McGuinness to ride RAF Reserves Honda at Macau
Team boss sees it fitting that a good friend of Simon Andrews takes the Honda to Macau
TWENTY-ONE time Isle of Man TT winner John McGuinness has signed with the RAF Reserves Honda Team for the Macau Grand Prix in China.
Having track experience as well as being a close friend with Simon Andrews, who sadly died earlier this year after a crash at the North West 200, team boss Lee Hardy agreed it would be fitting for McGuinness to ride for the team as they would have loved to have raced there with Andrews.
Hardy, RAF Reserves Honda team boss, said: 'It was quite fitting really I always wanted to do the race with Simon Andrews and John was a great friend to Simon, it will be an amazing opportunity for the team and we are looking forward to the challenge.
'We know we have not got the strongest bike on the grid and we have not had the budget to prepare a special engine for the event ether, John will be riding our latest spec BSB engine but as we all know the Honda has a great chassis and inspires confidence which I’m sure John will make full use of.'
McGuinness first raced the Macau Grand Prix back in 1998 finishing third and returned each year eventually winning in 2001 on-board a Honda CBR954RR.
The Morecambe man said: 'I can remember the first ever time I rode at Macau, I walked into the garage and my mechanic was there warming the bike up. It sounded such an animal peaking into the power band and I thought oh my God how am I going to ride that round this place, and I did and finished third. Mega.'
Lee Hardy Racing has managed to secure Pro Bolt as title sponsor for the event, which takes place in November.
