Wayne Ryan, the pint sized pocket rocket from Lydd in Kent, is an upcoming star in the illustrious Aprilia Superteens 125cc class. After taken his debut victory in the series this year, he entered the record books in becoming the youngest ever rider to win a race in the class at 12 years and 2 weeks old.

With the help of foster parents Paul and Emma, he in fact began his two wheeled career at the tender age of nine on a mini-moto in October 2005 and after shining in various practice sessions, Wayne was given the chance to race in 2006 where he grabbed many top five finishes and a subsequent offer to ride a 50cc Conti for 2007 with Phoenix Racing.

With wins coming left, right and centre, Wayne almost clinched the title and were it not for a few mechanical failures, he looked a sure Champion. This coinciding with the experience on a mini-moto as well in 2007 with Havoc Racing, meant that Wayne had gathered some elite confidence and experience ready for his ventures in 2008.  With Aprilia Superteens the preferred choice of series in Thundersport GB, Wayne had to wait until May to get his first race due to him being just 11 at the start of the season, and when he arrived, he came with a bang.

With a packed Cadwell Park circuit full of hungry talent, Wayne stormed to sixth on the grid in his first time of asking in his first ever qualifying session on a road race bike.  He followed that up with an impressive eight place finish in race one but then stunned his opponents by winning race two and finishing second in both races three and four.

In the process, Wayne Ryan entered the record books as the youngest ever rider to have won a Superteen race.  From here on in Wayne went from strength to strength and although he was at a disadvantage on points due to him missing the first two rounds, he was climbing the standings after each round and was involved in some of the most fantastic races seen this year

After missing out at Donington Park due to a push bike incident and not having the funds to go to Anglesey, Wayne’s chances of finishing in the top three of the Championship overall were dented but when at a circuit, all that raced against him knew they’d be in for a tough time. Our last and most recent round at Donington Park saw Wayne qualify fourth but go on to win the penultimate Aprilia Superteen race of 2008 and then at the prestigious Mallory Park Race of The Year, Wayne came through from the second row to finish second in race one, and win the last Aprilia race of the season by a country mile, the only downside being that they were not racing for Championship points.

With Wayne looking to compete and win the Aprilia Superteen title next year, he stands as a strong favourite and at just 12 years old, he has an amazing future ahead of him. This season he has never qualified out of the top eight, started 20 races, finished 18 of them, grabbed nine podiums including two wins and has finished in the top eight of all the races he has officially completed this season.

Despite missing 12 races this year, Wayne finished his first campaign fifth overall, an astonishing achievement considering his tender age