Burns gets IDM Superbike call up

Chris Burns has confirmed he is destined to return to motorcycle action as the replacement for Martin Bauer in the IDM German Superbike Championship.

Burns was originally slated to compete in the British Superbike Championship with the STP-JHS MV Agusta team, but severed his ties with them after failing to reach an agreement over when he would make his season debut.

Nonethless, he will join Holzhauer Honda for the latest round of the German series, to be held at the Nurburgring, as a replacement for Bauer, who broke his hand in a crash at the Oschersleben.

"I only found out on Monday, so I've had very little time to get things turned around," he said. "My manager in Germany has been trying hard to find me something, and he spoke to the team at Holzhauer and they said they wanted me...naturally I said yes straight away.

"This team won the championship last year with Martin Bauer and the bike I will be riding usually has the Number 1 plate so I've got to make the grade when I get out there. They said they want me for four rounds, but this will obviously be reviewed, depending on how well it all goes over the weekend.

Although he is unlikely to be partnered by seven-time Formula 1 World Champion Michael Schumacher, who is still recovering from his pre-season crash, Burns is looking forward to the challenge ahead of him.

"Nurburgring is a completely new circuit to me, and this will be my first time on a Honda, so I've got my work cut out. I'm not concerned about having a team-mate as high profile as Michael Schumacher, although I imagine it will be strange effectively being his team leader!

"But it's a new challenge for me, and something I can't wait to get my teeth into. I've got an opportunity with a strong team with a great track record so I'm hoping together we can get some good results this weekend and carry it on for the rest of the season."