British teenagers excel in MotoGP academy team.

Chaz Davies and James Ellison may be the only British riders who will complete the full 2005 Motorcycle Grand Prix season - following the enforced departure of Shane Byrne - but four rising stars of British motorcycle racing enjoyed positive results when they raced in last Sunday's round of the highly competitive Spanish 125cc Championship at Jerez.

Kev Coghlan and James Westmoreland were making their debuts into the Dorna MotoGP Academy Team, joining established team members Bradley Smith and Daniel Webb, and they made good use of the experience to underline their skills.

The Academy Team is designed to foster the careers of upcoming young riders and, developing their talent and easing them towards World Championship action - with racing in the Spanish series, a recognised hot-bed of talent and a vital stepping stone on the career path, considered an essential proving ground.

Coghlan and Westmoreland were both given the 'one-off' opportunity to reward them for their outstanding performances in the British 125cc Championship in which they have both enjoyed race victories.

Coghlan qualified seventh on his first outing at the Spanish grand prix circuit, and then took an excellent fourth place - the highest position that a British rider has achieved this season.

It might easily have been a podium finish for him, as he was running third on the penultimate lap, but his Academy team-mate Efren Vazquez took him with the flag in sight.

"I really enjoyed the experience with the Academy," smiled Coghlan. "I was up to third but when my team-mate went past me on the last lap I decided not to push too hard in my first race here and settled for fourth."

Bradley Smith was just adrift of him, finishing fifth, while Daniel Webb came in eighth. Westmoreland, 17-years-old from Hull, came in fourteenth.

"We are delighted with the performances of these four riders against very strong competition and see great promise for the future," explained a Dorna spokesman, who confirmed that there will be further opportunities for young British riders to compete in Spain as part of the ACU Academy Cup which runs in conjunction with the British 125cc Championship.