No Brits in MotoGP for 2021
Ezpeleta cites UK as important market and mourns not having Cal on the grid
‘We are working to develop new British talent’
It’s 11 years since the last premier class season took place without a British rider lining up on the grid.
But as 2021 starts, that bleak prospect could become reality now Cal Crutchlow has stepped away from full-time competition and Bradley Smith is still not guaranteed the second seat in the factory Aprilia squad alongside Aleix Espargaro. Crutchlow’s departure after a 10-season stint means one of Dorna’s key global territories is left without a high-profile star. And there appears no obvious short-term solution to filling the void created by Crutchlow’s absence amidst a lack of certainty surrounding Smith’s prospects of landing the Aprilia gig ahead of Lorenzo Savadori. Last year’s Moto2 runner-up Sam Lowes will be 31 by the time 2022 comes around, so age will definitely be a factor given that of those lining up on this year’s MotoGP grid he’s only younger than Valentino Rossi, Aleix Espargaro and Johann Zarco. Emerging Moto2 star Jake Dixon could need at least two more years in Moto2 before he is given serious consideration for a premier class promotion. While John McPhee will be 27 later this year but he’s still trying to find an avenue out of Moto3.
Dorna are clearly committed to continuing their drive to unearth and nurture young British talent for a World Championship future through their Road to MotoGP initiative.
The British Talent Cup (BTC) is part of the British Superbike series, with Dorna retaining an active support role in the series that has already started to develop promising homegrown talent.
Scott Ogden, who won the BTC in 2019, will race for Spanish legend Jorge ‘Aspar’ Martinez in the Junior World Championship this year.
BTC front-runner Eddie O’Shea will also race in the Junior World Championship in 2021. Speaking exclusively to MCN, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta admits it’s not an ideal scenario to potentially have a 2021 MotoGP grid bereft of any British talent and it was a big loss for the sport when Crutchlow opted to quit full-time racing to become Yamaha’s new test rider.
He said: “Cal is a fantastic person and a big friend of mine. It is a big loss for MotoGP because of his character. Cal has been a very special rider for MotoGP and personally I am going to miss him a lot. Obviously, I am not happy about the possibility of not having a British rider on the grid in MotoGP. The UK is one of the countries, if not the biggest, where the people understand the most about motorsport. We see that in the number of people who send us letters and emails and messages thanking us for the season we put together in 2020. The UK is without question a very important market for us.” He added: “The only thing we can do is continue working to help develop young talent and hopefully bring them to the World Championship through our talent promotion initiatives. We have a very good relationship with British Superbikes, and it is a good partnership with them and the British Talent Cup. We know it is going to take time to develop talent from Britain, but we will work to have British riders showing teams and factories they can compete in the World Championship.”