Jason O’Halloran will be in British Supersport for 2013. Image: Honda UK.

Australia’s Jason O’Halloran is primed for a breakthrough 2013 season in the UK this year, anticipating a successful season ahead for Samsung Honda in the British Supersport Championship.

Honda UK will return in an official capacity to the British Supersport Championship with the Samsung Honda team, and it will be O’Halloran at the helm in his third year with the team.

The new-for-2013 CBR600RR will be piloted in the series by the versatile and supremely fast O’Halloran, who has experience riding Honda machinery in a variety of top-flight championships including British Superbikes and the Endurance World Championship.

He was also runner up in the tightly-contested British Superstock 1000 championship in 2012 for the Samsung Honda team.

“It is an interesting direction to move into British Supersport for me but I have experience in that class, winning the Australian Supersport Championship in 2007 was a highlight of my career,” O’Halloran said. “I really enjoy riding the smaller bike and in many ways my style is suited to Supersport.

“I am excited to get on the new-for-2013 CBR600RR and it is the ideal time to make a statement in the championship with a new bike, which I am sure I can make.”

Team manager Havier Beltran is excited for the season to commence as O’Halloran is partnered with the new-look Superbike combination of Ryuichi Kiyonari and Alex Lowes.

“With Jason, you know what you get – hard-work, dedication and above all speed,” he said. “He is the ideal rider to spearhead the Supersport programme, a championship we last competed in, and won in 2009, and want to win again!

“We have a hunger for more silverware and are confident we have the right people in place in the team to make this happen.”

The Samsung Honda team, now entering their second year of partnership with title sponsor Samsung, begin their UK based testing program this month ahead of the first race of the season from 5-7 April at Brands Hatch.