British Talent Cup, Jerez Test: Casey O’Gorman starts 2020 on top

Two days of testing for the British Talent Cup have now concluded at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, and there’s very definitely one man in charge of the timesheets as we head towards the season proper: Casey O’Gorman (Microlise Cresswell Racing). The number 72 was nearly one and a half seconds clear on the combined timesheets, with his closest competition coming from Evan Belford (Fab Racing) in second and Charlie Farrer (Victoria House Academy/Mortimer Racing) in third as the laptimes tightened up.

The weather allowed the field to get both dry and wet running, with overnight rain leaving the track damp during each morning – something that, given the British weather once the BTC return to home shores soon to race, may well prove key. The riders therefore made the most of all the available track time, and although it’s O’Gorman who comes out on top by a margin, it was tightening up through the test – with many not having prior experience on a Moto3™ machine.

Behind the top three came Max Cook, the Junior Talent Team rider there by invitation, as he ended the test a tenth off Farrer. Corey Tinker (GR Motosport Brent Gladwin) was next up and completed the top five, just half a tenth in further arrears, ahead of Harvey Claridge (Nova/SP125 Racing) and Eddie O’Shea (Davies Motorsport).

Bailey Stuart-Campbell (151S S-C Racing), Franco Bourne (Franco Bourne Racing/SP125) and Ryan Hitchcock (Rdh Racing) completed the top ten.

Alex Baldolini, Dorna Rider Coach: “The test was very useful for the riders, for some of them it was their first time on a Moto3 machine. Both days in the morning the track was wet after rain during the night, so riders also had the chance to test with wets. I think that will be very useful in the future. Luckily, the weather improved on both days and riders were able to ride in the dry.

“I’m very happy with the test, all the riders improved their laptimes throughout the two days and the gap between the fastest an the rest of the group has been reducing session by session, which is a big positive from my point of view.”

The British Talent Cup go racing for the first time in 2020 from the 10th to the 12th of April.