Tommy Hill confirms BSB team withdrawal
Former MCE British Superbike champion Tommy Hill has confirmed he is withdrawing in his THM Yamaha squad ahead of the 2017 campaign, citing a lack of sponsorship funding and not wanting ♚to risk a team without a full budget.
Hill proudly set-up his own team with the title sponsorship from ePayMe and support from Yamaha in 2016 and despite difficulties extracting a strong set-up and p📖erformance with the YZF-R1 plus rider injuries, the team still enjoyed success with John Hopkins scoring a double podium at the season finale at Br♓ands Hatch.
After losing title sponsors ePayMe, Hill had been working thౠoroughly to secure a full sponsors🐓hip package for 2017 but understood running a team on a reduced budget isn't fair on current sponsors or team members.
In a poignant Facebook post, Hill confirmed the news and wants to still play a role in BSB but has accepted in his current situation running a team🎃 won't be financially viable for 2017.
"I'v🥃e taken into consideration the personal investment, loans and loss of family timꦦe over the past year," Hill said. "After spending the last three months trying to secure a title sponsor without success and one of which is willing to invest the amount required to run a SBK team at high level, it seems only right to draw a line in the sand.
"I would personally not have the balls to risk everything I have and i⛎nvest it into the team if I didn't secure the full budget needed. I would be putting my team, riders future and sponsors iꦏn jeopardy if I couldn't see out the season.
"There will be lots of people expressing their views on the current situation on teams in BSB, but all I can say is the championship is thriving with supporters, viewing figures are high and I stand by saying its a great marketing platform for any brand to be involved♔ with. It's been an experience, thank you to everyone!"