Surtees & Taylor join forces in Maxtra project
(10 May 2008)
A new MotoGP 125cc project has been officially unveiled. The Maxtra Racing Project hosted a packed press conference at the Shanghai International circuit on the eve of the Chinese MotoGP round, with John Surtees as team patron for the newly formed team. Surtees teams up with former Suzuki grand prix team manager Garry Taylor. Former Aprilia engineer Jan Witteveen will be in charge of engine development and British company Harris Performance will manufacture the chassis. The project hopes to start racing next year.
Bikes will be supplied by Chinese manufacturer Haojue, who admits that its long-term ambition is to move up to MotoGP. However, in its statement, the company insisted it was in no rush to move up the classes.
"We have to start from the bottom and climb from there," said the company spokesman. "We will learn and improve. Also, the 125cc class is the most stable and often the most exciting grand prix class. We did also look at the 250 class but there is a great deal of uncertainty as to its future, so we decided it would not be wise to proceed at the current time. We also think that the 125 class offers the best pure racing challenge. Our priority is to succeed in the 125 class, with a three-year programme. When we are confident, when we feel ready and when conditions are right, we will certainly consider moving up to the [MotoGP] class."
Maxtra plans to make its grand prix debut next season and aims to attract the services of proven riders from within the existing world championship. In the meantime, Haojue aims to expand from China into the world market and the Maxtra structure is intended to give global exposure via Grand Prix racing.
Taylor said, "We were looking for a company in China that wanted to promote itself internationally through racing and we want to take advantage of the short-circuit we can offer with shared technology," before adding that 2009 will be seen as a learning year for the team.
Track testing is expected to commence in the UK very soon but rider selection is still under discussion. An experienced rider will be used to carry out initial testing and development on the bike, though Taylor refused to reveal any names. He insisted there was no stipulation to have a Chinese rider.
Asked why, at 74, Surtees had decided to get involved in the project, he said: "Once a racer, always a racer. Your first love is always rather special, particularly related to me and my motorcycling career. What is very important is that this is a major co-operation where Hajoue are obviously looking to go along and not only project themselves to the world at large in potential new markets but also technology. This is part of the reason and the program for which they have embarked."
A three-year contract is already signed, with the clear target to fight for the world title in the third season, according to Taylor.