Michael Laverty: Former MotoGP rider sets up Moto3 team to help British riders

Laverty won the Sunflower Trophy, the premier race in Northern Ireland short circuit racing, a record six times

Former MotoGP rider Michael Laverty is setting up a Moto3 team to help young British riders progress in the sport.

Moto3 is two tiers below the main MotoGP racing category.

"For some time it has become difficult for British youngsters to make it, without a homegrown team competing at the top level," said Laverty.

"Far too often young British riders have been overlooked because of a lack of sponsorship or financial support."

There are no British riders on the MotoGP grid for this weekend's San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, although Jake Dixon and Sam Lowes are in Moto2 and John McPhee in Moto3.

Cal Crutchlow, who won a MotoGP race in 2016 to become the first Briton to win an elite class race since the late Barry Sheene in 1981, retired from full-time racing at the end of last year.

"We know there is a lot of talent out there just waiting for an opportunity," said 40-year-old Laverty.

"We believe that with the Vision Track Honda team we can offer them a more supportive route into Grand Prix racing."

Laverty finished fourth in the British Superbike series three times and he also competed in MotoGP, World Supersport and latterly World Endurance.

Speaking to BT Sport, he added: "At the end of the season I'll purchase all the [SRT Moto3] material, all the bikes, all the equipment, the flight cases, the garage. I'll try and keep on as many of the staff as I can.

"There's a lot of British staff in there that were going to be out of work, so it would be good if we can keep them on board."

• Can Alex escape his family's criminal past? McMafia is streaming now on BBC iPlayer
• Concussions and rugby: What is the long-term impact of taking so many hits?