Ipswich Witches have added two more riders to their 2022 roster, with more names expected to be announced this week as the Foxhall team takes shape.

Paul Starke and Anders Rowe, who both rode for the Suffolk side last season will be back and are the club's reserves at the start of the new campaign. Both riders can't wait to be back at Foxhall.

It means the Witches now have three riders confirmed for 2022 after the signing of Jason Doyle last week.

Starke joined the Witches in June last season after the club’s injury crisis deepened, impressing the management during his spell in Suffolk and he is pleased to be starting the season at Ipswich this time around.

“It was a no-brainer for me to come back with all the management and everyone involved,” said Starke.

“I enjoyed being part of the team when I joined during last season and it was a shame, I couldn’t have started the year there. The team is looking good, and I would like to win something, and we can potentially do that. It is good to start the year with the team and hopefully we can do the business.”

The 31-year-old proved to be a strong addition to the side, scoring plenty of points at reserve and he will start the new season in that position but says he doesn’t mind what number he is riding at.

“I want to improve my average and bang loads of points in," he said.

"Either way if I’m scoring points, I’m happy. Regardless of the number you are at, as long as you are scoring points and doing what you need to do, I am happy."

The former top-flight title winner is busy working as a builder in the off-season.

Meanwhile, Rowe will be the Witches' ‘Rising Star’ rider for the 2022 season and will accompany Starke at reserve.

Rowe joined the club last winter and had an impressive first full season in the top-flight and this time comes in as the ‘Rising Star’ rider. The programme was introduced last winter to provide a clear pathway for young British riders.

The 19-year-old expressed his desire to return to Suffolk in 2022 to the management midway through 2021 and is delighted to be joining as the ‘Rising Star’ this time around.

“It was quite a quick decision,” said Rowe. “I wanted to get my teams sorted as soon as possible and halfway through the year I told Ritchie (Hawkins) and Chris (Louis) that I wanted to come back next year as I liked it there.

“In 2022 I will be coming in as the ‘Rising Star’ rider which last year I didn’t, I came in at number six. It will be cool to come in as a ‘Rising Star’ and I can’t wait, it is a cool club, everything was easy, and everything happened quickly and I felt I went really well there at the start of the year.

"I had some good races for my first ever season in the league and I am looking forward to progressing."

The Witches team of 2022 so far reads; Jason Doyle, Paul Starke and Anders Rowe.