Stefan Hill Joins Kyle Smith at CIA Landlord Insurance Honda

YOUNG Brit Stefan Hill will race alongside Kyle Smith in CIA Landlord Insurance Honda colours in the 2016 World Supersport Championship.

The 17-year-old schoolboy from Coventry guest raced for CIA Landlord Insurance Honda at the final round of 2015 at Qatar, finishing in a promising 16th place. Prior to that he was a top 10 finisher in the Honda European Junior Cup. Now he has signed up to World Supersport for the entire 2016 season and is looking to follow in the footsteps of other top riders that have competed for the team such as Eugene Laverty, Jules Cluzel and Sam Lowes.

Stefan said: “I am ecstatic, it is a dream come true for me so early in what I hope will be a long career. Me and my Dad have done a good job getting here and I am so grateful to my sponsors – especially Phoenix Services who have been with me for the last few years and helped me to get here now, I really appreciate it.

“I can’t wait to get the season started, especially as I left Qatar on what I thought was such a good note and a really strong debut. I am happy to be part of the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda team because we all work together really well.

“Most of all 2016 will be a learning season. I will do the best I can and get the best result possible. I will try and improve every weekend, whether that is improving position or cutting the time back from the leader. I’ll take it as it comes and gain as much experience as possible. Having Kyle alongside is good because he was the rider coach at the Honda Junior Cup, so he’s helped me before and it’s a real bonus having inside the team. Having a proven race winner of his calibre and level give me advice is great.

“I am currently doing my last year of A-levels and try to train as much as possible in the afternoons after school. But I am still at school everyday and have exams at the end of next year. I’ve managed to race through my GCSEs and A/S levels and now I’ve got A2s. I’ve done well in them and built a good relationship with the school to allow me time off to go racing – they understand it is a career option.

“My mates had not realised the level I was at before and now it is World level it has kind of impressed and surprised them. You don’t expect a school kid to go all round the world racing, it’s a bit of a shock to me let alone them.”

Qatar 2015 race winner and fellow Brit Kyle Smith is already signed for CIA Landlord Insurance Honda in 2016. Two more riders will be announced soon.

CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “With Stefan we have a young raw talent that we want to take to the top. 2016 will be a learning season for him and with Kyle he has an inspirational team mate who rides hard and knows what it takes to win races. Our ambition with Stefan is to learn and achieve the best results we can. We look forward to seeing how far up the results sheets he can climb.

“Stefan is one of the future talents of motorcycle racing and at 17-years-old is an exciting signing for CIA Landlord Insurance Honda. He rode well at Qatar in 2015 and showed real hunger to succeed. We recognise that and welcome him to the team, he’s going to fit in very well indeed.”

More, from a press release issued by CIA Landlord Insurance Honda:

Stapleford joins CIA Landlord Insurance line up

REIGNING British Supersport Champion Luke Stapleford will race for CIA Landlord Insurance Honda in the 2016 World Supersport Championship alongside Kyle Smith and Stefan Hill.

Luke, who won 14 out of 24 races in the British Supersport Championship in 2015, is a star in the making and stepping up to the World stage. 24-year-old Luke said: “I am happy to be signing for CIA Landlord Insurance Honda and can’t wait to get going. I did a wildcard ride at Donington Park this year and finished sixth, but it should have been better if it wasn’t for some issues with my bike. I think I should have been fighting for the podium there.

“At the tracks I know I want to be racing with the front guys – Donington, Assen, Valencia. I am not going to WSS to make up the numbers. But I do have a lot of tracks to learn and some look difficult, like the Thai round.

“Friday first practice will be difficult at the new tracks but hopefully by the time I get to the race on Sunday I’ll be up to speed. I am targeting the top six in the Championship in my first year.

“Tristan Palmer, who has been with me this year, will join me as my Chief Mechanic which is great. The Honda CBR600RR may be a different bike but it’s good to have people I know and trust with me.

“A big thank you to CIA Landlord Insurance and Profile Logistics for helping to make this happen. I can’t wait to get testing now.”

CIA Landlord Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “We are delighted to sign Luke to the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda team for 2016. With Luke alongside Kyle Smith I believe it is our strongest line up since 2012.

“Right from the start we expect Kyle and Luke to be racing at the sharp end, they are both quality riders with the ability to win races and mix it at the top of the World Championship.

“We will announce our fourth and final rider shortly. We are now focusing on developing our CBR600RR ahead of testing in the New Year. We are looking forward to the 2016 season with great excitement already.”