British Supersport Championship leader Luke Stapleford will make a wildcard appearance in the world championship at Donington Park next month.
The opportunity has arisen due to a collaboration between Stapleford’s Scars Racing and World Supersport team Feel Racing. Stapleford will race alongside Philipp Oettl, who currently sits fifth in the world championship with one victory (Assen Race 2) and one further podium (Phillip Island Race 1) to his name.
Stapleford has won three of the opening four British races onboard the Ducati V2, whilst his last appearance on the world stage came in 2018.
The 2015 British Supersport champion finished ninth overall that season riding for his family-run Profile Racing team. Stapleford swapped the Triumph Daytona 675 for the Yamaha R6 after the fifth round.
“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to race in World Supersport again,” Stapleford said. “Having last competed in the championship back in 2018, I thought I might never get the chance again, so I can’t thank the team enough for making it happen.
“I know how competitive World Supersport has been over the past few years and how big a challenge it will be, but with the way everything has come together so far this season, I genuinely believe we can do a good job.
“Having already raced at Donington this year should give us a small advantage, and I’m really looking forward to getting out there and mixing it with the best.”
Stapleford made a name for himself on the world stage in 2015 when he qualified fourth and finished sixth as a wildcard entrant. He moved into the paddock on a full-time basis the following year, initially with the CIA Landlord Insurance Honda team.
Stapleford departed after three rounds and launched his family-run Profile Racing outfit. He’d go on to claim Triumph’s first-ever World Supersport pole position in Qatar.
The following year Stapleford finished 10 th overall with a best result of fourth at Donington and a total of five top 10 finishes.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us as a team, with Luke competing on the world stage,” Leigh Finaly, Scars Racing’s co-owner said.
“The Feel Racing team have played a huge part in the development of our Ducati V2, and the help and support they have given us along the way has been invaluable. It will be great to be on track as part of the same team as Philipp, and for both us and Luke to gain important knowledge and experience in the World Championship series.
“We have no expectations, but we know Luke is quick and we’re sure he can mix it with the best.”
The British round of the World Supersport Championship takes place at Donington Park on July 10-12.
Sports Reporter - Motorcycle racing enthusiast Josh joined the MCN team in 2019. He studied Sports Journalism at the University of Sunderland, leaving with a 2:1 and a Gold Standard Diploma in Journalism from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). Introduced to the world of motorcycle racing by his dad as a youngster, Josh became a fan of MotoGP, WorldSBK and BSB. Like many, Josh became a huge Valentino Rossi supporter…little did he know that years later he would ask a question or two to the man himself.
Sports Reporter and fan of all things motorsport.