Star-studded five-rider line-up for Staffordshire-based OMG Racing in 2020

Not content with just signing some of the best British Superbike (BSB) and National Superstock 1000 riders around, the Cannock-based team has also decided to hit the road racing scene for the first time too.

Having signed former MotoGP rider Héctor Barberá, 33, from Quattro Bournemouth Kawasaki, and resigned Luke Mossey, 26, for the full BSB campaign, the team also snapped up the services of Billy McConnell once again, in the National Superstock 1000 series.

And to make the 2020 season even more exciting, OMG Racing has enticed Isle of Man TT winner and fan favourite James Hillier, 34, also from Quattro Bournemouth Kawasaki, as well as Australian star David Johnson, 36, who has left his factory Honda ride to join.

The long and short means the Staffordshire outfit will have one the best and most competitive line-ups, both on the roads and circuits.

Cannock-born Paul Curran, team principal of OMG Racing, who also runs PCR Performance, which nurtures the talents of up-and-coming bike racers – including the likes of Willenhall's Mcauley Longmore – said: "Last year was a huge step forward for us.

"I think it’s fair to say we knew we had the pace but being so close to the front at the first round was a bit of a surprise.

"We left Silverstone with our first ever British Superbike win, which turned into a double podium and meant we were leading the championship. I think that showed our calibre as a team and what we’re capable of.

"Our main struggle last year was our consistency. There were circuits where we were close in terms of pace but just couldn’t execute it and that meant when we got to our weaker circuits with the bike we had too many points to make up."

Curran believes OMG Racing's strengths come from the team he has helped to built, which includes "a great racing family" that "builds a really positive atmosphere".

"It helps riders to feel settled," he said. "Last season had highs and lows and you feel that as a team, but it’s brought us closer.

"Racing is very much about consistency so we want to make sure that any potential issues or problems that could hinder the consistency of the rider or bike are ironed out during the pre-season testing, so we can have a strong and consistent season on our new BMW machinery."

For the 2020 season, the team will be moving from Suzuki to ride a BMW S1000RR, which was updated in 2019.

"It’s got a year of racing data behind it now on UK circuits, which means we’re not playing catch-up with the other BMW teams in the championship," said Curran.

"We have a strong BMW partner this season who have specialised in BMW’s for many years and also produce a lot of the equipment and parts we require for the new bikes, so unlike the Suzuki we don’t have to manufacture as much for the superbikes.

"We’ve already started work on building our bikes for season. The first superbikes will be ready to go by mid-February, ready to go for testing."

OMG Racing, which builds all its bikes in Cannock, will be supporting five riders in total, up from three last year, for the new campaign.

In BSB there is Mossey, a former race winner and Showdown contender, who is back with the team for his second season. He will be joined by new recruit, Spaniard Barberá, a former world champion.

Australian McConnell , 33, is also staying with the team, competing in the National Superstock 1000 class.

The proven championship contender struggled with his health last year but Curran believes good things could come this year.

And then there is the newly-formed road racing team, which will compete at the North West 200 in Northern Ireland and Isle of Man TT.

"For that team we’ve brought in 2013 Lightweight TT winner and 2019 Northwest 200 winner, James Hillier, from the factory Kawasaki team," said Curran.

"He's got a phenomenal record on the roads. He’ll be partnered by David ‘Davo’ Johnson, who’s coming across from the factory Honda team and again is another very experienced head.

"He had a very successful 2019 where he won the Classic TT and took his first Isle of Man TT podium.

"All in all, we’ve built a massively experienced squad who have the talent to bring home results."

Curran says OMG's main goal in BSB remains to finish consistently in good point-scoring positions and finish in the top-six, qualifying for the end-of-season Showdown, when titles can be won and lost.

"BSB is always a very competitive paddock. Last year, obviously, Scott Redding was the big name and he’s now moved into World Superbikes, but the championship itself was very close and came down to the final day in pretty much every class, including BSB," he added.

"All the riders are talented individuals and, with the right package, any of them can be up at the front challenging.

"I think it really shows what makes the BSB one of the best live spectator events in the world, because there’s no guarantees for any team or rider they’ll be in the same position every week.

"I definitely wouldn’t want to predict how the season will unfold, but if we’re at the sharp end where we’re competing then that will be a successful year.

"In stock 1000, Billy’s got the ability for regular podiums and to challenge for the title.

"For the roads, it’s a little bit different as we don’t have a championship to contest. So the goals there are race wins and podiums.

"Taking either in our first year as a road racing team would be a huge statement of intent for the future."

OMG Racing will be testing in Monteblanco, Februrary 26 to 28, before travelling across to the iconic Jerez circuit in Spain, March 1 to 2.

The team then returns to Silverstone on April 2 for the final UK test, which the public can come along to – OMG will be revealing their 2020 colours for the first time too – before a return to Silverstone, April 10 to 12, for the opening round of the BSB series.