Honda Racing reveals new line-up for the 2019 TT as David Johnson joins Ian Hutchinson

Australia’s David Johnson is to line-up alongside Ian Hutchinson for Honda Racing in this year’s TT.

Johnson, who made his TT debut in 2010 - the year that Hutchinson won a record five races - has a fastest Mountain Course lap of 131.595mph on the Smiths BMW established in the 2015 Senior TT.

Both men will contest the Superbike, Senior and Superstock Races aboard the CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2, with the factory-backed team also preparing a CBR600RR machine for Hutchinson for the two Supersport events.

Johnson, fastest newcomer in his debut year, has racked up three fourth-place finishes at the TT and was close to a podium last year in the Superbike race.

Hutchinson continues with Honda after a valiant return last year, while recovering from injury. Displaying incredible drive and determination throughout 2018, the ‘Bingley Bullet’ is coming into the new road racing season with more bike time under his belt as he looks to return to winning form and add to his 16 TT race victories.

The Honda Racing team will embark on a comprehensive testing programme before tackling the road events, starting with the North West 200 in May.

Commenting this week from his home in Adelaide, Johnson said: ‘I’m really happy to join the Honda Racing team. I feel that I will gel with the Fireblade, so I’m very excited to get started and ride the bikes.

‘With Hutchy getting fitter from his injuries I think we’ll work together well and I will have some great people around me in the team. I can’t wait to get back to the UK and start testing!

Hutchinson is feeling more confident about the coming season. ‘Last year was about building back up and learning the Fireblade again. The results were a little disappointing, as they didn’t reflect the hard work that went in behind the scenes,’ said the Yorkshireman.

‘Since then I have been out on a track Fireblade and also my road bike, so with that mileage and the testing programme we have for this year, I think we’ll be in a strong position when we arrive at the North West 200.’

Hutchinson and Johnson will both be at the official launch of the 2019 TT at the Villa Marina on Tuesday, March 19 alongside Peter Hickman, Dean Harrison, John McGuinness, Michael Dunlop, Conor Cummins and many more. The event will be streamed live and in full on the iomttraces.com website from 8pm.