Toseland calls for more British racers
Added on Friday, August 1st, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
Toseland wants to see more Brits in WSB.
James Toseland believes that British riders need to start making a mark on the World Superbikes stage ahead of what he describes as a “critical point” for the series.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s British WSB event at Brands Hatch, current WSB Toseland believes that the lack of British riders in the championship is potentially damaging to the sport in this country.
Whilst British Superbike Championship riders Tom Sykes and Simon Andrew will all fly the home flag as wildcard entries this weekend, only Chris Walker is a regular name on the WSB grid having been signed up mid-season by the Vent Axia team.
That’s something that has to change according to Toseland, who claims that British talent is being overlooked by WSB teams at present.
“British fans deserve a British rider,” Toseland told BBC Sport.
“Carl Fogarty, Neil Hodgson and myself won seven WSB titles in 15 years, so to have no-one is disappointing.”
The Yorkshireman, who is himself the only British rider in the MotoGP class, rose to the world stage through BSB but in recent seasons, teams have seemed reluctant to gamble on inexperienced, domestic talent.
Instead, the 125cc MotoGP class appears to be attracting British riders with three British riders currently competing at that level.
“We’ve got talent capable of coming here and putting on a good show, but that talent is inexperienced,” he added.
“The benchmark is BSB champion Ryuchi Kiyonari. He’s really struggled at WSB level this season, and that’s bad for BSB guys who want to come up.
“He is capable of racing at the front, but he needs to do it well to give the others a chance, and to get the WSB teams to believe BSB guys can compete at this level.”
Along with Sykes and Andrew being handed wildcards for Brands Hatch, fellow BSB riders Cal Crutchlow and Leon Haslam will rider wildcards in the European event at Donington Park later in the year and Toseland feels that now is the perfect time for British riders to prove their worth with several high-profile names coming to the end of their careers.
“The show is built around the stars,” he said.
“In WSB, people like Bayliss, Noriyuki Haga, Carlos Checa and others are all verging on retirement, so this is a critical point for the series.
“They need to get youngsters in so people can recognise them, follow them and keep coming to races to see the show.”
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