IN
THE
WIND
P42
PETERSEN JOINS GENUINE BROASTER
CHICKEN HONDA FOR 2018
C
ameron Petersen will
compete for the Genuine
Broaster Chicken Honda squad
in MotoAmerica Superbike this
season, replacing WorldSBK-
bound Jake Gagne.
The South African will make
his Superbike class debut on the
Honda CBR1000RR SP2 after a
partial season competing for the
ADR Fly team in the now defunct
Superstock 1000 category in
2017, and is looking forward to
a full season of racing—his first
since 2016.
"I can't tell you how happy I
am to be back," Petersen said
in a team release. "I came into
MotoAmerica in 2015 hoping to
achieve big things. Although I
didn't set the world on fire in the
first couple years, I proved to
myself that on a good day I could
run with the best. Coming into
2017, it looked like I had no op-
tions. But thanks to the efforts of
Dave Anthony, I had the chance
to ride a 1000 Superstock in
selected events. Despite our
best efforts, 2017 turned into a
nightmare.
"I know I have a huge chal-
lenge ahead of me, but with the
best imaginable team behind
me, I couldn't ask for a better
opportunity." CN
COPPOLA TO WORLDSSP
T
he 2017 European Supersport 300 runner-up and Yamaha R3 bLU cRU Challenge winner Alfonso
Coppola will join the WorldSSP ranks this season as he makes his class debut with the World Cham-
pion GRT Yamaha squad.
Coppola will compete in the European Supersport Cup that takes place at all the European rounds
of the 2017 FIM Superbike World Championship. He will ride for the newly formed GRT Yamaha Of-
ficial WorldSSP Jnr Team, an offshoot of the full Yamaha GRT team, with the first race of the European
Supersport Cup held at Aragon during round three of the
WorldSBK Championship, April 13-15.
"I have never worked with an official team before and
I know that this represents a huge opportunity for me to
take the next step in my career," said Coppola. "I realize
I have to make the most of a chance like this and I have
been working hard during the winter in the gym and with
the Yamaha R6 to prepare in the best possible way for the
first round at Aragon." CN
Petersen has big shoes to fill on
the Genuine Broaster Chicken
Honda team for 2018.
Coppola gets one of the prime rides in the WorldSSP paddock
and now must make the most of it in 2018.
