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Olly Simpson teams up with Hayden Nelson at BCperformance Kawasaki for a strong 2025 Australian Supersport Championship Season
An exciting new season begins for the BCperformance Kawasaki team with the signing of South Australian, Olly Simpson, who will partner Hayden Nelson for the 2025 Australian Supersport Championship.
The 27-year-old, who hails from Adelaide Hills had his first taste on the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R a week and a half ago at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at a two-day practice day on the lead up to the opening round of the Victorian Road Racing Championship.
Simpson completed 58-laps in total across the two-days at 4.445km seaside circuit and immediately gelled with the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.
Already a three-time race winner in the Australian Supersport Championship, Simpson brings outstanding experience and talent to the Sydney based team. Simpson recorded three-race wins from 33 race starts in the Australian Supersport Championship, and secured 10 top three overall round podium finishes from 16 round starts, with two round wins – Morgan Park Raceway in 2023 and round five at Phillip Island last year in September.
Also thrown into his achievements are two pole positions, both in 2024, round five and the final round at his home race at The Bend Motorsport Park.
“It’s been a great experience these last two days riding the BCperformance Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R,” expressed Simpson, who finished third in last year’s Australian Supersport Championship and second in 2023.
“The Ninja ZX-6R has its different points to the previous bike I have been riding in the past. The overall base is incredibly good. There are strong points to work with throughout the season,” added Simpson, who was visibly impressed by the performance of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R.
Over the course of the two days at Phillip Island, Simpson’s times were competitive already. He believes there are big steps that he and the team can take with the Ninja ZX-6R to enable ongoing improvements.
“I believe the Kawasaki ZX-6R is a winning package for sure, especially with the Pirelli tyres. I am excited for the year ahead to see what the team and I can do together. I am grateful for the opportunity that Kelvin [Reilly] and Kawasaki Motors Australia has given me,” finished Simpson.
Hayden Nelson is more than excited to be pairing up with Simpson for 2025, explaining that he and Olly worked smoothly together over the two-days at Phillip Island.
“Having a teammate such as Olly can only be a positive thing for the team,” explained Nelson who finished with a 4-6-3 at the Victorian Road Racing Championship and finished third in the Hughie Hoare Feature race.
“We can both work together to develop the new 2025 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R. On top of that we can push each other, which will bring out the best in both of us for reliable results this year. It was a positive two-days having Olly in the garage with us, so I am excited to ride with him and see what I can learn from him as well,” finished Nelson.
BCpeformance Kawasaki’s Team Manager, Kelvin Reilly said; “we are delighted to announce that Olly Simpson will partner Hayden Nelson in their 2025 campaign. The skillset that Olly showed at Phillip Island is a credit to him. The way he worked with Bryan Staring and the team was amazing. With both Olly and Hayden working together, I believe they will make the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R a regular podium finisher during the season. I am excited to see the pair working together.”
“I also would like to this opportunity to again thank Kawasaki Motors Australia and our partners for the continued support. Our collaboration has reached the top level this year and I am sure it will keep growing in the future,” he finished.
Round one of the Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK) gets underway at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 21-23 February.
About Olly Simpson
Birth date: January 10, 1998 (27 years old)
Birthplace: Adelaide, South Australia
Career Highlights
2013 – Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – 16th
2014 – Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – 11th
2014 – Moto3 World Championship wildcard at Phillip Island – 28th
2015 – Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – 8th (two third place finishes at Jerez, Spain)
2015 – Moto3 World Championship wildcard at Phillip Island – 19th
2015 – Australian Moto3 Championship – 10th
2018 – Australian Supersport 300 Championship – 15th
2022 – Australian Supersport Championship – 11th
2023– Australian Supersport Championship – 2nd
2024 – Australian Supersport Championship – 3rd
About Hayden Nelson
Birth date: May 16, 2007 (17 years old)
Birthplace: Taree, New South Wales
Career Highlights
2016 – 65cc Australian Dirt Track Championship – 1st
2017 – 85c Australian Dirt Track Championship – 1st
2019 – 85cc Australian Supermoto Championship – 1st
2020 – Oceania Junior Cup – 12th
2021 – Oceania Junior Cup – 6th
2022 – Australian Supersport 300 Championship – 4th
2023 – Australian Supersport Championship – 8th
2024 – Australian Supersport Championship – 7th