 | |
| 2024 name | Oxford Racing Products Ducati |
|---|---|
| Base | Winchester, England |
| Team principal/s | Steve 'Wilf' Moore |
| Race riders | British Superbike Championship: 21. Christian Iddon British Supersport Championship: 1. Ben Currie |
| Motorcycle | Ducati |
| Tyres | Pirelli |
| Riders' Championships | 0 |
Moto Rapido Racing is a motorbike racing team, competing in the British Superbike Championship and British Supersport Championship, winning the 2023 Championship.
The Moto Rapido Ducati team progressed to the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship in 2011 after a season in the National Superstock 1000 Championship with Scott Smart. [1]
From then the team competed in many seasons with a Ducati Superstock 1000 including a maiden race win with Tristan Palmer. [2] They also entered the British Superbike class and every race improved their bike and results. [3]
In 2015 the team signed a deal with Lloyds British to compete in the Superbike class with Czech contender Jakub Smrž, [4] but after several good results, Smrz had a crash at the Snetterton Circuit, meaning he would be out. [5] American John Hopkins took his place as a replacement rider [6] and took the team to a record result at the final round of the 2015 season of 3rd place. [7]
In 2016 the team signed Danny Buchan [8] but after a successful start to the year in testing, [9] things didn't work during the start of the season. The team's replacement rider was Scotsman Stuart Easton, [10] but he also dropped out, [11] and Ducati test rider Alessandro Polita was the final rider of the season. [12]
For 2017 the team signed American John Hopkins to compete in the British Superbike class. [13] Hopkins was badly injured at Brands Hatch requiring extensive surgeries and physical rehabilitation that effectively ended his racing career. Thomas Strudwick also rode during 2017 in Motostar standard class. [14]
For the first half of the 2018 season, the superbike rider was Taylor Mackenzie, relacing injured Hopkins. The team and Mackenzie announced their mutual decision to part company at the Knockhill BSB round practice session on 7 July, due to the rider's poor results. [15]
For the second half of the 2018 season Tommy Bridewell succeeded Mackenzie as sole BSB rider. He was retained for 2019 finishing in third place with 636 points, [16] and again for 2020. [17]
John "Hopper" Hopkins is a former motorcycle road racer based in the United States. During 2017 he raced in the British Superbike Championship aboard a Ducati 1199 Panigale for Moto Rapido Racing, but suffered injuries from a crash at the season-finale race meeting in October, meaning he could not participate during 2018. He has not made a full recovery, which has so far precluded hopes of a comeback, but he has become involved in rider coaching.
Chris Walker is a British motorcycle road racer and former scrambler with the nickname The Stalker. He is a four-time runner-up in the British Superbike Championship, and a former race winner in the Superbike World Championship. For the 2015 season Walker signed for Tommy Hill's Be Wiser Kawasaki Team aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R in the British Superbike Championship, following his 2014 season with Lloyds British GBmoto squad. Team manager Hill left in August, 2015, and the team folded in September, leaving Walker without a ride for the final two race meetings of the season.
John Laverty is a Northern Irish former motorcycle racer from Toomebridge, Northern Ireland. He was champion of the Cup class of the British Superbike Championship in 2008. His older brother Michael and younger brother Eugene are both also notable racers.
The British Superbike Championship (BSB), known for sponsorship reasons as the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, is a road racing championship for superbike class machines in the United Kingdom, and is acknowledged to be the premier domestic superbike racing series in the world.
The 2008 British Superbike Championship season was scheduled to begin on 6 April 2008; however, snow at Brands Hatch forced the abandonment of the day's races, which were later rescheduled. The series was rescheduled to start on 20 April and end on 12 October 2008.
Stuart Easton is a British former professional motorcycle racer. He announced his retirement from racing in December 2016.
British Supersport Championship is a support series to the British Superbike Championship (BSB) for engine capacities smaller than Superbike. British Supersport runs one or two rounds per weekend at each BSB event. The BSS championship is seen as a stepping stone for the younger talent to progress to the British Superbike Championship or to World level classes. Riders such as: Tom Sykes, Cal Crutchlow, Sam Lowes, Alex Lowes, Jonathan Rea Leon Camier and Rory Skinner; all raced in this championship during their early careers.
