Cullybackey teen wins Talent Cup at British Grand Prix

CULLYBACKEY’S Peter Willis made headlines last weekend as he claimed his first-ever victory in the prestigious British Talent Cup, held in support of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

The 16-year-old racer showcased his talent with a strong performance across both races of Round 2, cementing his position as a challenger for the 2025 Championship.

Saturday’s Race 1 saw him start from 4th on the grid after a successful qualifying session. He quickly settled into the front group of seven riders and battled fiercely throughout the 10-lap race, leading at various stages. Heading into the final lap, Peter was in podium contention, but a nudge from another rider forced him wide, dropping him back to 7th. Undeterred, he fought back with determination and crossed the finish line in an impressive 5th place.

On Sunday morning, Race 2 began under rainy skies with lights out at 8:45 am.

Peter started from the front row in P3, based on his lap time from Race 1.

After another lightning-fast start, he slotted into 2nd place by Turn 1.

By lap 4, he took control of the race, moving into 1st and immediately began building a gap.

Setting the fastest laps consistently and capitalising on the tricky conditions, Willis extended his lead to 7 seconds by the final laps.

He crossed the line to secure his first British Talent Cup victory in dominant fashion.

This landmark win has moved him into 4th place in the Championship standings, now just 20 points off the leader as the series heads toward Round 3.

“I’m really happy to take my first win at the British Grand Prix. This year I’ve been feeling really comfortable on the bike,” he told Guardian Sport.

“We had a successful test in April, and Round 1 at Donington was also a strong weekend for me with a P6 and P7. Going into Silverstone, I felt confident that we had the package to fight for podiums. In Race 1, I really thought I had it, but that’s Moto3 racing. To come back and win Race 2 by 7 seconds was amazing, the team gave me a perfect bike in the wet and allowed me to run a faultless race from the start.”

The Ballymena Academy pupil said there are still a lot of races to go in the Championship.

“But we will enjoy this moment for a few days before focusing on Round 3 at Snetterton in June,” he concluded.