EJC Champion Orellana joins Canadian Ortt at WIL Sport Racedays Honda
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The 2015 European Junior Cup champion Javier Orellana will step up to the FIM Supersport World Championship this year to compete in the newly announced European class. After narrowly missing out in 2014, Orellana dominated last year's EJC and receives a supported season in 2016 as his prize.
He will be joined in the Racedays Honda squad by Canadian young gun Braeden Ortt, who turns 16 in February and will be spending his birthday in Spain as part of an intensive pre-season testing programme in Almeria, Aragon and Jerez. Although he will be the youngest ever rider to compete in a WorldSSP race, Ortt is no stranger to European competition, or to Honda motorcycles, having competed in the 2014 European Junior Cup. His 2015 EJC campaign was affected by injury, however Ortt was still able to put together strong podium performances in the USA on Superstock 600 machinery, and to claim race wins and third overall in the 390 cup at Moto America, as well as third overall in the World Finals.
The Racedays Honda team will be an integral part of the Honda European Junior Cup programme and is backed once more by long-term sponsors Phil and Cheryl London of WIL Sport Management, plus Wolf Custom Homes and Europ Foods, with additional support from Honda, Pirelli and Motul. Ex-MotoGP™ racer Jeremy McWilliams will guide the young riders in his role as Team Manager, with expert assistance from fellow EJC coach, WorldSSP race winner Kyle Smith.
Javier Orellana: ''I am very pleased to announce I will be riding in the World Supersport Championship for 2016, I would like to give a big thank you to the EJC for this fantastic opportunity. I am very grateful to my team and sponsors Europfood as well as Honda, Dorna and Pirelli. My team and I will work hard to give all our best and get the best results possible!''
Braeden Ortt: “Racing in World Supersport is an incredible opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m really looking forward to working with Jeremy, and some of the other people I met while racing in the European Junior Cup. I know this series is a big step up and I will have a big challenge ahead of me but I’m really looking forward to making gains and racing this championship. I have a lot of people to thank for this opportunity and I can’t wait to get on the new Honda."
Jeremy McWilliams: ''We're looking forward to an exciting new season with two very talented young riders. I've been lucky to work with both of them at the Honda European Junior Cup in the past and know they are very determined to impress in World. as they have predominantly been the riders setting the standard in their previous class. We have a great support package from WIL Sport and Honda, and with a comprehensive test programme planned we know they'll be well prepared for this challenge.''
