Moto2 GP machine to make British debut at 2010 TT
Wednesday 24 February 2010
TT
One of the new breed of motorcycle Grand Prix machines will race in the 2010 Isle of Man TT, it has been revealed.
A Moto2 bike will line up for the 2010 Senior TT on June 11, the first time one of the new GP machines has been raced in the British Isles.
The 600cc Moto2 motorcycles are replacing 250cc machines and will be raced at prestigious short circuits around the world as part of the MotoGP calendar.
But the 2010 TT will be the first chance to see one of the bikes being raced anywhere in Britain.
British chassis manufacturers FTR will be supplying the Honda-engined machine.
It will be a similar spec to that being ridden in the GPs by riders including former 125cc World Champion Gabor Talmacsi and GP winners Alex Debon and Andrea Iannone.
British rider Graeme Gowland also had considerable success on the machine when he raced in the Spanish Championship at the end of 2009.
Bedfordshire-based Olie Linsdell will be riding the special GP bike, which should be able to mirror the speeds of the Supersport bikes.
Linsdell will be following in his father’s footsteps in riding a revolutionary machine on the Mountain Course – dad Steve was the last man to ride a Grand Prix bike in a Senior TT when he rode the 500cc Paton in 2007. He has also ridden bikes like the GTS1000 Yamaha and Triumph Saxon at a high level.
Linsdell, 22, a double Manx Grand Prix winner in 2007, looked set to have a strong TT last year until he broke his leg during Wednesday evening’s practice session following an incident at Glen Duff.
He was back in the saddle for the Classic 2009 Manx Grand Prix, where he led the race until being forced to retire on the final lap.
One of the brightest talents to emerge in recent years, Linsdell is now 100 per cent fit and is clearly excited to be given such an opportunity.
He said:
“The Moto2 GP class is exciting for everyone at the moment and I’m delighted and honoured to get the opportunity to race one at the TT. There’s a big buzz around the class and while the 600cc bike won’t be quick enough to challenge the Superbikes for the win in the Senior TT, there’s no reason at all why it can’t lap in excess of 125mph and get inside the top 10, which would be a great achievement.”
“Both the team and I obviously have a lot to learn about how the bike will cope with the Mountain Course, but the chassis is as good as anything else out there and we’ll be aiming to match, if not better, the 600cc Supersport lap times. The whole project is sure to create a lot of interest during TT fortnight and we’re confident we can do it justice and get a credible result.”
Tourism and Leisure Minister Martyn Quayle added:
“The TT has always provided a great test-bed for new and innovative machinery since its inception in 1907 and everyone is really looking forward to seeing how the Moto 2 GP bike performs on the course.”
“This year’s event is sure to be fascinating for spectators with a wide range of manufacturers – both new and established – competing against each other as well as the return of some old favourites.”