Aitchison joins WSBK grid for 2011

There will be a stellar cast of five Australian riders at this month’s local round of the 2011 Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island (February 25-27), with confirmation that Gosford rider Mark Aitchison has been contracted to race the season with the Italian-based Pedercini Kawasaki.

Aitchison, 27, will join Troy Corser (BMW) and Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki) as championship regulars in 2011, while the last two Australian Superbike champions, Josh Waters (Suzuki) and Bryan Staring (Kawasaki), have accepted one-off wildcard rides to race at the season opener.

The last time so many Australians competed in the local Phillip Island world Superbike round was way back in 2006.

After finishing second in the 2006 Australian Supersport Championship, the tertiary qualified Aitchison began his international career a year later when he was fifth in the FIM 1000cc Superstock Cup on a Suzuki. In 2008, he was Triumph-mounted in the Supersport World Championship, and he remained in that title the following year when he was eight overall on a Honda, with a number of top five finishes to his credit.

He competed in some season-ending Supersport races in 2010, before beginning negotiations to make the switch to world Superbike.

"To say I am excited now about my season ahead is a major understatement,” said Aitchison.

“To race in the world Superbike 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 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.

“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.”

Aitchison will have his first ride on the new Kawasaki ZX-10R in the second and final official pre-season test at Phillip Island on February 21-22, before all the world Superbike and Supersport teams regroup for the opening round of the championship back at the spectacular seaside circuit on February 25.

Corser, Vermeulen, Waters and Staring (who’s also riding for Pedercini Kawasaki at Phillip Island) will all be at the final hitout, as well as Newcastle rider Broc Parkes (Kawasaki) who will be Australia’s sole world Supersport campaigner in 2011.

Meanwhile, Corser has already been testing with his factory BMW team at Phillip Island his week, but his two-day outing was cut short after he crashed at the fast turn nine and bruised his elbow. Corser’s new team-mate, world No 2 Leon Haslam, completed the test without incident.