Wayne Maxwell secures Moto2 ride at Phillip Island
Australian motorcycle racer Wayne Maxwell has secured a one off ride in the Moto2 class at Phillip Island with the Italian Matteoni Racing Team at the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix event weekend October 15 to 17, 2010.
The 27 year old Victorian racer will be aboard the Matteoni Moto2 machine that has a purpose built Moriwaki chassis and control Honda 600cc engine. This setup is much the same as the current series leader in Moto2, Toni Elias.
Said Maxwell of the deal; “When the team contacted me about this ride- it was incredibly fortunate. This year the MotoGP event is a non championship round for Australian Superbikes, so I was free to take up their offer. Not only that, the stars have aligned for me with Matteoni- I’m on a Honda, at Phillip Island, on my preferred tyres and the team really knows how to engineer a Moto2 bike.”
“I need to thank all those who put this deal together. Now I plan to go out there and show what I am capable of.”
Maxwell is the current Australian Superbike pole and race lap record holder, having posted an incredible time of 1:32.316 at the Phillip Island MotoGP support races in 2009. This race lap was faster than a quarter of the MotoGP field at the same event and was set aboard an Australian Superbike spec Honda CBR1000RR. Importantly it was achieved using the same Dunlop N-Tec tyres that all Moto2 bikes must use in 2010.
As well as the support of the Australian fans, Maxwell will also have the particular support of the Holden Racing Team (HRT) and Bundaberg Racing Team (BRR) V8 Supercars drivers with whom he trains. HRT V8 Supercar driver Will Davison will be in attendance in Wayne’s garage, helping him maintain focus for what may be the most important race of his career.
The opportunity to race with the Matteoni team on the Moriwaki MD60 was made possible thanks to the combined efforts of Matteoni Racing, Wayne Maxwell’s manager Dieter Kahsnitz and the major sponsors, Honda Australia, Milspec Services and Construct Concrete Services.
Shannon Johnson had been working towards scoring a Moto2 ride at Phillip Island but his entry was refused due to the Victorian recently turning 30. In Maxwell’s absence from the ASBK support race grid at the MotoGP event Shannon will step in to replace Wayne on the Demolition Plus GAS Racing Honda Fireblade. Shannon will be back aboard the KTM RC8R for the ASBK series finale later in the year.
The Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix is on at Phillip Island from October 15 to 17, 2010.
