Keith Farmer has enlisted the help of Michael Dunlop as he battles to secure a seat for the 2021 Superstock season.

Farmer was resigned to missing out on the British Superbike series after a stop-start season in 2020 interrupted by injury, but he thought he had a deal secured for the upcoming Superstock campaign, only for it to collapse at the last minute.

That has left him frantically searching for a team at a time when a lot of riders have already confirmed their plans, but he is hopeful that, with the assistance of road racing legend Dunlop, he will have a competitive package put together for the start of the season.

“We had a deal done for Morello Kawasaki and that was all sorted out completely, but obviously something has happened within his business to stop him financially from doing it,” revealed Farmer.

“He is as gutted, as I am, because he wanted another Championship and I wanted another Championship. It would have been his third Superstock title, and it would have been my third Superstock title if we had gone for it, so it was all working together really well.

“We had the deal done for the leathers and boots, and it was done and dusted. It’s just one of those things, but it obviously wasn’t meant to be.

“On the upside, we do have a couple of things in the background. There is nothing concrete or definite yet, but we are both working away trying to make headway but because it is so late it is hard work.

“There are people coming with things, and I am truly grateful for that, but there are bills needing paid and I am at that point where I don’t want to be putting too much of my own money in.

“I just can’t afford to, and secondly, I don’t have big sponsors to cover bills, unfortunately, so if it’s going to cost me a lot of money and that comes to affect my family and me paying my house bills, then that is when the boots will unfortunately have to be hung up.

“We are still thinking positive, and we are still trying,” he said.

Superstock remains the target for Farmer, but he is willing to drop in to Supersport if he cannot secure his first-choice ride.

He is still pinning his hopes on returning to the series that was yielded three championship titles for the Clogher rider, and those hopes have been boosted by the support of Michael Dunlop.

“I am working alongside Michael Dunlop and he is trying to help me out with a few teams, and when you bring the Dunlop name into the equation it is only going to help,” he said.

“Michael in general has a great knowledge of bike set-ups ... so if he is not just on board to try to help get this thing off the ground but actually give help in general through the season, and manage the job, then that would be even better.

‘All working hard’

“We are all working hard. I’m thinking of plans to try and bring it all together but like anything now I’m not the only one. There are loads in my boots that have no ride. There are just not enough seats out there and too many riders at the minute.

“There are so many quick lads out there that have a few quid to bring to the table and, unfortunately, because I don’t have, that I’m not the one to get picked up straight away. It leaves it difficult.”

The current timetable has scheduled a start to the season at the end of May, so while there is still time for negotiations, Keith is keen to get something sorted soon rather than later.

“There is no timescale on it but the quicker the better,” he acknowledged.

“The team that Michael and I were working with were trying to get things sorted by last weekend, but that hasn’t happened, so it’s just a matter of waiting. There is still time yet.

“The Superbike season has been put back to the end of May now so we still have almost four months to work on it. There is no panic but it would be nice to get the name on the dotted line and it would take a bit of pressure off the shoulders, but we will just have to wait and see to.”

One rider who does have a confirmed ride for the 2021 season is Lee Johnston, who will return to the British Supersport Championship onboard his Ashcourt Racing Yamaha.

With the TT already cancelled for 2021 and road racing events likely to be thin on the ground, the Maguiresbridge rider will look to build on his track performances.

Last season he finished fifth in the series and grabbed four podiums during the season, but he will be hoping for race wins in 2021 as he has another crack at the Supersport series.