Rory Skinner (born 27 September 2001) is a British motorcycle racer from Perth, Scotland, competing in the 2024 British Superbike Championship with TAS Racing.Rory Skinner returns for 2024 BSB from Moto2 with Cheshire Mouldings TAS BMW bikesportnews.com, 31 January 2024. Retrieved 8 March 2024 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.
Skinner was the inaugural champion of the British Talent Cup, a motorcycle racing series for young riders. He is a former race winner in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, as well as the 2014 Dunlop Aprilia Superteens Champion and a multiple mini-moto champion.
After the 2019 season in British Supersport on a Kawasaki, for 2020, Skinner moved to Appleyard Yamaha racing.Skinner replaces BSB-bound Kennedy at Integro Yamaha crash.net, 15 November 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019 Skinner dominated the 2020 British Supersport Championship, winning the first six races, and was crowned champion after his eighth victory of the season.
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.BSB: Rory Skinner sustains multiple hand fractures in Oulton Park crash Motorcycle News, 26 September 2022. Retrieved 15 October 20222022 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
For 2023, Skinner was contracted to race in the Moto2 world championship with American Racing Team, 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, and has also worked as a motorcycle mechanic prior to his racing career.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
Career Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 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.
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.
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.
Skinner took his first and only Rookies win in the opening race of the 2017 season at Jerez. 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 Skinner was leaving the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, having competed in the maximum three seasons allowed under the rules.
FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship 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.
Riding a KTM motorcycle, Skinner scored a best result of fifth and finished 13th in the 2017 FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship.
British Talent Cup 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. Skinner was fastest in the pre-season test at the Valencia circuit in Spain, and took his first win at the second round in Donington Park.
On 17 November 2018 Skinner became the inaugural British Talent Cup champion at the Valencia circuit in Spain.
British Supersport Championship
For 2019, British Superbike Championship veteran Chris Walker provided Skinner with a Kawasaki ZX-6R for his privateer campaign. 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.
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, 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.
British Superbike Championship
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. In July, Skinner recorded his first podium finishes when twice finishing runner-up at Knockhill.
In 2022 season, Skinner 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. 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.
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.BSB Oulton Park: Rory Skinner transferred to hospital after warm-up crash crash.net, 6 May 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024BSB: Rory Skinner withdraws from Donington Park race weekend Motorcycle News, 17 May 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024Update on Rory Skinner who was hospitalised after British Superbikes crash crash.net, 9 July 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024Snetterton BSB: Crash rules Skinner out of Saturday action bikesportnews.com, 11 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024 Despite this, he took his first win in BSB, at Knockhill in June https://www.crash.net/bsb/results/1050744/1/2024-british-superbikes-knockhill-race-results-2 and for 2025 he signed to remain with TAS Racing, but switching from BMW to Ducati.https://bikesportnews.com/british-superbikes/rory-skinner-re-signs-with-tas-racing-for-2025-as-the-team-switches-to-ducati/
Moto2 World Championship
2022 In 2022, Skinner had two wildcard rides in the Moto2 world championship, organised by John Hopkins with his American Racing team.
American Racing Team (2023) In October 2022, Skinner signed to race in the Moto2 world championship for the American Racing team during 2023 and 2024. In late 2023, his contract was terminated with Marcos Ramírez announced as replacement rider.American Racing sack Rory Skinner with a year left on his contract crash.net, 14 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023Rory Skinner dismissal has 'not gone down well' - Michael Laverty crash.net, 17 November 2023. Retrieved 18 November 2023
Career statistics
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Races by year (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 JER2 ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 BRN1 BRN2 SIL1 SIL2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 10th 61 2016 JER1 JER2 ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 RBR1 RBR2 BRN1 BRN2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 6th 103 2017 JER1 JER2 ASS1 ASS2 SAC1 SAC2 BRN1 BRN2 RBR1 RBR2 MIS ARA1 ARA2 12th 74
FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship
Races by year (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 JER1 JER2 VAL1 VAL2 19th 25 2016 FTR KTM VAL1 VAL2 LMS ARA CAT1 CAT2 ALB ALG JER1 JER2 VAL1 VAL2 28th 8 2017 KTM ALB LMS CAT1 CAT2 VAL1 VAL2 EST JER1 JER1 ARA VAL1 VAL2 13th 41
British Supersport Championship
Races by year (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 R22019Kawasaki SIL9SILEXOUL9OULRetDON5DON5BRHRetBRH9KNO5KNORetSNE9SNE8THR7THR9CADRetCAD6OUL9OUL6ASS4ASS4DON16DON3BRH5BRH4 7th 1772020Yamaha DON1DON1SNE1SNE1SIL1SIL1OUL2OUL1DONRetDON1BRH1BRH1 1st 270** ** Season limited to 12 races because of COVID-19 pandemic.
British Superbike Championship (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 R3R4 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 2021 Kawasaki OUL13 OUL12 OUL13 KNO5KNO2 KNO2 BRH8 BRH6 BRH9 THR14 THR11 THRRetDON17 DON14 DON11 CAD9 CADRet CAD12 SNE8 SNE9 SNE15 SIL7 SIL9 SIL16 OUL11 OUL11 OUL10 DON10 DONRet DON12 BRHRet BRHRet BRH7 13th 178 2022 Kawasaki SIL4 SIL3 SIL4 OUL2 OUL5 OUL4DON7DON8DON4 KNO3 KNO3 KNORet BRH7 BRH6 BRH9 THR7 THR7 THR9 CAD2 CAD5 CAD5 SNEDNS SNE11 SNEDNS OUL8 OULDNS OULDNS DON DON DON BRH BRH BRH 8th 1017 2024 BMW NAV5 NAVRet OUL8 OULDNS OULDNS DONWD DONWD DONWD KNO2 KNO1 KNO4 SNEDNS SNEWD SNEWD BRH BRH BRH THRDNS THRWD THRWD CAD CAD CAD OUL11 OULRet OULDNS DON15 DON15 DON12 BRHRet BRHRet BRHDNS17th76 2025 Ducati OUL11 OUL11OULC DON5 DON4 DON3 SNERet SNE2 SNE5KNO3KNO2KNO1BRH8BRH6BRH6THR10THR9THR12CAD9CAD10CADRetDON3DON3DON5DON2ASSASSASSOULOULOULBRHBRHBRH3rd*235* * Season still in progress.
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
By season SeasonClassMotorcycleTeamRaceWinPodiumPoleFLapPtsPlcd Moto2 Kalex American Racing 2 0 0 0 0 0 39th Moto2 Kalex American Racing 16 0 0 0 0 2 28th Total 18 0 0 0 0 2
By class ClassSeasons1st GP1st Pod1st WinRaceWinPodiumsPoleFLapPtsWChmp Moto2 2022–2023 2022 Great Britain 18 0 0 0 0 2 0 Total2022–2023 18 0 0 0 0 2 0
Races by year (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 Moto2 Kalex QATINAARGAMEPOR SPA FRA ITA CATGER NEDGBR AUT RSM ARA JPN THA AUS MAL VAL 39th 0 Moto2 Kalex POR ARG AME SPA FRA ITA GER NED GBR AUT CAT RSM IND JPN INA AUS THA MAL QAT VAL 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
External links
Profile on British Superbike Championship Profile on British Talent Cup Profile on Red Bull MotoGP Rookies (Archived)