Okubo finalises CIA Landlord Insurance Honda 2016 team

HIKARI OKUBO will join CIA Landlord Insurance Honda for the 2016 World Supersport Championship as the fourth and final rider in the British based team’s line up.

Hikari from Japan, 22, has 125cc and Moto3 Grand Prix experience. He finished third in the All Japan Road Race ST600 Championship on a Honda CBR600RR in 2015.

Hikari said: “Thank you to CIA Landlord Insurance, Honda and Simon Buckmaster for giving me this opportunity to race in the World Championship in 2016. It will be a big learning experience but I hope to compete well and get good results. This is a big step for my career and I am confident with the team and motorcycle.”

Hikari joins WSS race winner Kyle Smith from Britain, reigning British Supersport Champion Luke Stapleford and British youngster Stefan Hill who will make his full time debut in the series.

CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “Hikari is a promising young Japanese racer who is looking to break into World Championship racing. He visited the team workshops last week to sign the contract and is super keen. It will be a big step up for him but he has talent and determination. He also now has a bike and team that he can rely on and it will be good to se how far he progresses in 2016.

“The CIA Landlord Insurance Honda team is now complete for 2016. We remain busy working on developing the bike and improving our package. We are looking forward with real optimism to next season more than any other in recent years and can’t wait to get racing again.”