After a season with Honda Racing, Lee Johnston is back on BMWs in the big-bike classes this year and a Yamaha R6 in Supersport.

He will be riding for the Hull-based Ashcourt Group, which has joined forces with Johnston’s long-time sponsors East Coast Construction and Burdens for the TT.

It promises to be a busy season for the three-time TT podium finisher, also contesting his home events - North West 200 and Ulster Grand Prix - in addition to the British Supersport Championship for the first time since 2011.

The 29-year-old is eager to get back to the form that took him to an excellent third place in the 2015 Superstock TT. Winner of the TT Privateer’s Trophy in 2013 - 12 months after making his debut on the Mountain Course.

Johnston took his first top-five finish another year on when riding for Phil Reed’s East Coast Construction team. In 2015, he took no fewer than five top-10 finishes and set his career-best lap of the course at 130.851mph on his way to a maiden podium, standing on the RL360 Superstock rostrum alongside Ian Hutchinson and Michael Dunlop.

Although he took four more top-10 finishes in 2016, he was severely hindered by injuries suffered earlier in the year after a spill at Oliver’s Mount, and was then forced to sit out the 2017 TT race week after a crash in the final practice session at Greeba Castle.

It looked like he’d secured a dream berth at Honda Racing last year, but a lack of pre-season testing affected his preparations. Nevertheless, he still took three top-eight finishes, two of which were on the Padgetts Racing CBR600RR Honda in the Supersport races.

He also took third in the TT Zero race on the Mugen, repeating the result he recorded in 2015 for the American Victory team.

Reverting back to privateer status in 2019, Johnston returns to an environment in which he’s previously flourished.

’I’m really looking forward to this year and I’m excited about the team we’ve put together,’ said Lee, last week.

’I’ve already done more riding than I’d managed by the time I arrived at the TT last year.

’I’m particularly excited about being on the R6 for the Supersport races. It’s the class that should suit me best but, for whatever reason, things have never really clicked at the TT on the 600. I’m hoping this year will be different.

’The R6 is a great bike and I’ll be doing the British Supersport Championship as well, so I’ll be sharper than ever before when practice gets underway and I’d really like to get two good results.

’I’ve won races and had podiums at the other international road races and, whilst I’m not going to say I will win, I’m riding against the same people at the TT so, with the new team I’m confident of giving a good account of myself in June. It feels great to have the fire in my belly again.’