Teenager Oli Ross back in the saddle for new Supermoto season

The 13-year-old motorbike rider from Glenrothes is preparing for the Supermoto racing season which starts in March.

It’s another year in the saddle for the youngster who first began racing when he was just six years old.

Mum Jennifer said: “He started then on Minimotos.

“Our friends’ son is a Scottish quad bike champion and my husband Ian was a mechanic for him so Oli was brought up around racing.

“Ian wanted Oli to get into something similar so when he got older he wasn’t hanging about the streets.

“It’s also something we can do as a family.

“Ian tried to get him into karting but Oli wanted a bike.

“He actually bought his first Minimoto with his Christmas money – he was determined!”

In his last season riding Minimoto, Oli was pipped for third place in the Scottish Championships, but since moving up to Supermoto has taken the Scottish title and is competing in the British Championships also.

Jennifer says that to help Oli move up to the next level they are hoping to attract some local sponsorship.

“This season we’re going to try and make it to the every round in the British,” she said.

“It’s a lot of travelling and it’s a lot of weekends too.

“We’re not asking for a lot of money. We can get him through the season but for him to have the best chance of being as competitive as possible, it would be great if he could have access to things like more sets of tyres.

“We do have a few people helping him out with a few things already which is fantastic.

“Any business helping out will get its name on Oli’s new KTM bike which is going to be at tracks all across the country this year.”

Oli is a pupil at Glenrothes High School where Jennifer says he has been getting tremendous support in his racing career.

“Mrs McNeill the headteacher has been absolutely fantastic,” she added.

“She lets Oli have a Friday off if we need to travel far to a race.

“Sometimes he’s been able to have a Monday off too because it’s tiring if he’s been doing a lot of travelling and he’ll also have been racing for two days.

“The school really have been so supportive.”

• For more information and to get in touch check out Oli’s Facebook page ‘Oli Ross Supermoto Rider #43’.