Toseland confident

His Ten Kate Honda team completed their pre-season testing at Valencia in Spain last week, and Toseland feels more confident now then at any other point since joining the squad 14 months ago, of fighting for the title.

British rider Toseland told Motorcycle News: “I'm ready, physically and mentally, and I can't wait for Qatar because I know that we can be competitive.

“I'm feeling confident because I know I've got the bike and the base setting that means from [practice day] Thursday onwards we can be on the pace.

“When you've got a chance of winning, it's great and I know that if everything goes well and I ride well then we'll bring trophies home. The morale in the team is really high now and I think we all know we have a good chance.”

Toseland, the 2004 world champion, won three times for Ten Kate last season – including the first race at Qatar - but, like the rest of the field, could not consistently match the pace of Troy Bayliss and Ducati – who won the title by over 100 points.

According to him though, things will be different this year, helped in no small means by improvements to the bike's electronic systems.

“I'm sat here after the last test and I just don't think we need any more tests really. I feel ready.”

The WSBK championship kicks off in Qatar, with opening practice getting underway in just eight days time.