Donald joins Padgett's Valvoline Racing Team

AUSTRALIAN Cameron Donald will not only be riding a Norton in this year's TT Superbike and Senior classes, but will now also compete in both Supersport races with Valvoline Racing by Padgett's. 

As John McGuinness was unable to ride for Clive Padgett's Valvoline Racing, the team was left with an empty Supersport seat alongside Kiwi Bruce Anstey.

Norton had given Donald the green light to ride for another manufacturer to stay bike fit and to get as much track time as possible.  

Donald and Anstey spent three years as team-mates at TAS Suzuki from 2008 to 2010. 

Donald, 37, said: 'Padgett's Motorcycles are one of the most successful race teams the TT has ever seen so when Clive rang me and asked if I would be part of the team for the 2015 TT it didn’t take me long to say yes.

'The team obviously build great bikes and I have a lot of experience of my own with the CBR600 RR Honda, so together I think we should be right on the pace and come the races.

'I enjoyed being team mates with Bruce in the past and I am sure we will push each other on again as team mates in 2015.'

Last year Donald sat out the Supersport races, but will be returning this year on a Honda CBR600RR and is already one of the race favourites. 

Clive Padgett said: 'Replacing one of the TT’s greatest ever riders in John McGuinness is something that any team would find a challenge, but for the Supersport class there was one obvious candidate and that was Cameron Donald.

'I have been a long time admirer of Cameron as a rider and a person and his record speaks for itself. He’s the fourth fastest rider ever on a Supersport bike around the TT Course and we are confident that we can give him a motorcycle that is capable of winning races in 2015.'

Both Donald and Anstey had one of the closest TT races in history in 2012, when Anstey beat the Australian to the chequered flag by only 0.77s.