Scott Redding backed to cope with title pressure

The pressure of trying to become the first British rider in over 35 years to capture a Grand Prix world title will not overwhelm ice cool Scott Redding.

The Marc VDS Racing rider is 20-points clear in the Moto2 title hunt with just four races remaining as he seeks to become Britain’s first Grand Prix world champion since late legend Barry Sheene in 1977.

Redding’s crew chief Pete Benson says he isn’t worried the 20-year-old won’t stay calm and collected under severe pressure and he told MCN: “He is so level headed now and while he does go away and thinks about the championship he understands that every race is worth 25-points and if you can’t win you go for the best points you can get.

There’s been a couple of times this year where we’ve had an average result but it is better than falling off and doing something silly. We have got a lead but it is not even close to winning the championship. You only ever need one mishap and the lead is almost down to nothing. There is still a long way to go and he knows that and I don’t think he is going to get freaked out about it all.”

Many think Redding’s intriguing title fight with Spaniard Pol Espargaro will go down to a nerve shredding final race decider in Valencia in November and nobody is more aware of the pressure and stress that could bring than Benson.

The New Zealander was Nicky Hayden’s Repsol Honda crew chief in 2006 when the American won the MotoGP crown in a winner takes all final race decider against Valentino Rossi.

Benson added: “That was a prime example of it not being over right until the end. We went into the summer break with a big points lead and everybody was just saying all we had to do was finish. That was rubbish because Valentino came back really strong and we stopped finishing on the podium for a while and all of a sudden you’ve got to beat Valentino at the last race. It is pretty nerve wracking and extremely stressful and I hope it doesn’t happen again to be honest.”