It’s decision time for bike star Farrer

EASINGTON teenager Charlie Farrer is eyeing a switch to Moto3 power next year after securing a second season in the British Talent Cup (BTC).

The 16-year-old will once again line up among the fastest young motorcycle racers in the UK in 2019 after impressing series chiefs by finding form late in the season.

But now he faces a tough decision as to which direction to take his racing following a tough debut in the Pirelli British Superstock 600 series this year.

Farrer made his British level debut this year following a record-breaking 2017 on the club scene where he took three different titles.

After winning a place in this year’s inaugural BTC series ran by Motogp operator Dorna, he also bought a Yamaha R6 to contest select rounds of Superstock 600.

But his BTC season got off to a difficult start as he was brand new to the identical Honda NSF 250F Moto3 machines used in the series and was one of just two riders on the grid who had come from a production-based background.

Meanwhile, issues like lack of a mechanic hampered his chances in the Superstock class, and he suffered a lot of bad luck. However, the races he did finish showed impressive promise as he beat off riders with much more experience to bank points.

However, as the season headed towards its end, Farrer learnt how to get the best out of the Moto3 machinery and became a regular points finisher and top 10 runner, prompting championship bosses to offer him a second year in the class.

And this has led him to rethink his other plans. “I’ve been concentrating on the 600 as for various reasons we decided not to go the Moto3 route after the clubs,” he said.

“I was up against riders who all were racing Moto3 bikes in the British Motostar Championship and knew how to ride them while I had to learn from scratch.

“But once I’d finally got to understand it, I came on really quickly and I loved every minute of riding the Honda.

“It made me realise that had I had the same experience as the other riders, I could’ve been up at the front and it left us scratching our heads as to where to go next year.”

Farrer and his parents Noel and Allison are now weighing up their options for 2019, but know the best chance for the youngster is to enter the British Motostar series.

But with significant money already invested in the Yamaha, along with concerns that at nearly 17 he could be just too old to make his mark in the class, it’s proving to be a long winter of decision-making.