Sherco Australia has announced their official off-road teams for 2016, adding the newly-formed Motul Pirelli Sherco Academy Team to their roster for the new year.

The Motul Pirelli Sherco Factory Team will return in 2016 with Justin Carafa aboard the Sherco 450SEF-R as the E2 class rider in the Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE), the Victorian Off-Road Championship and the Hattah Desert Race.

New South Wales rider Wil Ruprecht will join the factory Sherco squad for 2016, set to pilot the new Sherco 450SEF-R in the under 19 class of the AORC and the E2 class at the A4DE. Ruprecht will also contest the 2016 NSW Off-Road Championship and the Hattah Desert Race.

The newly-formed Motul Pirelli Sherco Academy Team will mirror the efforts of the Factory Team with the emerging talents of Victorian Jai Wedlock and two-time Tasmanian motocross champion and three-time off-road champion, Baylee Davies.

Wedlock will pilot the Sherco 300SEF-R in the under 19 class of the AORC and E2 in the A4DE, while Davies will race the Sherco 250SEF-R in the E1 class. Both riders will contest their respective state off-road championship and the Hattah Desert Race.

Sherco Australia brand manager, Stephen Tuff, is confident in the updated rider roster for 2016 and expects to be contending for championships across all classes.

“We have a very strong rider line-up this year and we’re confident of being right in the thick of the action and in contention for Championships across every class we enter,” said Tuff. “We’ve completed some early season testing and all four riders have made improvements to their setup and their speed.

“Chad’s Off-Road Setups and our team operations manager, Dave Suter, work extremely well with the riders and have the bikes in good shape. We’re all excited for a big year.”

The Sherco Australia teams will kick off their 2016 campaigns as the Australian Off-Road Championship commences on 19 March at Kilkivan, Queensland.