Sheridan Morais will ride an Aprilia RSV-4 in his home World Superbike Championship event at Kyalami, it has been confirmed.
Morais was originally tipped to join
Max Biaggi and Leon Camier in the works Aprilia team, but having secured the necessary funding to go racing, will instead ride for the same Emtek Racing team that fields his South African Superbike Championship entry.
However, while not riding for the works teams, Morais will use a full factory-spec RSV-4 during the weekend.
“Aprilia approached us with the proposal, and they certainly wouldn't look good if they gave us inferior machinery,” he said. “The Italians have assured us that we'll get the same equipment as their contracted riders, and I believe we will.”
The 25-year-old is no stranger to
WSBK competition having raced twice for the factory Kawasaki team in 2009, including a point-scoring turn on home soil, and also for Echo CRS Honda earlier this season as a substitute for the injured Broc Parkes.
This will, however, be the first time Emtek Racing have participated at this level, its previous high-profile outing being a wild-card World Supersport entry at Kyalami last season.
Coming in the week that Aprilia assumed the lead of the World Superbike Manufacturer standings, Morais' entry will also be significant for the fact it is the first time there has been a satellite RSV-4 entry on the World Superbike grid.