Guy Martin puts Tyco BMW Superbike to test against F1 star David Coulthard's V8 Red Bull Racing car

The Grimsby rider, who will skip the Isle of Man TT in 2016 to compete in the Tour Divide mountain bike race, will be up against Coulthard’s V8 on his S1000RR as the pair go head to head in a series of challenges including a straight drag race, a full circuit race, a brake test and slalom plus physical and mental tests in the garage.

The show - produced by North One Television - is due to be aired on Thursday, March 17 at 9pm prior to the first round of the 2016 Formula One World Championship in Australia.

An official statement issued by Martin’s social media team on Tuesday said: “Motorbike racer and lorry mechanic, Guy Martin is fascinated by Formula 1 - the cars, the engineering and the racing.

“In this special programme, broadcast ahead of the launch of Formula 1 on Channel 4, Guy will go head to head with racing legend David Coulthard, pitting bike against car in a test of speed the like of which Silverstone has never seen before.

“With David in a V8 Red Bull car (with an 11-man pit crew) and Guy on his Tyco BMW Superbike (which came with just one man - Guy’s most trusted race mechanic), the pair explore each other’s worlds the way they both know best; by racing in a series of head-to-head challenges including a drag race, a brake test, a slalom and a full on circuit race.

“The adrenalin fuelled excitement of their on track competition is matched only by the entertainment of what they get up to in the pit garages as they compete in physical and mental challenges, testing their fitness and reaction times and exploring the science behind their incredible racing machines.”

Martin suffered a series of injuries following a crash at the Ulster Grand Prix in August and hasn’t raced on the roads since.

He has hinted that he could make his racing return this year at the Southern 100 on the Isle of Man in July.