Bennetts British Superbike star Jake Dixon is actively seeking a Moto2 ride for the 2019 season and would like to make the move as reigning BSB Champion.
The Kent-born rider, who is sitting second in the BSB points table, made his Moto2 debut as a stand-in at Silverstone last year and was immediately noticed by high-level paddock insiders. He was then offered a second go at the Valencia season finale.
Moto2 will move to a Triumph triple engine next season, which Dixon believes gives him a small advantage.
“The good thing is I rode the new Triumph engine last year in testing, in a stock chassis, and the advantage I will have is it’s a level playing field and you have to ride it like a Superbike, so this is the best time to get into it,” said Dixon, speaking to bikesportnews.com this afternoon.
“Last year, when I did the wildcards, I was jumping back and forward from a Superbike to a stock 600 with no power which was completely opposite with different tyres. The Pirellis are a lot softer than the Dunlops, and I had all these things I had to try to understand. It was impossible.
“You can’t just jump into the championship for one or two rounds and expect to be at the front. I know given time and testing that if I get the opportunity I can do a good job and possibly be in the top five.
“At the end of the day, they are human beings like the rest of us but they have an understanding of what their bike does. But going into next year, no-one had an understanding of what it does, so next year is perfect. A lot of riders are going to have to adjust their riding styles.
“I also want to go in there as British Superbike Champion. My main aim at the winning is to win that. I really badly want to win that not just for me but for Lee (Hardy, RAF Reserves Kawasaki team boss) as he gave me the chance to get into BSB, so it would be a big thanks to him.”
Personal manager Frankie Carchedi, who is an ex-BSB technician and has been confirmed at Joan Mir’s crew chief for 2019, believes Dixon is Britain’s best hope for a MotoGP contender in the near future.
“It is difficult for British riders to get a place in the Grand Prix paddock at the moment for whatever reason but Jake’s experience last year, and the way he communicated and learned from the team, made him a strong possibility for a ride in 2019,” Carchedi told bikepsortnews.com from the Red Bull Ring.
“We are actively seeking a Moto2 seat for Jake in 2019 and there has been significant interest but, as with all rides in the GP paddock, time is of the essence, so I will certainly be having more conversations at Spielberg this weekend.”
