Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Reliable sources in Europe are reporting that Jeremy McWilliams has signed a contract with Aprilia to contest the 2004 MotoGP World Championship on its RS3 Cube.

McWilliams spent the last two seasons riding the Proton KR3 two-stroke triple (including one pole position at Phillip Island in 2002) and switched to the new KR5 four-stroke V5 during the 2003 campaign. Before joining Kenny Leroy Roberts’ team, McWilliams rode for Aprilia for three years, winning the 250cc Grand Prix at Assen in 2001 and collecting two podium finishes on Aprilia’s 500cc V-twin in 2000.

McWilliams will turn 40 before the start of the 2004 season.

2003 British Superbike Champion Shane Byrne will also race MotoGP for Aprilia in 2004.


More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:

the team for the 2004 season is now complete.

Jeremy Mcwilliams will ride for Aprilia on the RScube

NOALE – Today is an important day for Jeremy Mcwilliams: he signed for Aprilia racing directly with Ivano Beggio a contract that will see him riding with Aprilia for the next season. Jeremy is really satisfied and Aprilia is sure that his rider is a fighting one and a very good tester for the 2004 season. The North Irish rider will be team-mate of the other English rider Shane Byrne that recently signed for Aprilia. Jeremy will start testing the RSCube from the next test session scheduled for the second half of January.

For this north Irish rider, who was born in Belfast on the 4th April 1964, 177 cm tall and 66 kilos, this represents an important return. He drove for Aprilia in the years 1999 (he classified 10th) and 2000 with the 500cc and 2001 in the 250cc class when he classified 6th.

Jeremy is married and has two sons. During the last two seasons he drove for Proton and for sure he is one of the most experienced rider in the world motorcycle championship: in his carrier he can count on 162 starts, one victory and three pole positions. After having signed the contact the two protagonists declare their mutual satisfaction.

Ivano Beggio: “I’m very satisfied with this choice, I know Jeremy very well and I esteem him, he is fighting on track and a very good tester and we believe he will help us to improve the performance of the bike. On one side we have Byrne that is enthusiastic for his first season, on the other side we have Jeremy who is very experienced and the right man to improve our project. Our aim for the 2004 season is to make a good performance in the championship and to develop at his best this bike “made in Noale” which is improving day by day .

Jeremy McWilliams: “I’m very happy: coming back to work for Aprilia is like coming back home. The President, Jan Witteveen and all the technical staff are for me a big family and I always have had a special feeling with this company. I really look forward to start testing but unfortunately I have to wait until January, I really look forward to this adventure. I will do my best, I believe in this project and in its big potential. It won’t be easy at the beginning but I’m sure that this project can give us big satisfactions. I really look forward to ride the “evolution” version, that is to say the bike of the 2004 season. I’m confident to say that I will do my best to bring the Rscube to its highest performance.