First Supermoto Aprilia SXV lands in UK - March 17th 2006

The SR Off-Road Aprilia team and rider Sam Warren took delivery of the first Aprilia Supermoto SXV to arrive in the country yesterday which comes as part of a factory supported assault on the Supermoto World Championship and selected British rounds.

The SR Off-Road teams gamble on contesting part of last year's World Championship paid off with Warren notching up some impressive results including a fifth overall in Austria and a further four top 10 finishes. These results in what was very much a privateer effort were noticed by the Aprilia factory which has led to them becoming the official UK team this season.

The first run-out for the SXV is likely to be this weekend at the Lydd International circuit in Kent before the team heads out to Italy on Monday for the launch of Aprilia's 2006 Supermoto campaign in the World Championship.

SR Off-Road Aprilia team manager Mick Spencer said that it was a relief to finally have one of the all new bikes and that preparation for this season could now start in earnest.

"It's taken us a while to get hold of one of the SXV's but now we have we can really get the ball rolling for 2006.

In the meantime we have been sorting various other aspects of the team and I'd like to take the opportunity to thank Aprilia, Putoline Oils, THQ and Pump-X for their support. It is our intention to repay the faith they have shown in us with some good results both in the UK and on the world stage."

Derbyshire rider Sam Warren who finished fourth in SM1 and third in the SM2 British Championship emerged as one of the country's brightest young prospects last year. He now has his sights firmly set on continuing where he left off and said that he couldn't wait to get on the Aprilia and get some serious testing underway.

"I've been itching to get my hands on one of these new Aprilia's. Everything we've heard and read suggests they are going to be awesome so to finally have one is great. I am really looking forward to the first test ride at Lydd and developing the bike with the team leading up to the first World Championship round."

At this stage the SR Off-Road Aprilia teams programme for the UK has not been finalised with events likely to fit in around the World Championship which is their primary focus as Mick Spencer explained.

"We've missed the first few rounds in the British Championship and there are dates clashes with the World Championship later in the year. The intention is to also do a few of the other MotoGB series events where there aren't conflicting dates.

The team is looking at the possibility of doing a NORA event later in the month at Three Sisters. First though we will be heading off to France at the end of next week to start suspension testing with the first major event for us being the opening round of the World Championship in Italy at the end of April."