Rory Skinner (born 27 September 2001)[1] is a British motorcycle racer from Perth, Scotland, competing in the 2024 British Superbike Championship with TAS Racing.[2] He is best known for winning the 2020 British Supersport Championship. Skinner had a broken 2024 season, suffering crash injuries in May and again in July.

Rory Skinner
Skinner at Donington Park on 6 October 2019
NationalityBritish
Born (2001-09-27) 27 September 2001 (age 23)
Perth, Scotland, United Kingdom
Current teamSynetiq TAS BMW
Bike number33
WebsiteOfficial website
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Moto2 World Championship
Active years2022
ManufacturersKalex
2022 championship position39th (0 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
18 0 0 0 0 2
British Superbike Championship
Active years20212022
ManufacturersKawasaki
Championships0
2022 championship position8th (1017 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
56 0 7 2 3 432
British Supersport Championship
Active years20192020
ManufacturersKawasaki, Yamaha
Championships1 (2020)
2020 championship position1st (270 pts)
Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points
36 10 12 6 6 447

Skinner was the inaugural champion of the British Talent Cup, a motorcycle racing series for young riders.[3] He is a former race winner in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup,[4] as well as the 2014 Dunlop Aprilia Superteens Champion and a multiple mini-moto champion.[5][6]

After the 2019 season in British Supersport on a Kawasaki, for 2020 he moved to Appleyard Yamaha racing.[7] Skinner dominated the 2020 British Supersport Championship, winning the first six races,[8] and was crowned champion after his eighth victory of the season.[9]

For 2021 and 2022, Skinner moved into the British Superbike Championship. He missed the last two 2022 rounds due to a hand injury sustained when he crashed into the back of another rider in late September.[10][11]

For 2023, Skinner was contracted to race in the Moto2 world championship with American Racing Team,[12] but had a disappointing season, only scoring points once in the 17 races he participated in that season. Skinner is managed by former MotoGP rider John Hopkins,[13] and has also worked as a motorcycle mechanic prior to his racing career.[14]

Career

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Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

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On 17 October 2014, the then 13-year-old Skinner was selected as the only British rider to compete in the 2015 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, following the selection event at the Guadix circuit in Spain.[15]

Skinner ended his debut season in the championship in 10th position, with his best results coming at the final round in Aragon, Spain. On the weekend of his 14th birthday, Skinner qualified on pole position and took third place in each of the two races. It was also confirmed that he would continue in the championship in 2016.[16]

Despite missing the first round of the 2016 championship through injury, Skinner moved up to sixth in the overall standings - scoring third place podium finishes at Assen and Aragon.[17]

The Scot took his first and only Rookies win in the opening race of the 2017 season at Jerez.[18] It was his only podium finish of the season and he slipped back to 12th in the final standings.

At the end of 2017 it was confirmed that he was leaving the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, having competed in the maximum three seasons allowed under the rules.[19]

FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship

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As well as competing in the Red Bull Rookies MotoGP Cup, Skinner raced in the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship for the KRP team, as part of the Racing Steps Foundation programme.[20]

Riding a KTM motorcycle, the Scot scored a best result of fifth and finished 13th in the 2017 FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship.[21]

British Talent Cup

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With his time in the Red Bull Rookies complete and Racing Steps Foundation closing its doors, Skinner found himself without a ride for 2018. He was handed a lifeline when Dorna offered him a place in the inaugural British Talent Cup, despite him not having officially applied to join the series.[22] Skinner was fastest in the pre-season test at the Valencia circuit in Spain,[23] and took his first win at the second round in Donington Park.[24]

On 17 November 2018 Skinner became the inaugural British Talent Cup champion at the Valencia circuit in Spain.[25]

British Supersport Championship

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For 2019, British Superbike Championship veteran Chris Walker provided Skinner with a Kawasaki ZX-6R for his privateer campaign.[14] In a team run by his father Mike, the 18-year-old finished the season seventh overall, making him the top ranked rookie and best placed Kawasaki rider. His best result was a third place at Donington Park.[26]

For 2020, Skinner was signed by former Grand Prix racer Robin Appleyard to ride a Yamaha R6, and he dominated the championship. He won the first six races in a row,[27] and secured the championship with two races to spare at Donington Park on 4 October 2020, becoming the series' youngest ever champion at 19 years and seven days old.[28]

British Superbike Championship

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On 28 November 2020 it was announced that Skinner would move up to the British Superbike Championship in 2021, riding for the FS-3 Kawasaki team.[29] In July, Skinner recorded his first podium finishes when twice finishing runner-up at Knockhill.

