Yamaha Factory Racing's Ben Spies (Photo: Yamaha Racing)

For the first time in three seasons Spies starts 2012 with the same support group in the garage in his second year with the Yamaha factory.

From his career as an AMA Superbike rider to his quick promotion from rookie SBK champion in 2009 to Tech3 Yamaha satellite rider in 2010 and then Yamaha factory in 2011, Spies had multiple team changes.

Overseeing his campaign is Yamaha team director Massimo Meregalli who headed up the Yamaha World Superbike team when Spies won that title in '09

Meregalli reckons that Spies, now clear of a series of niggling injuries that impacted on his consistency last year, is ready to break into the front-running group.

"On paper Jorge and Casey are the top two riders but they are not the only two," Meregalli said. "I think that when Dani Pedrosa is in good shape he is a really fast rider and I also think that Ben can be up there -- they are the four riders who can fight for the title.

"I know Ben. He is not a rider who says he wants to beat everybody but inside he thinks he should be in the top three."