Laverty to run British Talent Team in JuniorGP, ETC

Michael Laverty will collaborate with Dorna to will run a new ‘British Talent Team’ in next year’s FIM JuniorGP World Championship.

Peter McLaren

04 Dec 2023

Michael Laverty and Dorna launch British Talent Team for JuniorGP and ETC

Former racer Laverty, who already fields a Moto3 Grand Prix team for Scott Ogden and Josh Whatley as well as British and European Talent Cup teams, will now occupy another rung on the ladder in JuniorGP (formerly known as CEV).

Laverty will run established JuniorGP podium finisher Eddie O’Shea, who moves from the Junior Talent Team structure to the new, standalone ‘British Talent Team’, plus reigning British Talent Cup Champion Evan Belford.

While JuniorGP is the established stepping stone to a career in Moto3 Grand Prix, a Laverty-run British Talent Team will also race in the European Talent Cup. One place will be held for 2022 BTC Champion Johnny Garness, as his recovery continues, with 2023 BTC frontrunner Amanuel Brinton as his team-mate.

"It is a proud moment for us to become ’The British Talent Team’, the title encompasses our ethos,” Michael Laverty said. “The ultimate ambition for our team is to promote talent from the UK and Ireland into the premier MotoGP class, we have now created a clear pathway, having four British Talent cup graduates with us on the next steps of the ladder in both the European Talent Cup and JuniorGP for 2024.

“The plan is to develop our riders to graduate into our Moto3 Grand Prix team in the future; competing against the best young riders in the world is the best preparation; I feel we are laying the correct foundations for the future of British racing at the very top level of the sport.

“I want to thank Dorna for their support in this collaboration, and I welcome Eddie O'Shea, Evan Belford and Amanuel Brinton into our team, alongside the returning Johnny Garness following his injuries."

“We’re really happy to announce this new collaboration with MLav Racing,” said Ana Ezpeleta, Talent Promotion Director, Dorna Sports. “We’ve worked together in a few different ways for a while, but to formalise and finally announce this whole new project makes us really proud.

“The British Isles is an important part of both motorcycle racing’s past and future, and we’re really happy to invest in that future by creating these new opportunities on the Road to MotoGP.”