Ulster Superbike champion Jonny Campbell buoyed by 'fantastic' year as focus turns to 2025

The Lisburn rider won the title for the first time on the Magic Bullet Yamaha R1.

At the age of 21, he became the youngest ever Ulster Superbike champion after Nico Mawhinney from Castledawson, who was a year younger.

His achievement was recognised at the recent Adelaide Irish Motorbike Awards in Belfast, where Campbell won the Short Circuit Rider of the Year (Irish Circuits) honour.

“To be the second youngest Superbike champion is a nice thing to accomplish,” said Campbell.

“It was a fantastic year and we were on the podium every week bar one thanks to the consistency and the backing of the team every weekend.

“The bike has been perfect every time and I would have liked to have put on a show at the Sunflower, but unfortunately we had an engine failure in qualifying, but we’ll see what happens this year.”

Campbell hopes to defend his Superbike title this year and also has a Ducati Panigale V2 for the Supersport class.

“We’re still with Magic Bullet and I’m happy being with them because it’s a solid team with myself and Ross (Irwin), so I don’t really see myself going anywhere else at the minute,” he said.

“If it was down to me I’d love to be riding in the Superstock 1000 Championship next year and I’ve had a few teams asking if I was available to come and ride for them, but it always comes down to money. I had two offers from teams to go and ride for them but not one of them was for less than £90,000.

“It’s frustrating the amount of money teams are asking for and I wouldn’t know where to begin looking for that amount of money.

“But fingers crossed we’ll be able to put something together again at home. I’d be looking to do both Ulster Superbike and Supersport and the goal would be to try and do the championship double in the same year – that would be a nice reward at the end of the season.”