Perth’s Rory Skinner will be on the Moto2 World Championship grid next season after landing a dream move to motorcycling’s Grand Prix support class.
The two-year deal with American Racing Team takes the Tayside 21-year-old a step closer to his ambition of becoming a MotoGP rider.
2018 British Talent Cup victor Skinner was also British Supersport’s youngest ever champion.
In a nation renowned for producing motorsport legends, he’s the latest shining prospect on two wheels.
And the Moto2 deal is a major boost for the young star whose superb British Superbike Championship season ended in a horror crash in September.
Shone in wildcard outings
Former Perth High pupil Skinner has penned a two-year deal with the California-based outfit.
He made two wildcard Moto2 World Championship appearances with American Racing Team at Silverstone and Austria’s Red Bull Rin this season.
“Racing in the Grand Prix paddock is every rider’s dream, and opportunities like these don’t come along often,” said Skinner.
“American Racing feels like the perfect team to make my full-time Moto2 debut with.
“I am under no illusions as to just how competitive Moto2 is.
“I will be doing everything I can to repay the faith they’ve shown in me, and I also want to thank all the people who have supported me in the past four seasons in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship paddock.
“I am very lucky to have worked with some amazing people who have helped me develop as both a person and a rider in what is a high-level championship.”
GP paddock showcase
American Racing Team director John Hopkins said: “We’re really excited to be bringing Rory on board.
“He is an exceptional talent, which we’ve known from the beginning of working with him.
“It’s very difficult these days to get people to see the talent of riders outside of the Grand Prix paddock, which is the main reason for the wildcards he did with the team earlier this year.
“He showed how exceptional he is with his speed having never been on the Moto2 bike before.
“We know it’ll be a difficult start but we’re all up for the challenge.
“Rory’s mental approach is what proves to me that he will be competitive and with that, we’ll be ensuring that he has every tool to be able to carry that through.”
Impressed in BSB
The young ace was in set to battle out BSB’s championship showdown finale at Brands Hatch on his Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing Kawasaki.
*Thread*… We’re proud to confirm that @RorySkinnRacing has signed a two-year deal to compete in the Moto2 Championship with the @AmericanMoto2 in 2023.
Although we are extremely sad to lose Rory from FS3, we are also delighted that one of our main team initiatives… pic.twitter.com/7zgH6R98ik— Cheshire Mouldings FS-3 Racing (@FS3racing) October 14, 2022
But he suffered multiple fractures in his hand after being thrown onto the rear wheel of a rival’s bike in a high-speed crash.
His Moto2 campaign is scheduled to get underway at Portugal’s Portimao circuit in March.
A provisional 21-race calendar will take Skinner around the globe to circuits including Australia’s Philip Island, Circuit of the Americas, Motegi in Japan and the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
