Haslam, Walker to shine at Shell Advance?

The British pairing of Leon Haslem and Chris Walker were in optimistic mood after being given a 'dream ride' with the factory Shell Advance Honda team for 2001.

Haslam, just 17 and the son of former grand prix ace Ron Haslam, has agreed to join the ambitious expansion plans of Australian team boss Jeff Hardwick, and will make his dramatic entry to the elite level of motorcycle competition aboard the latest evolution model of Honda's 500 V-twin.

In Haslam, the team believe they have found a highly talented second-generation racer, eager to make the step up to 500cc racing after a disappointing 2000 season riding with the underpowered Italjet 125cc team. "It's great opportunity for me to be with such a good team early in my career," Haslam said..

Walker, who won a record nine out of 24 races in the 2000 British Superbike championship, has signed a two year deal to ride a factory Honda NSR500 V4 - supplied with the full support of the Honda Racing Corporation.

He described the opportunity as "the dream of a lifetime" adding that Australia's sideways-sliding GP winner Garry McCoy was part of his inspiration in making the move.

"Watching how Garry McCoy can make the bike move around on Michelins makes me a lot more confident," Walker said of his impending move to grand prix racing.

"That's the way I like the bike to be and if Garry can do it then so can I. Honda is the top bike in the world and I'm with one of the best teams in the paddock. I really appreciate Honda and Jeff Hardwick giving me this chance."

Walker now faces the challenge of switching from a 4-stroke production Superbike to the demands of a 2-stroke, 200 hp, Honda Grand Prix machine, plus a change to the Michelin tyre brand.

Walker and Haslam are part of a series of sweeping changes for Team Hardwick, which aims to become a championship winning force in 500cc racing after two years of campaigning the Shell Advance Honda 250 Team.

Hardwick's squad had earlier made its international debut in 1998 fielding production Honda 500 V-twins for Garry McCoy and Juan Borja.

"With Chris and Leon and the support of Honda we are aiming to become the top team in the paddock," Hardwick said.

"It may take a couple of years but that is our long term strategy. Chris Walker will have a lot to learn in the first season but he is talented and experienced with an aggressive style that should quickly make him a top grand prix rider and I'm sure our investment in the youth and raw talent of Leon Haslam will pay off in the future."

Hardwick has strengthened the technical and management structure of his team which will have a new look for the 2001 season.

"Shell have supported my passion for motorcycle racing from the word go but in 2001 we will be looking for more sponsors to assist with the increased expenses that come with the 500 GP class, and while Shell may or may not have the major naming rights, they will still be involved as a vital and valuable partner in our team," Hardwick said.

Supervising the technical performance will be chief mechanics Simon Bleasdale and Clyde Wolfenden, both highly regarded in grand prix racing.

A long serving HRC technician, Bleasdale will be responsible for Walker's two-bike stable of NSR500 V4 machines after many years with the Honda factory team where he most recently supervised the Repsol Honda bikes ridden by Tady Okada.

Wolfenden, who helped guide the early careers of a string of star Australian riders including Daryl Beattie, Troy Corser and Anthony Gobert, will be Haslam's chief mechanic. For the past two years Wolfenden has been a key member of the Shell Advance 250 Honda team working with Australian teenager Anthony West and Japanese ace Tohru Ukawa.

Already Haslam junior has impressed Team Hardwick with his speed and talent during test sessions aboard the Honda 500 V-twin at Snetterton and also in Spain - setting lap times faster than more experienced riders on the same bike.

"In Spain on the Honda twin Leon was almost three seconds faster than the times set on the same bike earlier in the year," Wolfenden confirmed.

"It was a wasted year for Leon on 125s this season but he will have the best Honda V-twin out there in 2001 and believe me he will give a lot of people a big surprise. He handles a big bike better than anyone I've seen at his age."

On the management side leading British businessman Phillip Jeans will take on the role of General Manager, thus relieving Jeff Hardwick of some of the administrative pressure involved in the team expansion.

"When a team gets to this stage it is a multi-million dollar business and needs the management skills similar to other large businesses," Hardwick said.

"Phillip is a successful businessman in his own right and will have a financial interest in the team. He is an ardent motorcycle enthusiast and presently has in his personal collection of bikes a couple of NSR500s, several 250 GP bikes and a NR750."

For 2001 Team Hardwick's workshop will be based at Torroella de Montgri north of Barcelona on the Spanish Costa Brava.