SPEEDSTER Chris Martin is hoping to put the bite on his rivals in this season's Bennetts British Superbike competition.

The motorcycle ace, from Shipthonthorpe, near Pocklington, is in a new team - Red Viper Racing - and has a new bike.

He'll be in action today in round two of the championship at Thruxton hoping for better luck than he had on his maiden outing in front of 41,000 bike-mad fans for the Warrington-based team at Brands Hatch on Bank Holiday Monday.

The 26-year-old was blighted by mechanical and set up problems on his Red Viper debut, finishing 22nd in his first race, while electrical problems forced him out of the second after just one lap.

He said: "I'm still pretty gutted about the first outing. It hasn't been the start the team was hoping for but there's still a long way to go until the finish line and if you are going to have a weekend like the one at Brands, it's obviously better for it to be now."

His results left him in 19th place going into this weekend's races in Hampshire and he is keen to make up for lost time on his new Honda Fireblade 1000cc.

"It is always challenging when you are starting a season from scratch. The changes have meant that we couldn't test in Spain during off-season, which isn't ideal, but we've all worked together before and it's a good team."

Martin finished 16th in the first practice at Thruxton - a big improvement on last week.

Martin won the British Superbike Cup, awarded to the top privateer, last season and dedicated it to his younger brother, Ashley. The 18-year-old racer died after a crash at Cadwell Park last year. Chris and his family and friends raised thousands of pounds to help pay for a track-side scanner to benefit other riders.

Chris said: "Ash would have wanted me to keep racing and that's what I'm doing. He was with me when I brought home the cup last season and he'll be with me when I give the factory boys a run for their money this year."

Ducati rider Gregorio Lavilla leads the championship with 50 points, while Honda riders Leon Camier and Jonathon Rea are joint second with 36 points.

Martin, a three-times schoolboy motocross champion, knows he has the talent to make up for his disappointing start.

He finished sixth in the British Superbike Cup in 2004, second the following year and last season dominated the championship with ten wins to lift his silverware.

The former Market Weighton School pupil was just three-years-old when he first sat on a mini-motocross bike and has never looked back since.