More bikes, more riders and more events – it’s another packed season for the Phil Morris Racing team, writes Peter Hughes.
The Oswestry based team’s expanded fleet of MotoGP bikes will be exhibited at a host of events with demonstration duties in the hands of some of the sport’s top riders. New names have also been added to the roll of supported racers while additional sponsors have come on board to make it all possible.
The team now boasts no fewer than five MotoGP bikes, the entire fleet from Paul Bird Motorsport. Three of the bikes are PBM machines to full MotoGP prototype spec while the remaining two are Aprilia CRT machines. For good measure, the fleet also now includes the Speed Up Moto2 machine that Sam Lowes rode in 2014.
With riding duties being undertaken by a squad that includes John McGuinness, Steve Plater, Ian Hutchinson, Peter Hickman, Nick Jefferies and Lee Heeson, the bikes will be in action up and down the UK and beyond with demonstration events including the Parade of Racing Exotica at Tonfanau on 2 July, The Sixty Year Hailwood Commemoration at Castle Combe on 8 and 9 July, and Aberdare Park Road Races on 29 & 30 July. The bikes will also be on display at the Llan Bike Fest on August 5th/6th as well as at Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Among the racers being supported by Phil Morris Racing this year is Stefan Hill. The 19 year old from Coventry will be tackling the World Supersport series on board the Profile Racing Triumph Daytona 675.
Youngest of the PMR supported riders will be nine year old Jonas Brown who will be racing in the 85cc category of the Welsh Schoolboy MotoX Championship.
The PMR/Dulson Moto X team, managed by former Moto Xer Steve Dulson will feature as its riders Shaun Pearce and Zac Stanley while Welsh road acers Matt Rees and Alex Smith remain part of the PMR stable as does Steve Ferguson whose programme of races includes the Classic TT as well as classic short circuit racing on 350 and 500cc Honda.
None of this would be possible, of course, without sponsorship and a number of new names are added to the already lengthy list, among them Liqui Moly, the German lubricants and additives company who are already involved with MotoGP and Moto2 but will now support a British team for the first time.
Merseyside company TA-365 Ltd will also be supporting the team while Vital Equipment will be providing high spec Carless Fuels. Carless are one of the few companies able to supply the specification of fuel that these bikes need to run on.
Confirming their 2017 plans, team principal Phil Morris commented, “It’s great to hear so many people tell us how much they enjoy seeing the bikes but none of it would be possible without our sponsors and all the people who give up their time to help me make things happen. I have a nine strong team working with me including sponsorship director Derek Smith and I have to say a massive thank you to all of them.”