Moto2: Mackenzie out to make a point at Brit GP

There’s one racer for whom the British Grand Prix will being a very new experience in 2017, as Tarran Mackenzie lines up on the grid for his first ever home race in the top level of racing. But while it might be a new experience for the 21-year-old, he’s reliving family history by walking in the footsteps of father Niall – a man not short on British Grand Prix experience.

But while his dad may have had the best results of his career at his home race, it’s going to be a much tougher ask for the son some Sunday, as he continues to learn the difficult task of adapting from production to prototype machinery.

But despite that, he’s adamant that he can continue the positive trajectory he’s enjoyed since stepping into the Kiefer Racing squad as a mid-season replacement for former world champion Danny Kent – and maybe take the best result of his Grand Prix career to date on home soil.

“I always bugged Dad when I was younger about what it’s like to ride in your home Grand Prix, and obviously he had some good times at the British Grand Prix. He reckons you’ve always got a bit of extra confidence thanks to the buzz of it, and that when you go out of pit lane it feels special. Even just watching there, there’s always a great atmosphere, even for such a massive track, and I cannot wait!

“I’m just looking forward to going to a country and a track where I know too! My goal all this year has been to get within touching distance of a top twenty or maybe even points, and I hope that I can go there and be in with a chance. I know the place so well, because I’ve been so many times, and it’ll be nice to just go to somewhere familiar – like going to a BSB race again!”