The motorcycle GP racing season is well underway but as a British racing fan what are our interests in the 2008 season?
The obvious one is James Toseland, two time (and current) World Superbike champion, Toseland has made the step up to MotoGP with the satellite Tech 3 Yamaha team. Early season indications have been positive for Toseland as he learns the new bike and a lot of new tracks. What about the support classes?
If we were looking at Spanish or Italian riders we would have dozens to discuss here, however for the 2008 season there are 4 British riders in the entry lists for the 250cc and 125cc GP championships.
Eugene Laverty
Laverty, from Northern Ireland, will be competing in his second season in the 250cc championship in 2008. Laverty ended the 2007 season in 25th place with 6 points to his name on the LCR Honda, ran by former racer Lucio Cecchinello.
For the 2008 season he has moved to the much more competitive Blusens Aprilia team, and will be hoping for much better results.
Eugene Laverty showcased his talents early on in the British Supersport Championship in 2006, prior to moving to the 250cc GP championship. Alongside Cal Crutchlow and Tom Sykes (both of whom will be competing for the British Superbikes championship in 2008), his team mate that year in the Red Bull Honda team was Hannspree Ten Kate rider Jonathan Rea.
Bradley Smith
Bradley Smith is a young and extremely talented racer from Oxfordshire, who finished 10th last season in the 125cc championship for the Repsol Honda team.
The 2007 season saw Bradley Smith become the youngest ever British rider to finish on a motorcycle grand prix podium when he finished third in the French 125cc Grand Prix at Le Mans. Next year Bradley will ride for the Spanish based Polaris World Aprilia team that won four grands prix in the 2007 season.
Early on in the 2008 season Bradley has shown his talent and pace by picking up a number of pole position's in qualifying, unfortunately however he has been able to convert those into race wins as technical problems and crashes have ended his races early.
Daniel Webb
2007 saw Daniel Webb end the season in 26th place with 3 points to his name. For 2008 Daniel will be racing on an Aprilia for the Dutch based Arie Molenaar Racing team where he will be joined by Stevie Bonsey and Hugo Van Den Bergh.
The move to Aprilia should, hopefully give Webb a more competitive bike and allow him to improve on his 2007 finish.
Scott Redding
Fourteen-year-old Gloucestershire schoolboy Scott Redding clinched a three-year deal with the Spanish-based BQR Blusens Aprilia world championship team, and will begin his MotoGP career in 2008.
Scott will become the team's number one rider in the 2008 and 2009 MotoGP 125cc World Championship and has an option on the third year to progress to the MotoGP 250 class.
Tipped for big things, Scott Redding has shown glimpses of his talent so far in 2008 and will be one to watch.
The Biker Place is a motorcycle racing website that has a focus on the UK's most promising up and coming young motorcycle racers. From Minimoto racing up to British Superbikes and MotoGP.
