Matthew Walters to ride Team Pedercini’s ZX-10R at Phillip Island
The 22-year-old will compete in front of his home crowd in Australia.
Matthew Walters is a late inclusion in the Swann-backed World Superbike season opener taking place at Phillip Island on February 20-22. The 22-year-old will ride a Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R, reuniting with the team that offered him a WSBK seat at the 11th hour in 2014 - but the association did not last the distance after Walters crashed heavily in Saturday practice and was a subsequent withdrawal.
This time, he is obviously hoping to last the distance and reward the team with some quality results.
"Lucio (the owner of Team Pedercini) gave me a call, and it just went from there," said Walters. "I am grateful for the opportunity, and the good thing is that this time I will have two days testing on the Pedercini Kawasaki before round one kicks off – something I didn't get in 2014.
"I am looking forward to the challenge, as it's always great testing yourself against the best in the world. A top 15 result would be unreal in such a competitive grid."
Walters was originally awarded a WSBK wildcard by Motorcycling Australia, but after recent testing promptly withdrew citing a lack of competitiveness from his locally prepared ZX-10R. The timely overture then came from Lucio Pedercini, with a one-event deal consummated on February 7.
