that we had the same racing objectives and the same ambitions. So we started working together more and then towards the end of the year, we ran Josh Whatley jointly in British Supersport at Thruxton, Assen and Donington which culminated in two podiums, a third and a second at the end of the year.
“We then decided that we would make this collaboration to run as one team, working together to develop the young British riders alongside experienced riders to get more British talent into World Championship racing. I’m excited to work with Chris with PTR and XMT joining forces to achieve this goal and we can’t wait to get the season started.”
XMT Racing Team Owner Chris Hicks: “I'm really excited at the opportunities this collaboration will bring, not only to both teams but also to the riders. We then came up with an idea of creating a stairway from the sport bike division in the UK, through the Supersport class in British, to eventually leading to that dream ride in World Supersport.
“This is all going to happen under the same flag, as it's the same team through the classes, something that's never been done before. So, with Simon’s mass of experience and extensive knowledge, and my fresh injection of enthusiasm and determination, I feel we are going to be a bit of a force in the racing world.”