Twin targets for McWilliams

Jeremy McWilliams has set his sights on scoring world championship points and starring at the British Grand Prix during his debut season with new team Ilmor.

Irishman McWilliams and Ilmor are at the opposite ends of the MotoGP spectrum - a 42-year-old veteran and a brand new team with a virtually untried bike.

But McWilliams, currently with his feet up at home recovering from a broken femur, is undaunted by the prospect of taking on the Japanese manufacturers in the competitive world of MotoGP.

Despite suffering the injury only last month during a track test at Jerez in Spain, McWilliams is already planning a successful season for the Northampton-based team alongside Australian team-mate Andrew Pitt.

McWilliams admitted: “I want to score points. We will be looking to score points and then to get into the top 10. We realise it will be hard work but we want to get through the first couple of races and then start scoring points.”

McWilliams has singled out the British GP at Donington Park as one race where he hopes the Ilmor team will enjoy success.

He has targeted the June 24 race at the Leicestershire circuit as an important date on his schedule.

McWilliams explained: “I look forward to my home GP. There might be other tracks which suit the bike more than Donington but I will be looking to do well there.

“I’m always looking to put on a good show at Donington. I hope we can put on a good show for everyone at Donington.”

Time away from the track has given McWilliams chance to reflect on how the team can improve the bike.

“There are some aspects of the bike we have to work on,” he said.

He has also invested thought into how the team can maximise the benefits of the rule change which sees the engine capacity reduced from 990cc to 800cc on MotoGP bikes for the 2007 season.

McWilliams said: “Our straight line speed is right up there with the other bikes. The 800s are a little bit slower in straight line speed but quicker through the corners.

“I think it will suit me with corner entry speed and mid-corner speed being more important than on the 990s.”

With his focus firmly on the 2007 season, McWilliams has also reflected on the chance he has been given over many younger candidates to race for Ilmor by team owner Mario Illien.

He said: “I want to thank the team and Mario for letting me ride the bike. I will be giving 100% because of that.”