World Championship Motorsports

World Championship Motorsports (WCM) was a grand-prix motorcycle racing team formed in 1992 by Bob MacLean and Peter Clifford. The team ran Yamaha motorcycles from MGP|1992 to MGP|2002. They were sponsored by Red Bull for MGP|1997 to MGP|2002 and were called Red Bull Yamaha WCM.

For MGP|2002 when the rules changed to allow 4-stroke engines up to 990cc WCM remained with the old 500cc 2-stroke motorcycle. Garry McCoy and John Hopkins, raced for the team.

For MGP|2003 Chris Burns and David de Gea made up the team's rider line-up. Red Bull left the team to sponsor KTM at the 125cc World Championship. WCM joined forces with Harris Performance Products and was renamed to Harris WCM. Harris WCM built their own 4-stroke MotoGP racer with an engine based on the Yamaha YZF-R1 engine. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/53442-0/red_bull_yamaha_reborn_as_harris_wcm.html|title=Red Bull Yamaha reborn as Harris WCM|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] The FIM however found that the motorcycle was not in conformity with the championship technical regulations and the team was disqualified. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/63498-0/harris_wcm_disqualified.html|title=Harris WCM disqualified|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] The team appealed but the International Disciplinary Court turned the appeal down. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/67331-0/wcm_appeal_verdict_announced.html|title=WCM appeal verdict announced|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] The team took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (the final stage in the appeal process) but the court again ruled in FIM's favour. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/68112-0/wcm_take_fim_to_arbitration.html|title=WCM take FIM to Arbitration|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/69530-0/wcm_lose_arbitration.html|title=WCM lose arbitration|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] Following the courts decision the team entered the British, German and the Czech Republic Grand Prix using 1993 2-stroke 500cc Yamaha motorcycles while they continued to develop the 4-stroke machine. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/70591-0/wcm_to_make_motogp_return__on_93_yamahas.html|title=WCM to make MotoGP return – on '93 Yamahas!|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] The Harris WCM motorcycle made its debut at the Portuguese Grand Prix. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/75755-0/wcm_embarrass_kawasaki_proton.html|title=WCM embarrass Kawasaki, Proton|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16]

For MGP|2004 Chris Burns was joined by Michel Fabrizio as the team riders. following an injury mid-season Burns was replaced by James Ellison while Youichi Ui replaced Fabrizio following Fabrizio's one race ride for Aprilia at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

Halfway through the MGP|2004 season WCM announced that it joined forces with Blata to run a V6 machine for MGP|2005 . [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/96145-0/wcm_to_run_blata_v6_in_2005.html|title=WCM to run Blata V6 in 2005!|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] The team was called Blata WCM and James Ellison and Franco Battaini were the team riders. The new motorcycle was not ready at the start of the season and the team continued using their Harris WCM motorcycle. The new V6 motorcycle was due to make its debut at Czech Republic Grand Prix but it was not ready. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/116905-0/no_blata_v6_at_brno.html|title=No Blata V6 at Brno|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] Blata said that the bike would be completed [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/117329-0/blata_the_v6_will_be_completed.html|title=Blata: The V6 will be completed|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] but the motorcycle never raced.

The provisional entry list for MGP|2006 listed WCM with Bimota engines and Jeremy McWilliams and Jason Perez as riders. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/124576-0/mcwilliams_perez_bimota_on_motogp_entry_list.html|title=McWilliams, Perez, Bimota on MotoGP entry list|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] but the team was missing from the final entry list as the team dropped out of the championship. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/126373-0/final_2006_motogp_entry_list_announced_-_no_wcm.html|title=Final 2006 MotoGP entry list announced - no WCM|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16]

In June 2006, WCM and Winona Racing, announced a strategic partnership to run a 250cc World Championship team in 2007 while WCM also planned a 2007 MotoGP return. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/132875-0/winona_wcm_join_forces.html|title=Winona, WCM join forces|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16] Winona WCM, did not race in 2007 after the team's principal sponsor failed to deliver funding in time. [cite web|url=http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/149622-0/250_winona_wcm_postpone_comeback.html|title=250: Winona WCM postpone comeback|publisher=crash.net|accessdate=2008-05-16]

Notable riders include John Hopkins, Noriyuki Haga, Garry McCoy, Neil Hodgson, James Haydon, James Ellison, Alex Hofmann, José Luis Cardoso, Simon Crafar, and Ralf Waldmann.

References

External links

* [http://www.blatawcm.com blatawcm.com] Blata WCM Official website