Triumph to withdraw from racing in 2005.

Triumph has announced that it will withdraw from racing in 2005, meaning there will no longer be a British manufacturer racing effort in 2005.

Following a successful two seasons, with a win and manufacturers team award at the world famous Isle of Man T.T. races in 2003, podium finishes in British Supersport in both 2003 and 2004, and points in World Supersport, Triumph ValMoto will not contest the 2005 British Championship.

However the ValMoto team, long associated with racing in a tuning guise, now have everything in place to take on the British Superbike field in 2005.

"ValMoto have the staff and infrastructure in place to race in any championship up to World level," explained ValMoto's managing director Jack Valentine. "We are currently discussing development and team management projects as well as exploring various opportunities with new commercial partners with the view to running a team in 2005 British Superbike Championship"

2005 Triumph Daytona machines will not be able to contest Supersport championship's due to the manufacturer increasing the engine capacity to 650cc.

This is a similar route Kawasaki took with their ZX-636RR to find more power and torque for the road, however the Japanese manufacturer also made a 600cc version to allow it to continue in Supersport racing, where the rules dictate maximum engine capacity for four-cylinder machines is 600cc.

"We are proud to have been associated with pioneering the return to racing of Britain's only major motorcycle manufacturer and also of our achievement over the past two years, but with the new Daytona 650 not being homologated to race, Triumph have decided to withdraw from racing leaving a brief but successful stamp on the British Supersport Championship," concluded Valentine.