Tommy Bridewell has been thrown a Bennetts British Superbike lifeline and will make his return to the championship this weekend after securing a deal with Steve Moore’s Moto Rapido Ducati team.

Bridewell and the Winchester-based dealer team will work together for the first time on Friday for the opening free practice session as the race winner prepares for the new challenge as he lines up on a Ducati for the first time in his career.

“I am happy to be back racing this weekend, especially at Brands Hatch. Ducati is the only manufacturer I haven’t raced with so this will be a completely new venture and experience for me,” said Bridewell.

“Yes we are starting straight off with free practice but it doesn’t worry me at all, I am feeling optimistic and hopefully I can click straight away with the Ducati and can be competitive from the outset.

“From the research I have done, the Ducati seems to have similar characteristics to the Yamaha I used to race and that still is one of the best bikes I have ever raced in BSB, so I am hoping that we can just get stuck in with free practice and build from there. It’s going to be an interesting weekend for us that’s for sure.”