The World Superbike grid will have 21 riders this season as Team Pedercini has chosen Mark Aitchison to be their second rider alongside Roberto Rolfo, over the highly tooted, but reluctant to race in Superbikes Gabor Talmacsi, but also Lukas Pesek and Andrew Pitt, who were all previously in talks with the Italian run Kawasaki team.
The 27-year old Australian isn’t new to the world scene, he debuted in 2007 in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup with team Celani, raced in Supersport with the Triumph BE1 and Honda Althea teams.
In 2010 he debuted in the Moto2 CEV Championship with A&R Racing Team but was axed after one round, but he managed to salvage the final part of his season racing in the final four races for World Supersport Honda Kuja Racing team.
Pedercini’s Superstock rider Bryan Staring will also race at the WSBK season opener at Phillip Island as a wildcard.
Mark Aitchison : “To say I am excited now about my season ahead is a major understatement.
To race in the World SBK class has always been a dream of mine and to be given this opportunity with a team that has such long history in World Superbike racing is something I am very proud of.
I would like to thank all the Pedercini family for giving me such a wonderful chance to be a part of their team and I look forward to repaying their faith in me by giving all my motivation and dedication toward this project.
In Phillip Island I’ll be riding and racing the bike for the first time, so even though it will not be easy, I understand that this is a long season.
The new Kawasaki package looks amazing, the bike is relative in size to its 600cc counterpart and after I have some laps under my belt I’m sure my technicians and I will have a much clearer understanding for the development of the bike and how we need to improve to reach our goals.
I’m extremely looking forward to this new challenge, and I’m especially looking forward to getting back onto the Phillip Island circuit, which I love to race on”.
