William Dunlop has committed to a full season in the British 125GP Championship this year after securing a late sponsorship deal to fund his title challenge.

The 26-year-old will ride a Honda supplied by Mark Keen after linking up with David Wishart of car engine tuning and mapping specialists Torquetronix in Kells, Co Antrim.

Dunlop faces a hectic weekend over Easter when he will take his place on the grid for the Irish Superbike meeting at Bishopscourt in Co Down before travelling to Brands Hatch on Easter Sunday to qualify for the opening round of the 125GP class at the Kent circuit.

Dunlop - who remains in Wilson Craig’s Honda team for the international road races in 2012 - told News Letter Sport: “It didn’t look as though I’d be able to ride in the British championship because I didn’t have the funds, but then I managed to get a deal tied up with David Wishart at Torquetronix which means I can do the full season.

“I want to thank David because otherwise it wouldn’t have been possible and now that I have him on board it means that I’ll be able to do a few more of the national road races as well.

“The British rounds don’t clash with too many of the wee road races so I’ll be able to do whatever nationals I want.

“I can afford to ride at the likes of Cookstown now and that will be a possibility for us next month.”


Last year, Dunlop expressed a desire to call time on his exploits in the 250cc class on the roads but - perhaps unsurprisingly given his love for two-stroke machines - he’s had a change of heart.

“I hadn’t planned to ride the 250 Honda this year and I said last year that I was going to knock it on the head, but Michael’s bike is sitting there so I might as well ride it,” he added.

“I always intended to ride James Delaney’s 125 Honda on the roads this year anyway so I’ll take both bikes and now that I have a new sponsor I should be able to ride Wilson Craig’s bikes at a few more of the nationals as well.”

Twice a runner-up in the Supersport races at the Ulster Grand Prix last year, Dunlop will honour his commitments at the Enkalon Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt on Good Friday and Easter Saturday (April 6-7) before travelling to Brands Hatch.

“I reached a compromise with Wilson because I had already said I’d ride his bikes at Bishopscourt, but I don’t want to miss the first round of the British championship because you’re on the back foot after that,” he said.

“I’ll go to Bishopscourt and then head to Brands for qualifying on the Sunday.

“Mark Keen has built me a good bike and I’m going there to try and win the title.

“People say I should concentrate on the big bikes but the way I look at it, it never did Rab (Robert) or Joey any harm.

“It would be nice to win it because my dad won the British title before and it’s also a great chance to ride a bike like this, because I’ll never have another 125 like it.”


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