In 2022 season he was the third rider to qualify for the end of season 'Showdown' and, at 20 years old, the youngest Title Fighter in the championship's history.[30] He was unable to challenge for the title due to injuries and missed the last two rounds with a broken hand sustained when he crashed into the back of another rider at Oulton Park.[10][11]

Following Moto2 in 2023, for 2024 Skinner joined with TAS Racing having an unproductive, broken season, suffering crash injuries in May and again, more seriously, in July.[31][32][33][34]

Moto2 World Championship

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2022

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In 2022, Skinner had two wildcard rides in the Moto2 world championship, organised by John Hopkins with his American Racing team.[35]

American Racing Team (2023)

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In October 2022, Skinner signed to race in the Moto2 world championship for the American Racing team during 2023 and 2024.[12] In late 2023, his contract was terminated with Marcos Ramírez announced as replacement rider.[36][37]

Career statistics

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Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts
2015 JER1
17
JER2
17
ASS1
15
ASS2
14
SAC1
18
SAC2
11
BRN1
Ret
BRN2
14
SIL1
10
SIL2
4
MIS
16
ARA1
3
ARA2
3
10th 61
2016 JER1
JER2
ASS1
Ret
ASS2
3
SAC1
9
SAC2
7
RBR1
8
RBR2
9
BRN1
7
BRN2
4
MIS
6
ARA1
3
ARA2
8
6th 103
2017 JER1
1
JER2
Ret
ASS1
5
ASS2
9
SAC1
17
SAC2
15
BRN1
12
BRN2
Ret
RBR1
Ret
RBR2
9
MIS
13
ARA1
9
ARA2
7
12th 74

FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts
2015 FTR KTM ALG
LMS
CAT1
CAT2
ARA1
ARA2
ALB
NAV
Ret
JER1
15
JER2
12
VAL1
7
VAL2
5
19th 25
2016 FTR KTM VAL1
Ret
VAL2
Ret
LMS
ARA
28
CAT1
15
CAT2
DNS
ALB
19
ALG
Ret
JER1
Ret
JER2
DNS
VAL1
27
VAL2
9
28th 8
2017 KTM ALB
9
LMS
10
CAT1
15
CAT2
5
VAL1
Ret
VAL2
17
EST
JER1
18
JER1
5
ARA
16
VAL1
14
VAL2
13
13th 41

British Supersport Championship

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Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 R2
2019 Kawasaki SIL
9
SIL
EX
OUL
9
OUL
Ret
DON
5
DON
5
BRH
Ret
BRH
9
KNO
5
KNO
Ret
SNE
9
SNE
8
THR
7
THR
9
CAD
Ret
CAD
6
OUL
9
OUL
6
ASS
4
ASS
4
DON
16
DON
3
BRH
5
BRH
4
7th 177
2020 Yamaha DON
1
DON
1
SNE
1
SNE
1
SIL
1
SIL
1
OUL
2
OUL
1
DON
Ret
DON
1
BRH
1
BRH
1
1st 270**

** Season limited to 12 races because of COVID-19 pandemic.

British Superbike Championship

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pos Pts
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
2021 Kawasaki OUL
13
OUL
12
OUL
13
KNO
5
KNO
2
KNO
2
BRH
8
BRH
6
BRH
9
THR
14
THR
11
THR
Ret
DON
17
DON
14
DON
11
CAD
9
CAD
Ret
CAD
12
SNE
8
SNE
9
SNE
15
SIL
7
SIL
9
SIL
16
OUL
11
OUL
11
OUL
10
DON
10
DON
Ret
DON
12
BRH
Ret
BRH
Ret
BRH
7
13th 178
2022 Kawasaki SIL
4
SIL
3
SIL
4
OUL
2
OUL
5
OUL
4
DON
7
DON
8
DON
4
KNO
3
KNO
3
KNO
Ret
BRH
7
BRH
6
BRH
9
THR
7
THR
7
THR
9
CAD
2
CAD
5
CAD
5
SNE
DNS
SNE
11
SNE
DNS
OUL
8
OUL
DNS
OUL
DNS
DON DON DON BRH BRH BRH 8th 1017

Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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By season

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Season Class Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd
2022 Moto2 Kalex American Racing 2 0 0 0 0 0 39th
2023 Moto2 Kalex American Racing 16 0 0 0 0 2* 28th*
Total 18 0 0 0 0 2

By class

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Class Seasons 1st GP 1st Pod 1st Win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp
Moto2 2022–present 2022 Great Britain 18 0 0 0 0 2 0
Total 2022–present 18 0 0 0 0 2 0

Races by year

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Class Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pos Pts
2022 Moto2 Kalex QAT
INA
ARG
AME
POR
SPA
FRA
ITA
CAT
GER
NED
GBR
21
AUT
21
RSM
ARA
JPN
THA
AUS
MAL
VAL
39th 0
2023 Moto2 Kalex POR
22
ARG
Ret
AME
19
SPA
24
FRA
Ret
ITA
DNS
GER NED GBR
Ret
AUT
18
CAT
23
RSM
Ret
IND
20
JPN
25
INA
19
AUS
12
THA
20
MAL
20
QAT
24
VAL
21
28th 2

Half points awarded as less than half of the race distance (but at least three full laps) was completed.
* Season still in progress.

