McPhee launches new Moto3 GP teamposted in OTHER28 | 02 | 2017
SCOTLAND’S LEADING MOTORCYCLE RACER, John McPhee, today unveiled his all-new Honda on which he will contest the full 2017 Moto3 GP World Championship. The 23-year-old from Oban also launched his new team, the British Talent Team in London. (Related: John McPhee's racing steps to success)
McPhee became the first Scot to win a two-wheel grand prix for 54 years when he powered to victory in the Czech GP at Brno last August.
But his season ended in agony when he suffered a horrific crash at the Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne in November. The incident, in which he was hit by two other competing bikes, broke the thumb on his left hand and perforated both his lungs.
But today, the popular Scot admitted he can’t wait to get back into racing action with his newly-liveried Honda MotoGP bike.
“It’s been more than three months since I raced, and I’m itching to get back in amongst the action,” McPhee, who took his first podium at Indianapolis 2015, said.
The Scot — who was joined on-stage by Talent Promotion Director Alberto Puig, who will be team manager of the Honda outfit, plus former grand prix winner Jeremy McWilliams, who is assisting as a rider coach/spotter as part of his role as 'British Talent Scout' — is the first rider to be selected for the British Talent Team.
The new venture, which includes the British Talent Cup, has been created in order to help fast-track talented young British talent through to the higher echelons of motorcycle racing, stepping from Moto3, to Moto2 and, ultimately MotoGP.
"It's going to be massive thing," McPhee, who as previously backed by the not-for-profit Racing Steps Foundation, admitted. "Coming from Britain it's hard to get into the world championship.
“I was fortunate to have Racing Steps behind me and now the British Talent Cup is here I'm sure there will be loads of kids looking to be a part of it.
"It's an honour to be selected for this project and I can't thank championship organisers Dorna enough," McPhee continued. "We were strong and feeling comfortable in the private tests. All the little details are in place.
"Alberto has really helped me with what's important and what I need to focus on. It's been amazing having Jeremy there as well, and I really appreciate having both of them on board.
"Every rider believes they can win and I do as well. We did it last season so it has to be the ultimate target, but this is a new project so we have to take it step-by-step."
The 18-round Moto3 season, which runs as part of the MotoGP support package, gets underway with the opening round in Qatar on March 26. The British GP takes place at Silverstone on August 27.
While McPhee will lead the British Talent Team in the 2017 Moto3 GP season, selection for the British Talent Cup is set to take place through 2017, with the engines ready to fire up next year.
The Cup will race at Dorna-run events including the UK Round of WorldSBK at Donington Park and the British GP at Silverstone.
A range of circuits in the UK and Spain form a tentative base for the proposed calendar, and the bike will be a Honda NSF 250R Moto3 machine.
The first ever selection program for the Cup will be held in the week leading up to the 2017 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The application process runs from the May 5 to June 18, and riders who will be invited to the selection process will be informed before the July 21.
Related: Injury extends McPhee stay Down Under
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Jim McGill
Group Photo Caption: (From left) Jeremy McWilliams, John McPhee, Carmelo Ezpeleta and Alberto Puig