Natural Born Racer

We track the career of Chiswick's superbiker Michael Hill

Voted ‘Best Newcomer’ in his first year of competition (1995) and achieving 43 top ten finishes, scooping the North East Supersport 125cc Championship, the title 'Natural Born Racer' is apt for Chiswick based Michael Hill.

The following year he went on to complete his first full season of British Championship competition and won the North East Supersport 125cc Championship for a second successive year.

In 1999 Michael competed in the National Aprilia RS125 Challenge. Again a regular front runner, he finished 12th overall in the series and a superb 2nd in the ‘Superteen’ category. His track talent coupled with his natural skills in PR resulted in NZT Racing (a German team) approaching Michael inviting him to contest several rounds of the German 125cc Championship for them.

Michael progressed to the MRO National 125cc Championship aboard a GP spec Honda in 2000 and went on to front his own TABOO Motorsport team in the National 125cc Championship in 2003. Easily qualifying for every event, he achieved a best result of 21st.

The 2005 British 125cc Championship saw Michael lapping considerably faster at every circuit visited and challenged regularly for British Championship points. He also contested a National race meeting finishing a superb 2nd in addition to being a regular visitor to the circuit commentary boxes fast becoming an established speaker in his own right so much so that he appeared as a guest on Channel 4’s coverage of the Brands Hatch World Superbike event as well as acting as a summariser at the British Motorcycle GP.

2006 saw Michael become a regular point scorer in the British 125cc Championship. Achieving a best position of 8th he finished in 23rd position in the overall standings and his TABOO Motorsport team became one of the most recognised 125cc teams within the British Championship paddock. In addition he continued to build his profile off track by working as a pit lane reporter at various European rounds of the World Superbike Championship and by playing a pivotal role in the annual ‘Day of Champions’ fundraising event held at the British GP in aid of the ‘Riders for Health’ charity. He was also invited to assist on stage at the ‘Day of Champions’ in Valencia, held at the final Moto GP event of the year.

Having received such encouraging support from many quarters throughout 2006, Michael’s profile has risen to a new level and he explains how he is now focused, determined and eagerly awaiting the start of the 2007 season which will see him launch his most serious attempt for success to date.

Racing once again in the British 125cc Championship (which runs alongside the British Superbike
Championship at prominent circuits throughout the UK and Ireland) Michael also hopes to contest several rounds of the highly competitive European and Spanish 125cc Championships if time and financial resources will allow. He is also hopeful that his current profile within the British Championship paddock will allow him to expand the team and if enough funding can be raised he would like to run an additional rider in either the 125cc or Supersport Championship in 2007 with a view to one day running a successful team within World Championship level competition.

Off track, he plans to continue to develop his PR / TV career and will once again commentate at the European rounds of the World Superbike Championship for superbike-news.com in addition to continuing to play a pivotal role in the annual ‘Day of Champions’ at the British round of the Moto GP series as well as at the season’s finale in Valencia.

February 8, 2007