References

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  1. ^ Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies. "Rory Skinner | Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup". Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  2. ^ Rory Skinner returns for 2024 BSB from Moto2 with Cheshire Mouldings TAS BMW bikesportnews.com, 31 January 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024
  3. ^ "BRITISH TALENT CUP". BRITISH TALENT CUP. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  4. ^ "RBR: Rory Skinner takes career-first international win". Motorcycle News. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Perth racer clinches British Superteen Challenge Championship title - The Courier". The Courier. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Rory Skinner Red Bull Rookies 2015 | Superbike Magazine". www.superbike.co.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  7. ^ Skinner replaces BSB-bound Kennedy at Integro Yamaha crash.net, 15 November 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019
  8. ^ "Silverstone BSB: Skinner maintains 100 per cent Supersport win record". Bikesportnews. 6 September 2020.
  9. ^ BSB (4 October 2020). "SKINNER CROWNED CHAMPION WITH DOMINANT SUPERSPORT WIN". British Superbikes.
  10. ^ a b BSB: Rory Skinner sustains multiple hand fractures in Oulton Park crash Motorcycle News, 26 September 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022
  11. ^ a b 2022 British Superbike Brands Hatch - Qualifying Results. "Showdown riders reigning champion Tarran Mackenzie and the Moto2 bound Rory Skinner both remain absent through injury." crash.net, 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022
  12. ^ a b "MotoGP: Rory Skinner signs two-year Moto2 deal with American Racing". Motorcycle News. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Skinner's new boss". Archived from the original on 7 October 2021.
  14. ^ a b Perth motorcycle sensation Rory Skinner opens up on his stunning performances, the racing setbacks he’s faced and his fight to reach the top The Courier, 8 September 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020
  15. ^ "Scottish teen Rory Skinner selected for Red Bull Rookies | MCN". www.motorcyclenews.com. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Rory Skinner double podium at Aragon 2015 - Cilindrada.NET". Cilindrada.NET. 27 September 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  17. ^ "Rory Skinner 2016 round up - Cilindrada.NET". Cilindrada.NET. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  18. ^ Dargan, Amy. "Red Bull Rookies: Rory Skinner takes his first race win in Jerez". Bennetts UK. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  19. ^ Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies. "Blog Rory Skinner - My final ever Rookies Cup blog | Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup". Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  20. ^ "Scots Magazine". Scots Magazine. December 2015.
  21. ^ FIM CEV. "FIM CEV Repsol Moto3". FIM CEV Repsol.
  22. ^ "Skinner given lifeline in British Talent Cup". Motorcycle News. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  23. ^ "BTC: Skinner tops first test at Valencia". Motorcycle News. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Down to the final corner: Skinner strikes to take Race 1". BRITISH TALENT CUP. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  25. ^ "BTC: Skinner takes inaugural British Talent title". Motorcycle News. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  26. ^ "Perthshire Advertiser". Archived from the original on 23 July 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2021 – via PressReader.
  27. ^ Gallagher, Matthew (6 September 2020). "Rory Skinner enjoys "another mint weekend" as Perth racer shines at Silverstone". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  28. ^ Gallagher, Matthew (5 October 2020). "Perth's Rory Skinner crowned youngest ever British Supersport champion". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  29. ^ Advertiser, Perthshire (30 November 2020). "Perth's Rory Skinner joins FS-3 Racing Kawasaki for British Superbike debut". Daily Record. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  30. ^ "Figures of 8 | Brilliant Bradley Ray leads 2022 BSB Title Showdown contenders". visordown.com. 13 September 2022.
  31. ^ BSB Oulton Park: Rory Skinner transferred to hospital after warm-up crash crash.net, 6 May 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024
  32. ^ BSB: Rory Skinner withdraws from Donington Park race weekend Motorcycle News, 17 May 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024
  33. ^ Update on Rory Skinner who was hospitalised after British Superbikes crash crash.net, 9 July 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024
  34. ^ Snetterton BSB: Crash rules Skinner out of Saturday action bikesportnews.com, 11 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024
  35. ^ "Rory Skinner gets Moto2 wild-cards for Silverstone, Austria". crash.net. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  36. ^ American Racing sack Rory Skinner with a year left on his contract crash.net, 14 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023
  37. ^ Rory Skinner dismissal has 'not gone down well' - Michael Laverty crash.net, 17 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023
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