Jon Railton is confident the glory days will return during 2017.

The Hunts racer launches his Ducati Performance TriOptions Cup challenge this weekend when the opening round of the series is staged at Donington Park.

Railton, 26, finished runner-up in this championship back in 2013 before returning with a sixth-placed finish last summer.

Now, he has high hopes of kicking on again aboard a new Ducati Panigale 959 machine for the Boast Plumbing Supplies team.

Railton, who lives in Little Paxton and works for Nokia in Huntingdon, said: “I rode the Ducati Panigale 899 last season and the new bike is very similar, but it just has that bit more horsepower which seems to suit me.

“I had a couple of wins and a couple of second places at a club meeting recently to get a feel for it. The signs are very good and I'm going into the new season feeling positive.

“Being in contention to win races is the target and I feel it's a realistic aim.

“Mike Green, the boss at Boast Plumbing Supplies, has backed me for a long time and it would be great to reward him, and my other sponsors, with some success.

“Donington Park is a fast and flowing circuit that suits my riding style. I tend to go well there and hopefully I can hit the ground running.”

Railton is also backed by RS Workshop Equipment, Huntingdon Business Centre, Bohn Armor, Weise, HJC Helmets and The Key Collection.