Yamaha confirm ex-BSB rider joins EWC project

Jason O’Halloran will join the YART Yamaha EWC Official Team lineup for the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship alongside Karel Hanika, Marvin Fritz, and reserve rider Robin Mulhauser.

O’Halloran, the most successful Yamaha rider in terms of victories in the British Superbike Championship, joins the YART team to replace Niccolo Canepa, who retired at the end of the 2024 season to become Yamaha Motor Europe’s Road Racing Sporting Manager.

The “O Show”, as O’Halloran is affectionately known, raced in the Superbike class for Yamaha in BSB from 2019-2023, winning 26 races and recording a best-placed finish of second overall in 2020, as he established himself as a regular title contender on his R1.

O’Halloran is no stranger to endurance racing after riding as an injury replacement during the 2012 season and securing a podium at the Doha 8 Hours, a top ten at Suzuka, and fourth at the 8 Hours of Oschersleben.

The 36-year-old also continues the YART team’s long association with Australian riders, which has seen Damian Cudlin, Steve Martin, Josh Brookes, Broc Parkes, Wayne Maxwell, and Ricky Olson all race for them in the past.

O'Halloran will now focus his winter preparations on the opening round of the 2025 FIM Endurance World Championship, the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans, which is in April 17-20 2025.

Speaking about his new venture, O'Halloran said:

“I am extremely excited to join the YART team and become a full-time EWC rider. I have spent many years in British Superbikes, but when I started speaking to the team, it just seemed like the perfect move. I want to thank everybody who made this happen. I cannot wait to join up with the team, and what a team!

I cannot wait to join up with the team, and what a team! Endurance World Champions in 2009 and 2023, plus Marvin and Karel, are amazing riders, and the team’s achievements speak for themselves."

"I had a lot of success in BSB with Yamaha, so I am excited to get back onto the R1. It has always been the bike I gelled with the best; it suits my riding style, and I love riding it.

I had a taste of riding in the EWC in the past, and it has always been a championship I wanted to race in. With Niccolò retiring, the timing was perfect, and I cannot wait for the challenge ahead.”

Niccolo Canepa, now Sporting Manager of Yamaha's Road Racing project in Europe, also gave his thoughts about his replacement:

“We are really happy to have Jason joining the YART team, and we are excited to see what he can do on the bike. He has a lot of experience with the R1 and has shown his talent and ability in the British Superbike Championship with 26 wins, so I think he will bring a lot to the team.

I got to know Jason in BSB last year. I was his teammate for a couple of race weekends, and he helped me a lot during this time, which made me realise that he had the right attitude for EWC. 

He already has some endurance experience, but he will have to adapt quite quickly, and we feel that with his addition to the team, we will have the perfect package to fight for the title next season.”