JUST a week after catching breath from the Cadwell Park round of the Motostar British Championship, Bromsgrove racer Jake Clark was off to Silverstone in Northamptonshire.
The 14-year-old had been invited to the British Talent Cup selection event, one of the lucky 90 to make it from the 200 applicants.
The British Talent Cup is a new Moto3 Championship that will start in 2018.
It is organised by Dorna Sports, the same people which run World Superbike and MotoGP, with the idea of finding and developing new young talent.
There is already a similar championship in Asia and this year one began in Europe.
On the first day the riders were placed in a large room where they waited patiently for their names to be read out in groups of eight.
They then went out to a separate room to be briefed by Alberto Puig, who was a big influence on the MotoGP careers of Dani Pedrosa and Casey Stoner.
The riders spent about 15 minuted being assessed on circuit before the next group went out.
After all the riders had been out, the numbers were cut from 90 to 70 before being assessed once again.
The group was then cut to 50 riders and then 33 for the final day, with Clark reaching the last stage.
At the end of the final day, the 33 riders were waiting to see if they were part of the 22 which would be selected for the new British Talent Cup.
Clark unfortunately did not make the initial 22 but was put up the reserves list with six other riders.
“I really enjoyed it. I was a bit nervous because I was in the first group out and I didn’t know what they were looking for,” Clark said.
“After each rotation of all the riders I was just waiting to hear my name called to go out again.
“There were a load of riders gone each time. I liked the pressure of it though.
“They wanted us to move to another level after the first session and I thought I have to push otherwise I’m going home.
“When they called out the 22 names I was a bit devastated having got so close, but then they read out the reserves and my name was on the list.
“I’m really excited for 2018.”
