Niccolò Canepa will go from winning the FIM Endurance World Championship to taking on the Bennetts British Superbike elite during the final two events of the season.
After partnering Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika to EWC title glory in the Bol d’Or, Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team rider Canepa will join the McAMS Yamaha squad for the BSB races at Donington Park (29 September-1 October) and Brands Hatch (October 13-15).
“I’m excited to join the BSB grid,” said 35-year-old Italian Canepa. “During my career I have raced in many championships but never British Superbikes, so I’m excited and proud to join McAMS Yamaha for the final two races. I’ve always seen the team as the best in BSB so to be asked to join them for their final two races is special for me. I know the championship is difficult and the level is high, but I hope to bring the team some good results.”
McAMS Yamaha’s Steve Rodgers said: “In our time as Yamaha’s official British Superbike team, we’ve worked very closely with Yamaha Motor Europe’s dacing department and we know Niccolò has been very keen to race in BSB for a while, but the right opportunity has not been there until now. He’s probably got more experience of riding the R1 in different specifications than anyone, from the full WorldSBK-spec machine, EWC, Italian championship and a whole host of other R1s given his work as the official test rider for Yamaha. He knows Donington well and has raced WorldSBK there in the recent past, while he’s not a stranger to Brands Hatch either from his European Superstock days.”