Mark Conlin joins former British Supersport race winner Luke Jones on Ducati V4 in expanded Ulster Superbike line-up for SBT Racing

A former Ulster Supersport champion, Conlin finished third in the championship last year on a Ducati Panigale V2, despite being ruled out of the final round of the season.

SBT Racing’s Alun Gorman, who backed reigning USBK champion Carl Phillips last year on a Kawasaki, offered Conlin the chance to team up with Jones after the opportunity arose to run a second Ducati V4 in the series in 2026.

“We got a couple of new sponsors on board which left a bit more room in our budget for getting a second bike,” Gorman said. “We’ve had a bit of a discussion probably for the last three months or so about doing something for somebody, and then we got it all sorted out in the last couple of weeks.

“We like to try and shine a bit of a light on the championship and Luke coming over does that, and I like to help the guys from home, so that helps Mark to step up from the Supersport class to the Superbike.

“Luke and he are similar ages and they have that experience, which is valuable. Myself and Mark get on together and he and I have had long discussions about doing something and running one Ducati is expensive enough, never mind running two, but with the sponsors coming on board we can put a second bike out; we have EBC Brakes, GB Racing have come on board for crash protection and Storm Performance for the exhausts.”

Conlin, who previously rode in the British Supersport Championship in 2016, says the SBT Racing Ducati deal is the “best opportunity” of his career to date.

“I was offered the chance to ride the Ducati V4 Superbike and I think Alun noticed that I had been riding the V2 quite well in the Supersport class,” he said.

“I led the championship into the last round but then unfortunately it ended in qualifying after I got hit by Graeme (Irwin) that time, but I did a good enough showing during the season for Alun to give me a chance on the Superbike.

“I see it as the bigger brother and I don’t think the power is going to worry me too much; I think I’ll adapt to the speed and power, it will just be getting used to the handling, which I don’t think is going to be alien to me. If I was jumping on a ZX10 or a Honda or something, I think it would be a different step from a Ducati V2.”

Conlin believes he is riding better than ever after putting his injury problems behind him and feels the time is right to take on a new challenge by leaving the Supersport class behind.

“What I’m most happy about is that after all the years that I struggled with injury, once I finally got sorted at the beginning of 2024, and with 2025 it’s probably been two of my best seasons since I started racing,” he said. “I’m maybe a little bit older now but with no injuries now I’m able to ride better than I did when I was younger, and having that maturity and experience helps as well.

“I think it’s without doubt the best opportunity I’ve had in racing and it’s testament to just keeping going, and not giving up and if you do that, then something might come your way and fortunately for me, Alun has put faith in me and no doubt we have a strong line-up with Luke and myself.

“I’m looking forward to it and sometimes you can go round in circles a bit in the same championship, but to step into Superbike will be a change in scenery and something new to focus on and I’m happy enough to let the Supersport class go and focus on the Superbike,” added Conlin, who has invited anyone wishing to support him this season to get in touch.

“I got the Crown Prince of Kirkistown last year and the Donny Robinson, which was a highlight of the year, and Alun and myself had a chat over the winter and finalised things at the prize-giving at La Mon. He’s kept his word and I aim to do as good a job as possible for him.”

The team will undertake a two-day test at Kirkistown in Co Down in March as they build towards the opening Ulster Superbike round with the Enkalon Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt over the Easter weekend on Saturday, April 4.