A quick turnaround from pre-season testing to the inaugural race of 2021, sees Petronas’s John McPhee raring to get back to Moto3 action at Losail this weekend.

Having set a personal best time abound the 5.4km Doha circuit during last week’s three-days of official testing, McPhee is confident the productive work programme completed so far with his Sprinta Racing Team leaves him fully prepared as the season starts in anger with an 18-lap race this Sunday.

Alongside new team-mate Darryn Binder, the experienced Scot has his eyes firmly on the top step of the Qatar podium, having enjoyed past success at Losail with two second-place podiums achieved in 2017 and 2020. The 26-year-old is eager to get his 2021 campaign underway and aims to make it a third rostrum finish come Sunday.

Explaining his strategy ahead of Friday’s two opening free practice sessions, the Scot said “I think it’s important in these first couple of races, especially being back-to-back, that we try to consistently be at the front – or as close to it as possible.

“I fully believe I have the race pace to fight for the victory, which of course is everyone’s ultimate goal. To do that we need to be within the top-five for the whole race, so we need to see if we can do that. Last year I finished second and was fighting for the victory for the entire race so we know it’s possible.

“We have the team, the package, and a fantastic group of guys working behind the scenes. It’s definitely been the most exciting pre-season for us coming into the new year. Everything is prepared, and everything is falling into place.”

The introduction of Binder to the Malaysian-run outfit has also buoyed McPhee’s optimism for the impending championship battle.

“Having a fast, front-running teammate who I can work with in qualifying will make a big, big difference” he explains. “We saw already in our first test that it was working really well, we were helping each other and working well together. I think it’s so important because last year I felt that I had the pace to do the lap-time alone at 90% of the tracks, but when it comes to qualifying and looking for that extra couple of tenths, having a teammate to work with, being able to gain a slipstream from each other, it doesn’t matter how fast you are on track, if you don’t have that, you’re going to lose out.”

Binder, it seems, agrees, with the equally confident South African adding “We know a slipstream down the straight really helps in Qatar, so we need to watch out for that. Our race simulation at the test was good though, so we have an idea of what to expect this weekend. I’ve gelled well with the Honda so I’m really looking forward to getting some good results with it. Of course I want to win, but this first weekend a good race would be finishing in the top-five. I think one of the most important things is to do a full race distance on the Honda. If I can be in the top-five I’ll be happy, and if I’m on the podium then even better.”