Raceways Yamaha will become Yamaha Motor UK’s Supported Team in both the British Superbike Championship and Quattro Group British Supersport Championship for the 2026 season.
The role sees the team, run out of the Fleetwood-based Raceways Motorcycles Yamaha dealership and GYTR Pro Shop, return to the status as Yamaha Motor UK’s Supported Team having previously served as Yamaha’s official British Superbike outfit from 2017 to 2023 under the McAMS Yamaha banner.
Steve Rodgers’ team has enjoyed vast success with the R1 in BSB over the years with a record that has seen them achieve over 50 victories and 100 podiums with riders including Tarran Mackenzie, Jason O’Halloran, Josh Brookes, James Ellison and Michael Laverty. The team’s most notable success came in 2021, with a dominant season for McAMS Yamaha eventually seeing Tarran Mackenzie clinch the coveted British Superbike crown.
After a break from the series in 2024, Raceways made a shock last minute return in 2025 to save Bradley Ray’s season after changes in the OMG Racing team saw the 2022 British Superbike Champion without a ride ahead of pre-season testing. Despite the last-minute nature of the return, the team impressed throughout the season with 12 victories to date. Going into this weekend’s final round at Brands Hatch, Ray sits 30 points off the championship lead. The team have already confirmed the return of Ray for a 2026 title challenge.
Raceways will also become the Yamaha Motor UK Supported Team in the Quattro Group British Supersport Championship with the all-new Yamaha R9 making its debut in the series in 2026.
The CP3-powered R9 has made quite the impression on the World Championship stage this year, with Stefano Manzi winning the 2025 FIM Supersport World Championship and Yamaha also crowned as manufacturers’ champions.
Raceways have quite the pedigree in the Supersport championship, having taken numerous victories with the R6 in previous years. The team will make an announcement on their rider for the 2026 British Supersport Championship in due course.
The status as Yamaha Motor UK’s Supported Team will see Raceways receive technical support and racing parts from Yamaha Motor Europe Research & Development in Italy for both the R1 and the R9.
Matt Taylerson, Divisional Manager, Marketing, Yamaha Motor UK said: “Raceways are a long-standing partner of Yamaha Motor UK and were our Supported Team in the British Superbike Championship from 2017 to 2023.
“After their return this year, it made perfect sense for us to team up with Steve and the team again for 2026, not just in the Superbike class but also in British Supersport, as we introduce the R9 for the first time in 2026. Their racing pedigree speaks for itself, so we are looking forward to rekindling the relationship which saw so much success in the past.”
Steve Rodgers, Team Owner, Raceways Yamaha commented: “We are pleased to become the Yamaha Motor UK Supported Team in BSB once again, a role we filled for seven years and enjoyed a lot of success previously. The R1 has been the bike to be on in BSB for coming up to five years now, as is evidenced by the fact it’s won three British Superbike titles, soon to become four, since 2021.
“We are confident we can continue to make steps forward with the package with the development work being carried out in Italy. We are hugely excited to be racing the new R9 next year; Supersport has a special place in my heart as it’s a class we had a lot of success in for a lot of years with the R6, so we cannot wait to start this new chapter with Yamaha Motor UK.”