Impressive comeback for McPhee in Valencia
JOHN McPhee was ready for his swan song with the British Talent Team at the Valencia GP last Sunday with the Scot currently seventh in the standings and gunning to take over in sixth before the season ended. With a solid race at Sepang to come home in the top five from the front row, McPhee was looking to end the season on a high.
The Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia is 4km long, with nine right and five left-handed corners set in an amphitheatre layout making for incredible fan viewing.
McPhee has been in the top 10 before at the track, and was looking to repeat that as a minimum in his final race with the British Talent Team. The Connel rider was also on pole at the venue in 2015.
Incredible
McPhee had a difficult qualifying day at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, but the British Talent Team rider put in an incredible turnaround on race day to take eighth place from 22nd on the grid.
The Scot moved up slightly off the line but was left with a mountain yet to climb, slicing his way up to just outside the top 10 before bridging the gap and continuing his march forward.
The British Talent Team took P8 at the flag and another solid haul of points in his final race for the team.
That’s the season now over and the British Talent Team’s swansong sung, with three podiums, 131 points and seventh in the standings wrapped up.
After the race John said: ‘It was nice to finish the season off with a race-long battle in the group fighting for the podium.
‘I had a lot of work to do coming from 22nd on the grid but I’m satisfied with the progress made. Of course we’re always looking for more but today I feel like we’ve done a good job to finish eighth.
‘I need to thank my team for all their hard work this year and to all my sponsors and fans for their continued support. Roll on 2018.’
McPhee is leaving the British Talent Team and will be lining up with Centre International de Pilotage (CIP) in the Moto3 World Championship in 2018, riding a KTM in the squad alongside rookie Makar Yurchenko.
After a year that has seen the Scot take a number of podiums and fight in the top five in the standings with the British Talent Team, John will be looking to make another assault on the top in 2018.
Delighted
CIP team manager Alain Bronec said: ‘We’re delighted to welcome an experienced rider like John McPhee to the team. Since the start of the season, he has been fighting at the front. We’re convinced that alongside his experience, it will allow CIP to attain our aspirations.
‘With Makar alongside him and with the arrival of KTM, we hope to have in place everything we need to write a new chapter for the team on the world stage. We’re already looking forward to beginning this new and promising adventure.’