Dual Australian Superbike Champion Glenn Allerton has been called into the BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team ahead of this weekend’s Phillip Island round of the FIM Superbike World Championship.

Allerton, who made two wildcard appearances last year at Phillip Island and Laguna Seca, will ride the team’s EVO specification BMW, drafted in to replaced injured Frenchman Sylvain Barrier.

In his maiden WSBK event last season at Phillip Island, Allerton carded competitive 14-12 results. Despite missing this week’s official pre-season tests, the 33-year-old is looking to make the most of a rare international opportunity.

“I’m looking forward to riding a slightly up-spec version of the BMW,” Allerton told Autofore.com.au. “I’ve looked at the team’s bike and it has parts we can’t use here in Australia, so it should be interesting.

“It will be great fun to ride in the new EVO category, I’m really looking forward to the challenge of racing in there and possibly trying to get on top of that EVO class. It’s not going to be easy, but I’m excited for it.

“My first time on the bike will be Friday, but luckily I obviously know what way the track goes – I’ll just have to adapt to the different bike. Technically the bike looks really good, the team is no doubt very good and it will be a nice challenge.”

Reigning Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Champion Barrier suffered a fractured pelvis on Monday during testing in a high-speed crash at Turn 11, delaying his WSBK debut with the team.

The late inclusion of Allerton on the grid will see him as the lone confirmed Australian on the WSBK grid so far this weekend, while Bryan Staring, Billy McConnell and Ryan Taylor will take part in the World Supersport race.

Allerton recently re-signed with the Next Gen Motorsports BMW team to contest the Australasian Superbike Championship in 2014, as well as the opening round of the Australian Superbike Championship.