Image: Russell Colvin.

Teenage talent Oli Bayliss will make his international debut as a wildcard in Phillip Island’s opening round of the 2020 World Supersport Championship (WorldSSP).

Bayliss will pull double-duty in round one of the Australian championship and WorldSSP with Cube Racing, following in the footsteps of triple world champion father, Troy Bayliss.

“I’m really excited and grateful to have this opportunity to race at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in the World Supersport Championship for the first round as a wildcard rider,” 16-year-old Bayliss commented.

“It’s going to be really tough with how fast them guys have been going over the years and it’s going to be a great opportunity to ride with some of the fastest guys in the world to see how I can place amongst them.

“I will be doing double duties, so it’s going to be a big weekend and a bit of a challenge – I’m going to be training very hard coming up to that round to stay fit.

“When dad was racing with World Superbikes, I grew up around a lot of the mechanics who are still around in the paddock now. They might help me a little bit, but the main thing is going out there and giving it my all.

“The difference between my ASBK bike and World Supersport bike is around 10 to 15 horsepower. It’s not much, but enough to go a second or two a lap quicker.”

Bayliss will also be on track during the final official pre-season test on 24-25 February, just days before the Motul Superbike World Championship, Yamaha Finance round, at Phillip Island between 28 February and 1 March.