Rider changes at CIA Landlords Insurance Honda
Wed, 22 Jul 2015
RATTHAPONG WILAIROT will replace Riccardo Russo and Aiden Wagner will replace the injured Kieran Clarke in the CIA Landlords Insurance Honda World Supersport team for the next round at Malaysia on August 2nd.
A top five finisher at the Thailand round of WSS earlier in 2015 as a wild card racer, 22-year-old Ratthapong is an exciting addition to the CIA Landlords Insurance Honda squad for the Malaysian WSS round.
Ratthapong said: “I know how good the CIA Landlords Insurance Honda bike is because we used this engine at Thailand when I finished fifth. This is a tough Championship with many fast racers but I think with this team and support I can do well in Malaysia and show my speed. Thank you very much to CIA Landlords Insurance Honda for giving me this chance.”
Aiden, 21, from Australia, is the reigning Australasian Supersport Champion and has been racing in World Supersport in 2015, scoring a best result of 13th at his home round of Phillip Island.
Aiden said: “This is a great opportunity for me to see what I can do at Malaysia on a front running bike with one of the top teams in the paddock. I want to step up with CIA Landlords Insurance Honda and I am aiming for my season best result. I will need to learn the Honda CBR600RR and the team but I am totally focused and in great shape, I can’t wait to get racing.”
Ratthapong and Aiden will join Gino Rea and Martin Cardenas at CIA Landlords Insurance Honda when the World Supersport season restarts after the summer break in Malaysia on August 2nd.
CIA Landlords Insurance Honda’s Simon Buckmaster said: “We are delighted to welcome Ratthapong and Aiden to the CIA Landlords Insurance Honda team.
“We have already supplied an engine that took Ratthapong to fifth place in a wild card ride in his home Thailand round. Ratthapong is a star of the future in motorcycle racing and we will be looking to challenge inside the top six with him, he has the talent, bike and team to do it. I would like to thank AP Honda Thailand for agreeing to Ratthapong riding for us.
“Aiden joins us for this round and Qatar and we hope we can work well together to achieve strong results with a view to running a full season in 2016. Kevin Manfredi who rode in place of Kieran at Misano will ride in Jerez and Magny Cours.
“Ricky has been a disappointment to us as a team and despite us delivering his best ever results in WSS and doing all we can to keep him happy, he found it very hard to adapt his riding style to get the best from the Honda CBR600RR. We agreed for him not to complete the season in the best interests of both parties. We wish him the best for the future.
“Kieran is getting better now after some complications and we wish him a speedy recovery. He will not race again this season but we hope he can join us trackside before the end of the season, as he is a valued member of the team.
“I think we have riders with good potential with Ratthapong, Kevin and Aiden as stand in riders. We are excited to get racing with them.”