Delivering champions of the future is one of the main philosophies of a new look team in this year’s British Superbike race series.
GR Motosport, run by former racer and respected bike expert, Brent Gladwin, will now be known as Team WD-40 following title sponsorship, primarily from the WD-40 Specialist brand.
Team WD-40 will be officially launched at the opening round of the British Superbike season at Brands Hatch on April 5-7 and features two of the hottest prospects on two wheels.
Currently the team will be running two riders, 15-year-old Joe Francis, from Chester, in the Monster Energy Motostar British Championship, and 22-year-old Jon Railton from Huntingdon in the Pirelli National Superstock 1000 Championship.
Joe, who finished second in last season’s Motostar British Championship Junior Cup will compete in the Moto3 Championship as part of the Monster Energy Motostar races, giving him the chance to win two titles.
He is seen as one of the UK’s brightest prospects and will be looking to be once again fighting for podium places and race wins.
“I’m really excited about this season and can’t wait to get involved in the first race,” said the youngster.
“The new team promises to be one of the places to be in the paddock in 2013 and the wait will soon be over.”
After finishing ninth in the Superstock 1000 Championship last season, Jon, from Huntingdon, is focused on delivering for Team WD-40 and securing some podium finishes in the hard-fought races.
The 22-year-old said: “2013 looks to be a good year in which I can prove my ability amongst some top riders.
“My aim is to be in the leading bunch in the final stages of every race, so I can put myself in with a chance of a regular podium finish.”
Team WD-40’s manager, Brent, said: “This team has been the culmination of plenty of hard work over the close season and I’m delighted that everything is now in place for us to go racing.
“Joe is a fantastic young talent and Jon will prove to be another excellent signing for Team WD-40, as we aim for some silverware come the end of the season.”
This season the riders will be racing Honda Moto3 and Kawasaki ZX10r, and Brent explains why he chose these for 2013.
He added: “For me the choice was quite easy, the Kawasaki ZX10r in Superstock and the Honda NSF250r in Moto3, offered the best package for our riders.
“A tenth of a second can mean so much in racing and different riders can gain that from different manufacturers. We’re confident that our choice will deliver the best bikes for Joe and Jon.”
The WD-40 brand has had a role in motorbike racing over a number of years with many teams already using it on their bikes to help maintain and repair.
However the lubricant manufacturer is now launching a new range of products under the WD-40 Specialist Motorbike brand, designed to give riders and mechanics best in class solutions. These products have been developed based upon research to help keep bikes well maintained whilst supporting improved performance.
David Whittome, WD-40 Company’s UK marketing manager, said: “The launch of our new range of seven products for the motorbike market is based on feedback from riders and race teams across the UK.
“We’re introducing the WD-40 Specialist Motorbike range to help owners, racers and enthusiasts keep their machines in excellent condition – on the road, on track and in the garage.
“Team WD-40 is an exciting development for us as a company and we’re delighted that Joe and Jon are part of the team for 2013 and we are keen to see a successful partnership in the coming season ahead.
“As always the aim is to be competitive and I’m sure both riders will deliver first class performances throughout the year.”