Booth-Amos sets his sights on securing a world title

To say Tom Booth-Amos' introduction to the premiere class of motorbike racing was a rollercoaster would be a huge understatement.

After claiming the British Motostar title at a canter in 2017, he endured a year of injuries racing in the Junior World Championships, raced mainly in Spain, before stepping up to MotoGP, competing in the Moto3 class.

It seemed like his dream had come true, but soon financial worries, a bike lacking speed and more crashes – as he tried desperately to make up ground on his rivals – soon clouded what had seemed like a glorious opportunity with the CIP-Green Power team.

However, just when all seemed lost, another huge opportunity arose, courtesy of the RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki team, when he became the newest addition to the 2020 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship grid.

And since the Kawasaki team confirmed his signing, the 23-year-old has his sights set on adding a world title to his British crown, once the season gets up and running again.

"Last year? It is what it is. It was a lot money for nothing, really. Well, not for nothing. I had a great year travelling the world and following my dream," said Booth-Amos, from his home in Spain.

"But had a lot of things been different, we would have been pushing for top 15 and points every race.

"Everyone saw one weekend I was fast and the next I wasn't. The bike was nowhere near where it should've been.

"We didn't have any of the upgrades KTM sold, which is why they were no good and couldn't handle.

"A lot of people don't know about that because I never said anything in the media, or on TV, I just cracked on with it."

Booth-Amos' best race of 2019 was easily his eighth-placed finish at Philip Island, in Australia, but even then he knew he was capable of so much more.

"People saw at Philip Island how slow the bike was. Lorenzo Dalla Porta came past me on the straight about 20kph faster but I was still doing the same lap times.

"It was one of them. I had a great season and made a lot of friends. Obviously the best one was Philip Island when I finish eighth and was one second off the win.

"To be honest, had I checked the pit boards properly I could have pushed for a podium, but I was in the zone and not even looking.

"I came across the chequered flag and just thought, 'well, that's done', but looking back I could have finished higher, especially as I posted the third fastest lap of the race.

"But it was great fun and I learned a lot. I'm not angry, just disappointed about everything that went on at the end, because we had agreed everything with the sponsor and we thought everything was finalised."

And then, Booth-Amos' 2020 was thrown into turmoil – before most of the public had even heard of the word 'cornavirus'.

Just when it seemed he would be back on the MotoGP start line again, suddenly he was left without a ride, sponsor or much hope of racing again this year.

"The contracts were done but then suddenly it was all finished, which left me in the middle of nowhere.

"I don't think many people know what really happened but basically I'd signed with for the Moto3 season again, at the British GP, got all the photos and contract completely done.

"Then I walked into our own team's hospitality tent at Aragon and there was anther rider sat there, signing the contract I'd already signed, to take my place.

"I asked, 'what's going on? Why are you signing another rider when I have already signed to stay?'.

"The team said, 'has nobody told you? Your sponsor has pulled out'. My manager got there and said although the sponsor had told us to sign, one month later I got told I was out of a job because they had pulled out.

"Nobody decided to tell me about that, but that's how it goes, It was still a great season and I had lots of fun. I'm just disappointed I won't be there again but it's time to move on to bigger and better things."

Soon after Booth-Amos was handed £100,000, to cover the costs of riding a Moto2 machine, in the Spanish championship for a year, with a plan of eventually returning to MotoGP, but even then things started to go wrong.

"Everything seemed sweet, the deal was all done, so I went on holiday to South Africa and that's when I got a phone call to say the sponsor has pulled out completely.

"That's it, we're done. Everyone's out of job. You need to find something else. That was that.

"I just had my holiday and didn't really think about it. I went home and moved house in Spain, where I am still living.

"I didn't know what I was going to do but my dad took one his riders to Jerez, in Spain, and said for me to just come out and ride, to take my mind off everything and just have fun."

It was a decision that again shaped Booth-Amos' future in motorbike racing because, while out in Spain, he got talking former MotoGP legend Jeremy McWilliams, who is still heavily involved in motorsport, as manager, test riders and also a racer.

"I'd met Jeremy a few times over the years and he asked me what I was going to do. I said I didn't really have any plans.

"A few people had contacted me about riding in British Superbikes and even in America. Some of them were free and some were where I wouldn't get paid but would get bonus money, things like that.

"But then I saw Jeremy and he said the best option for me would be to start in World Junior Supersport 300, dominate – which is obviously the plan – and move up and make a career in World Superbikes.

"It wasn't the easiest option, but it was definitely easier than MotoGP, where you need millions behind you just to stay in it.

"It can also take five or six years until you get picked up – and I haven't got millions.

"So that was how everything started. Jeremy helped me out and did the deal because he knew the team, which had Kawasaki support, so it's gone from there really. It was all done in a few days.

"Jeremy saved me, basically, because I had nothing. I still haven't got a sponsor. I sold a few things and used all my savings to pay for the first instalment, which I had to do because otherwise I wouldn't be riding.

"I am still looking for a sponsor, which is obviously going to be impossible now because of everything that's going on in the world.

"The virus sucks for me because I rely on racing for money. And if I don't race, I don't get paid. It's that simple, really.

"I hope we crack on racing soon. It's not a bad life, living in Spain with my dog, but still we could do with racing – because I'm bored!

"I've taught my dog a new trick. My house is immaculate. I've just been building classic bikes, restoring them. I cleaned the boat I bought last year, stupidly cheap, so that's good to go.

"I'm not the cleverest person but I'm very mechanically minded and know how cars and bikes work. All I do is work on my bikes most days, cleaning them, rebuilding the engines, restoring them.

"I think we're going to have to race at some point. So far, they have cancelled one of my races but the plan is to race two rounds at once.

"And it's looking Donington Park could be the first race, which would be nice but obviously there's a lot of pressure with it being the first one.

"We'll race at some point, I'm sure, but it just depends when and how many races we can get in. Let's see."