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Ant West has announced his Australian Superbike Championship return, which will take place once his drug ban ends in March.
West was provisionally suspended by the FIM in September 2018, a sanction which was set to last until September 2020 before it was extended six months after he competed in SuperBike Brasil.
The 39-year-old expressed his intent to make a comeback in November last year when he apologised for his various outbursts against the FIM, which included a fiery ‘corruption’ broadside.
He has now taken to social media to announce that he will ride a Yamaha R1 with backing from the MotoGo dealership in Melbourne, as well as signalling the possibility of wildcard starts in other competitions.
“A box with ‘Anthony West’ printed down the side of It turned up today [February 1] at MotoGo Yamaha dealership in Melbourne, Australia,” wrote West on his Facebook page.
“This should smash the rumours going round at the moment about what colour bike I’m on this year in the Australian Superbike Championship.
“I’m also working on some wild cards in other championships.
“But for now we have to focus on prepare this awesome looking 2021 Yamaha R1 for the race track.”
The opening ASBK round of 2021 will be held alongside series such as Supercheap Auto TCR Australia when the Australian All Wheels Race Fest takes place at Phillip Island on February 19-21.
West’s suspension period covers those outings, and should also see him sidelined from Round 2 at Winton given it finishes on the same day as the ban does, March 14.
The Moto2 race winner is therefore likely to make his return at Wakefield Park on April 16-18.
