Moto2: Good for British racing

The new 600cc four-stroke Moto2 World Championship, due to replace the current 250cc two-stroke series, could give British riders a much better chance of breaking into MotoGP.

For many years the UK racing scene has been dominated by four-stroke machinery, which has handicapped British riders trying to move into two-stroke 125 and 250 GPs, the traditional feeder classes for MotoGP. Two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles demand very different riding techniques, and many British riders have struggled to adapt to two-stroke GP bikes after spending their formative years on four-strokes.

Moto2 is also a major boost for British engineering firms, which have had little chance to get fully involved in GP racing in recent years. “For some years there’s been no race market for rolling chassis in 250s because everyone runs standard or modified stuff straight from the factory,” says Lester Harris of Hertford chassis makers Harris Performance. “Moto2 means there’s a new demand for rolling chassis which reinvigorates companies like us.”