Four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty has swapped two wheels for four in a special racing challenge organised by Bikesure and Adrian Flux. At Bedford Autodrome, the Ducati legend took on racing driver Alex Brundle in three very different cars – and his competitive streak was soon on full display.
Four-time World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty has swapped two wheels for four in a special racing challenge, almost 30 years after winning his last world title.
The Superbike icon got behind the wheel of three different cars and attempted to beat racing driver and commentator Alex Brundle, his tutor for the day. Foggy showed his sublime talent, and ultra-competitive side, in a 25-minute YouTube video that saw him compete against the clock by doing one timed lap in each vehicle at PalmerSports’ Bedford Autodrome.
Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines.
The cheeky Blackburn hero, now a grandfather, cut chicanes and tried to lengthen Brundle’s lap times by manipulating the stopwatch – such was his desperation to win. But he soon showed his softer side after the challenge had been completed.
A smiling Fogarty said: “It’s funny, I did not want Alex to do well at all. By the end of it I was thinking ‘I want him to do quite well now’.
“It’s that competitiveness inside us both, it never leaves you – even as old as I am now. I’m still competitive and I want to beat someone who races around here for a living.
“The single seater, the one I say looks like a Formula 1 car, is the one I was least looking forward to. But I felt like I was on a race bike again. I loved it. Alex waved me through to do some more laps and I was smiling from ear to ear. It was great, it was amazing.”
Three cars, three timed laps
Fogarty clocked one minute and 41 seconds in the Caterham, 15 seconds slower than Brundle. He posted the same time in the Ginetta G56 GTA but closed the gap to his rival for the day by five seconds. Foggy’s best time of 1:32 came in the Formula 3000 single seater, a car that hits a top speed of 170mph. It was 12 seconds off Brundle.
It was an incredible performance from the Ducati icon, now aged 61, given there were no practice laps and he shot to global fame by racing on two wheels. His final world title came in 1999 before a serious shoulder injury ended his career just over six months later.
Alex Brundle praises Fogarty’s performance
Brundle said: “I moved from being really competitive to wanting him to do well in the F300. 1:32 is a good effort. The bloke’s first four metres in the car was from the pits to the start line and I lived here as a child. He was 12 seconds off, including a standing start. That’s impressive.
“It was a pleasure and an honour. When I said I was coming, my old man (Martin) said to me: ‘You need to know how much of a legend Carl Fogarty is’. He knew I probably hadn’t watched quite as much of his racing as he has. It was an honour.”
The challenge was organised by Bikesure, which Fogarty has been a long-term brand ambassador for, and its parent company, fellow specialist motor insurance broker Adrian Flux.