Thomas George Bridewell races for Honda Racing UK in the British Superbike Championship.
The British Supersport Championship, National Superstock 1000 & 600 and the British Motostar Championship are the four main championship series that are run as support races alongside the British Superbike Championship. In 2012 the Motostar category replaced the defunct 125cc category that had been running since the start of the British Superbike Championship in 1988, Motostar was open to both 125 and 250 machines similar to Moto 3 machines. The Supersport racing started in 1989 and is a class comprising 600cc Motorcycles that are allowed racing modifications and custom tuning. It wasn't until 2000 that the Superstock 1000 category replaced the defunct 250cc category, with the Superstock 600 championship being the newest addition on the support series in 2008. In 2010 the Superstock 1000 and Superstock 600 categories also supported the British rounds of the Superbike World Championship and the Moto GP both at Silverstone.
The 2012 British Superbike season was the 25th British Superbike Championship season. For the 2012 season, MSVR announced a number of changes to the technical regulations of the spectacle of them British Superbike Championship. The championship will be limited to 32 entries, with 16 teams each entering two bikes. This was designed to be a way of rewarding teams that have had a history of competing in the BSB regularly. Teams who had competed in the 2011 season were given automatic entries, whilst teams who wish to graduate to the BSB class had to buy an entry.
Paul Bird Motorsport are a British motorcycle road racing, car racing and rallying organisation. From 2024, following owner Paul Bird's death in 2023, the motorcycle road racing operation was renamed Paul Bird Racing with Glenn Irwin as sole rider in British Superbike class. Paul Bird had competed as a rally driver and a solo-rider in motocross. His son Frank is a car racer.
Taylor Mackenzie is a former Grand Prix motorcycle racer based in Leicestershire, England, the son of a former motorcycle racer Niall Mackenzie, and older brother to racer Tarran Mackenzie.
The 2013 British Superbike season was the 26th British Superbike Championship season. Shane Byrne stayed in the championship to defend his title from the previous season on the Paul Bird Kawasaki; Ryuichi Kiyonari returned to the championship on board the Samsung Honda to challenge for his fourth British Superbike Championship, with new teammate Alex Lowes looking to win his first championship after showing his pace at the end of the previous season. Josh Brookes stayed on board the Tyco Suzuki and James Ellison returned to try to win the illusive British title riding the Milwaukee Yamaha in what was billed to be the biggest title fight for years.
Thomas Strudwick is a British motorcycle road racer from West Sussex. During 2024, he raced in both the UK BMW F900 Cup national-level series winning the championship, and the inaugural National Sportbike Championship on a Triumph 765 were he finished third.
Bradley Ray is a British motorcycle racer. He won the 2022 British Superbike Championship and since 2023 has ridden for Motoxracing Yamaha WSBK.
Christian Iddon is a British motorcycle racer from Stockport, England. He is the son of former racer Paul Iddon.
The 2021 British Superbike Championship season was the 34th British Superbike Championship season. Josh Brookes started the season as the reigning champion. The playoff system was reinstituted.
The 2022 British Superbike Championship season was the 35th British Superbike Championship season. The title was won by Bradley Ray. The season was marred by the death of Chrissy Rouse a few days after an incident during the final race at Donington Park.
The 2023 British Superbike Championship season is the 36th season of the motorcycle championship. Bradley Ray was the reigning champion, but chose to compete in the 2023 Superbike World Championship. The championship was won by Tommy Bridewell, winning the closest-ever BSB season, defeating teammate Glenn Irwin by just half a point.
The 2023 British Supersport Championship season was the 35th British Supersport Championship season, incorporating the 2023 British GP2 Cup. Jack Kennedy was the reigning series champion, but did not return to defend his title as he moved up to the 2023 British Superbike Championship. The season was marred by the sudden death of rider Damon Rees following a short illness.