McWilliams dismisses MotoGP return.

Former MotoGP rider Jeremy McWilliams has confirmed his commitment to the British Superbike Championship, despite a difficult start to 2005 and paddock rumours linking the Ulsterman to a move back to former GP employer Team Roberts.

"There's nothing," he told Crash.net, when asked to clarify the Team Roberts talk. "It's all just rumours and all this nonsense that's written on websites and 'papers doesn't really help anybody. My job, my priority, is here with Paul Bird and Stobart Honda and that's where I'll be for the remainder of the year."

But while the former Assen 250GP winner rejected talk of leaving Stobart Honda - he did admit to a clause in his contract that allows him to test MotoGP machines.

Team Roberts and KTM have both hinted that the Ulsterman could be invited to help develop their bike alongside race rider Shane Byrne, but McWilliams denied that any firm arrangement was in place.

"I have a clause in my contract where I can go and help out on a MotoGP team if I'm asked to test, but that's if it's sanctioned by the team saying I can do it anyway," he explained. "But I've no major plans at the minute to do anything else, (despite what) has been reported.

"I'm happy (in BSB) and good friends with everyone on board; we're trying to make our bike competitive and go to the front. It's easy to run us down when we're not performing - I'd like to see some support from the media," he added.

Of the five BSB rounds so far, McWilliams has claimed a best finish of seventh - at the Brands Hatch season opener - and currently sits 13th in the championship after being forced to miss round four, at Oulton Park, due to a shoulder injury that has yet to fully heal.

"It's not right just yet. I pulled a nerve in my shoulder and it seems to have stopped feeding the muscle," said Jeremy. "I've lost a muscle at the top of my arm and the back of my shoulder so it's a bit of struggle on the brakes. My change of direction is quite slow as well."

But despite such early season troubles, McWilliams believes the three-strong Stobart outfit is now making clear progress.

"I'm just happy that we seem to be moving forward; we've made some steps this weekend - and Michael (Laverty) made a great step - so we're all delighted. As the year's gone on we can see we're starting to get there," he declared.

"We're not that far from Karl (Harris') Honda. My problem seems to be when I put a qualifying tyre on - I don't make use of it - I can't really get any more speed from a qualifying tyre.

"In the race I'm actually doing the same lap times as I am on a qualifier so that's something I've got to work on. But the bikes are very, very different to what I'm used to - even the geometry is quite different - so that's something I need to get my head around," he revealed, adding: "We're doing our best."

Of the ten BSB races so far this season, HM Plant Honda riders have won eight with Airwaves Ducati taking victory in the other two.