By 8th, 7th in last August’s Lightweight MGP encounters, Daventry based Paul Wardell is next to take part in Road Racing News rising in popularity, Manx GP Top 6 series.
Overall three times a top ten Manx GP finisher, his answers to the Mountain Course themed set of questions are as follows:
Q1: When you first competed at the Manx, what was your first initial thought of the Mountain Course?
“I had ridden the course on holiday every year for 5 years previously. I used to recite every corner in my head when I had an idle 25 minutes.
When I finally got to the Manx and rode my first lap all I thought was how different everything looks when I can use both sides of the road!”
Q2: Most memorable Manx GP bike?
“That would be my Carby Suzuki SV 650 Mini twin. It was an old bike. Number 516 off the line, but it was my first race bike.
My friends at JHS tuned it up to 78 BHP for the Manx, which was good enough to get me into the top 10 in 2018. It was the best handling bike I’ve ever ridden. The Ginger Hall section was no problem at all on that bike.”
Q3: Most treasured memory from the Manx?
“Working on my bike in the awning at the Grandstand paddock while my mate Farmer Rob cooked up a stunning full English while my ex girlfriend lock wired my calipers on a beautiful sunny morning during practice week.”
Q4: Is there one specific Manx GP competitor that you look up to?
“No, but I do count some of them as good friends and people I really really want to beat.”
Photo by Nick Wheeler
Q5: Describe the Manx GP in one word?
“Crackers!”
Q6: Finally, if you could race one machine from any series, championship around the Mountain Course, what would it be?
“Nigel Verity’s 1000cc BMW Boxer twin TT bike. Until I met Nigel I didn’t know the Isle of Man existed. His bike was unlike anything else I’d seen before and introduced me to focused race engineering.”
Words by Stevie Rial
