Dorna explains British Talent Team reshuffle

Alberto Puig has shed light on Dorna’s decision to withdraw the recently formed British Talent Team from the Moto3 world championship for 2018, believing the jump from British Talent Cup to the world championship to be too great.

A recent announcement confirmed the British Talent Team will move down to the FIM Junior World Championship next year, with British Motostar champion Tom Booth Amos as its rider. Dorna will also lend support to Charlie Nesbitt, who will stay in the Monlau Estrella Galicia team for a second year.

Meanwhile current rider John McPhee will move to the French CIP team to contest his sixth full season in the Moto3 class aboard KTM machinery. As Dorna’s talent scout Puig explained, “we prefer to spread out support,” rather than focus it on one series.

Puig also revealed Dorna may revive the British Talent Team’s presence in the Moto3 world championship if a suitable array of talent progresses through the Talent Cup and Junior World Championship in future years.

“For next season we understand that to take the best of the British Talent Cup, the step to come to Moto3 is quite big,” Puig said at Sepang. “We prefer to concentrate our efforts and our resources in the FIM Junior World Championship and to spread the support in this championship.

“That’s the reason why we decide to stop this British Talent Team for now because we can support, in this case, McPhee in a good team, a competitive team for next year. We can also take care of the younger level that will come from England.

“We will keep on supporting Charlie Nesbitt for one more year because we believe one year is not enough to see his potential. And we will start to support Tom Booth-Amos through the Dorna association, who did the wildcard at Silverstone.

“We will run Tom from a Dorna point of view, like we are doing with the Asia Talent Team. And Charlie will continue in his current team, which is a really good team – it’s [Emilio] Alzamora’s [Marc Marquez’s manager and team boss of the Estrella Galicia Moto3 squad] team so the level is good.”

“So mainly this is the ‘why’ of all this action. It was not so easy. We took time to decide but finally we thought it was the best solution for everybody. We took much care trying to fix John, because it’s quite late. We understand that. But finally it’s fixed and sorted. In case we didn’t have any space for him then the story would be different but we could find a good agreement.

“We are also happy to investigate Booth Amos. He did quite a good appearance at Silverstone so now we have two guys in the FIM Jr World Championship, we have John and for 2019 we will start to make the process.

“If in the future we believe that many people is really coming from the British Talent Cup, and we believe that there is a real need for a specific team for British riders, then I think Dorna will try to activate again the team.”

On why Dorna have only recently understood the step between a national selection series and world championship is too great, Puig commented, “Well, we decided like this and it was like this. Sometimes you take decisions but I think it’s good to modify your plan if needed. Guys don’t modify and then they go to the wall. We adjusted. It’s better to go back.”

And while not confirmed, Puig believes the British Talent Team in the FIM Junior World Championship could be the destination of the winners of the British Talent Cup in seasons to come.

“Nothing is guaranteed in life. Sure, this should be the place. Guaranteed? There is nothing. If we step down a little bit. I mean, you have the British Talent Cup. Then the World Jr Championship.

“From here [BTC] to here [Moto3 world championship] you need to find someone that’s crazy talented, that doesn’t need this step. This is difficult to find. Not just in England. Anywhere. So that’s why, if there’s some good potential there [BTC], the next station is this [FIM Jr WC].”