MotoGP

50-Year-Old Jeremy McWilliams Will Wildcard at Silverstone on the Brough Superior Moto2 Race Bike

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Jeremy McWilliams is to make a return to Grand Prix racing at the ripe old age of 50. The Northern Irish racer is to ride the Brough Superior Carbon 2 Moto2 machine at Silverstone as a wildcard.

It will be McWilliams’ first Grand Prix since 2007, when he rode the ill-fated Ilmor, which was withdrawn after just one race due to a failure to raise sponsorship. Since then, McWilliams has been active in both the US and Ireland, racing in the XR1200 championship, which serves as a support race to the AMA, and racing on the roads in Northern Ireland.

Before leaving Grand Prix racing, McWilliams had a long career in both the 250cc and MotoGP classes. His most memorable rides were with the QUB TSR-Honda in 250s, aboard the Aprilia 500cc twin at the start of the century, and riding the Proton KR bike in MotoGP. McWilliams won the 250cc race at Assen in 2001 aboard the Aprilia.

The Brough Superior McWilliams is to ride has been discussed here before. The bike is a carbon monocoque frame and carbon fiber swingarm, and uses a wishbone front fork, not unlike the Telelever set up to be found on some BMW road bikes. The bike has been designed and built by Paul Taylor of TaylorMade Racing, and will be backed by British insurance firm Bennett’s.

The Brough Superior will be the second bike to feature an unconventional front suspension set up, the other being the Transfiormers bike being raced by Lucas Mahias in the Promoto Sport team.

That bike features a Hossack-style Fior front end, ironically the other style of front end used on BMW road bikes, but marketed as a Duolever.

Taylormade Development Photos of the Brough Superior Carbon 2:

Source: Bennetts

This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.

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