Once upon a time, British motorcycle racers ruled the world. In the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, British riders won thirteen of the first twenty premier class titles, then four of the next ten. Legendary names such as Geoff Duke, John Surtees, Mike Hailwood, Phil Read and Barry Sheene filled the history books, with a supporting cast of hundreds of privateers filling the grids and taking race wins. There were always Italians, truly great Italians, challenging British supremacy, successfully in the case of Giacomo Agostini, but fundamentally, Grand Prix racing was a very British affair.
Then the colonials came, saw, and conquered, transferring the skills they learned riding bucking, sliding bikes on dirt tracks in the USA and Australia to the lairy, unpredictable 500cc two strokes taking over the racing scene. British riders were reduced to a supporting role, chasing but never challenging Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Gardner, Wayne Rainey, Mick Doohan. The decline continued through the 1990s, as native fans transferred their loyalties to World Superbikes, where the UK delivered a string of champions. There were still fast British riders, but they were snowed under in a deluge of quick Italians and Spaniards, and a solitary exceptional Australian.
At last, there is a resurgence of the British in Grand Prix racing. In the premier class, Cal Crutchlow and Bradley Smith have both stood on the podium, Crutchlow multiple times. Scott Redding won Moto2 races and challenged for the championship, and now Sam Lowes is following in Redding’s footsteps. Danny Kent is well on his way to becoming the first British motorcycle racing champion since Barry Sheene, utterly dominating the Moto3 class, while John McPhee showed what he is capable of with a podium at Indianapolis. Over in the World Superbike paddock, the British domination is virtually complete.
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the great British racing revival is the limited role that racing in the UK has played, at least in the Grand Prix paddock. The route to World Superbikes may go through the outstanding British Superbikes series run by Stuart Higgs, but riders with ambitions of Grand Prix racing have nearly all had to leave the UK to make it into GP. Bradley Smith went to Spain to join the MotoGP Academy, the forerunner of the Red Bull Rookies Cup. Scott Redding raced in the Spanish CEV championship before entering the 125s. Danny Kent came up through the Red Bull Rookies, before entering 125s. Brad Ray, Kyle Ryde and Rory Skinner are all focused on the Spanish CEV championship and Red Bull Rookies, rather than UK-based series. Though both Cal Crutchlow and Sam Lowes progressed from British Superbikes to the World Superbike paddock, the rule still seems to be that the path to MotoGP goes through Spain, rather than through the ACU.
It is a successful route indeed though. Ahead of the British round at Silverstone, both Bradley Smith and Cal Crutchlow announced they would be extending their contracts with their current teams, Smith staying with Tech 3 for 2016, Crutchlow being retained by LCR Honda – now thankfully rid of the scandal-hit CWM sponsorship – for 2016, with an option to stay for 2017 as well. On Sunday after the race, Scott Redding announced he had signed a one-year deal with Ducati to race at Pramac, giving Ducati an extra option to retain him for 2017, a deal signed at Brno. Danny Kent is close to a deal which could see him move up to MotoGP, possibly on a Honda, or head to Moto2 aboard a very competitive machine. Even Sam Lowes’ deal with Aprilia is likely to be announced soon, the Lincolnshire lad probably taking a circuitous route through Moto2 first.
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