Double delight for Rutter and his Bathams Racing team

Brierley Hill-born team boss Michael Rutter has been working away tirelessly behind the scenes since forming the new outfit, with plenty of help from his small team of mechanics, as well as the Black Country Bathams brewery.

Working out of a garage in Dudley, all that hard work has paid off after the team secured the services of Richard Cooper, the reigning National Superstock 1000 champion.

Bathams Racing already knows plenty about Cooper, 36, from Nottingham, too. He was involved in a close battle for the title the team's former rider, Taylor Mackenzie, who has since left – with Rutter's blessing – to fight for the main British Superbike (BSB) championship with Tyco BMW.

Having lost a quality rider in Mackenzie, they could not have done any better than convincing Cooper to leave Hawk Racing and his Suzuki, to try and defend his title with on the 2019 BMW 1000RR instead.

Following an extremely competitive 2019 season, which saw Mackenzie finish runner up in the National Superstock 1000 series – comfortably as the highest placed BMW rider – Bathams Racing has now been tasked with spearheading BMW Motorrad’s official entry into the 2020 championship.

Rutter, 47, who still races on the roads and the occasional BSB meeting with team, said: “For such a small team, I’m obviously very proud that we have attracted the support from a premium manufacturer like BMW Motorrad in such a short space of time.

"It’s a fantastic endorsement of all the hard work by everyone involved with the team and all the sponsors who have supported it so far.

"I’m especially pleased for Matt and Tim Batham, who have supported me personally for 10 years, and without whom the team would not exist at all.

"They are so passionate about not just the team but the sport in general.

"For Bathams Racing to become BMW Motorrad’s official entry for the superstock class is nothing less than what they deserve.

"Getting Richard to join the team was a logical choice after Taylor moved to the superbike class.

"Obviously, we wish Taylor the very best of luck for his future but we have unfinished business in the superstock class.

"Richard was in search of a fresh challenge so in the end all the pieces of the 2020 jigsaw fell into place for us quite neatly.

"As for me, I’ll be competing alongside Richard on a second BMW S1000RR in my 31st season of racing. What can I say? I still love it!”

Cooper added: “I’ve been with Hawk Racing for six years and had the best of times with them.

"We won a lot of races and two championships together. I’ve got nothing but the utmost respect for everyone there.

"I’m looking for a fresh challenge now and would love to try and win back to back championships on different bikes, so when the seat became available at Bathams Racing all the stars lined up for me.

"I’m already counting down the days until I get to throw a leg over the bike that pushed me so hard in 2019.

"But for now I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Hawk Racing for all their support over the years and wish them the best of luck for 2020."

Scott Grimsdall, of BMW Motorrad, said: “Bathams Racing did a superb job with their BMW S1000RR during the 2019 season, so we are thrilled to have them and Richard as part of the BMW Motorrad family in 2020.”