Neukirchner returns.

German rider Max Neukirchner will make his return to the World Superbike paddock and his race debut for Team Alstare Engineering in the ninth round of this year's Corona Extra Superbike World Championship at Assen.

He takes over the Alstare ride that was vacated by Fabien Foret at the Dutch circuit and will also be in the saddle for the remaining rounds of the championship.

"Recently, I had a chance to test the Alstare Engineering bike and my initial feeling is that it has a lot of potential. I wasn't fully fit a the time, because of an injury earlier in the season, but I have been getting stronger day by day and hope to be able to put on a good show in Assen," said Neukirchner who damaged his shoulder when he crashed at Misano.

Neukirchner is interested to see the changes to the famous circuit, "Like every other rider, Assen is one of my favourite tracks but now that they've changed it so much, I'll have to see how it rides. It was always a fast track, but very technical, and you needed a good bike set-up to do well there. Now, because of the big changes to the first section (the Northern Loop), it's going to be a series of relatively slow turns before getting on to the back straight. But at least, nobody will have any advantage over me because none of the World SBK riders has raced there with this new layout. "

The young German rider is hoping to impress his new team at a circuit where he achieved top tens last time there. "In Assen last year, I finished in the top eight in both races, but this year is going to be so much more difficult as the field is stronger in depth and it'll also be my first race on the bike. In Assen, my priority is to learn the bike and help develop it, but of course I'd love to get a couple of good results and maybe a top ten finish," he concluded.