Barnsley's Wilson Racing confirm three-rider line-up for Hel Performance Motostar British Championship

Wilson Racing, a Moto3 team set up by Gary Wilson from Barnsley, are about to embark on their second year in the Hel Performance Motostar British Championship standard class. The Moto3 series is a support class to the British Superbike Championship, and for 2017 Wilson Racing will field an expanded three rider team to take on the best race circuits in Britain.

The team’s rookie from last year, Goole’s 13-year-old Charlie Atkins, has signed up again to ride for Wilson Racing. He finished eighth overall with two podium finishes plus a superb race victory at Assen. Atkins improved significantly as the season went on and his familiarity grew with the Moto3 machinery. Charlie Atkins has previously won two Minimoto championships.

The team has two new riders joining them for the new season.

14-year-old Max Cook is a former Aprilia Superteen championship winner. In 2015 Cook from Swindon won the 125cc title with 12 races remaining and smashed numerous lap records during the season. Last year he raced in the Motostar GP class finishing ninth overall scoring points in 19 of the 22 rounds. Max Cook was invited to attend the Red Bull Rookies selection event this year in Spain, but an unfortunate accident at the end of the season forced his withdrawal.

The other rider to join Wilson Racing this year is Tom Alexander. The 13-year-old from Barnstaple in Devon rode in the Moriwaki Cup last season. This was a European-wide championship, taking in tracks in Portugal, the Czech Republic and Spain. Whilst a lot of the UK tracks will be new to him he has already ridden at Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Snetterton. Unfortunately, his 2016 season came to an early end when another rider collided with him, resulting in a broken leg. Now recovered Tom Alexander is on an intensive programme to be fit for the new season.

Gary Wilson said, “I am delighted that Atkins has returned to race with us again in 2017, after he really made good progress in his first year on a Moto3. We’ve also brought in Max Cook, who proved in the GP class last year he is a consistent finisher and only a year before that he won the Aprilia Superteen title. Also, I am pleased that another talented youngster, Tom Alexander has joined us for the season. He knows some of the UK circuits already. It’s going to be an exciting year.”