Stefano Bonetti and Joseph Loughlin part of Team ILR for 2020 season
- Published
Stefano Bonetti rode his Paton to victory in the Thursday night Supertwin race at the 2019 NW200
Stefano Bonetti, a Supertwins winner at last year's North West 200, and Republic of Ireland rider Joe Loughlin, will be part of Team ILR at next year's international road races.
Japanese rider Masayuki Yamanaka and James Hind will also race for the team.
Bonetti, Loughlin and Hind will all compete on Team ILR-Mark Coverdale Patons in the Supertwins class at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.
Yamanaka will pilot a Kawasaki ER6 and Loughlin a Supersport Yamaha R6 bike.
Bonetti and Loughlin will also compete at the Ulster Grand Prix for the team run by former road racer Ian Lougher - if it takes place in 2020.
Loughlin, from Castleblayney, was a sensation on the Paton at Dundrod in 2019, when he finished second in two thrilling Lightweight races by under one hundredth of a second to Paul Jordan and Christian Elkin respectively, and lapping at over 119mph.
Joe Loughlin clinched two second places at this year's Ulster GP
Bonetti became the first Italian to win a race in the 90-year history of the North West 200 when he took the chequered flag on the Thursday night of racing over the Triangle circuit.
The fastest Italian ever around the Isle of Man Mountain Course, the Irish rider finished sixth in the 2019 Lightweight TT.
Hind, a rising star of the sport, built on his second place in the 2018 Newcomers Manx Grand Prix by taking a brilliant brace of wins in both Manx Grand Prix Lightweight races in August.
The 19-year-old also secured an impressive third place in the Lightweight Classic TT behind Bruce Anstey and Davey Todd.
He was also leading the Junior Manx GP race until his Yamaha R6 developed an oil leak, but not before he had set a new lap record with a speed of 121.77mph from a standing start.
Hind led the Senior Manx GP on the opening lap until the R6 developed a throttle problem at Ballaugh Bridge and he will now make his TT debut in 2020.
Masayuki will have a Supersport ZX6 Kawasaki at his disposal, in addition to his Kawasaki Supertwin.