Manx Grand Prix: Paul Jordan spearheads Faraldo Racing's Mountain Course debut in Lightweight challenge

Team owner Francesco Faraldo has entered the event, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, for the first time.

Faraldo is well-known in Irish road racing circles after running Republic of Ireland riders Derek McGee and Keelim Ryan at the national meetings with a great deal of success in recent years.

Magherafelt man Jordan will start at number 15 in the three-lap Lightweight race on Friday, August 25, which is the curtain-raiser to the 2023 meeting.

“I’ve never rode a Lightweight bike on the island before – I’ve always wanted the chance to ride a 250 but I’ve never had the call,” Jordan said.

“This is the closest thing to a 125 or a two-stroke chassis, and I’m actually really looking forward to riding it.

“It looks like a Moto3 bike and in terms of the chassis, it’s a Moto3 chassis, but Francesco has upgraded the bike into a 450.

“Derek McGee rode a similar bike to this one and James Chawke is also riding one for Francesco at the Manx,” he added.

“There’s a strong line-up of 250 machines with Mike Browne, Adam McLean and Ian Lougher all on 250s, and the likes of Jim Hind as well.

“We don’t know how competitive the bike is going to be on the island but I’m looking forward to the challenge of it.

“Power to weight ratio, you’re not going to have the edge on the 250 machines, but torque-wise we’ll be a lot stronger.

“I’m looking forward to getting on it and having a rip down Bray Hill.”

Jordan will also compete in the Classic Superbike race on a Mistral Kawasaki ZXR750.

Faraldo reached an agreement with Jordan after working with his PreZ Racing team at the North West 200 and Isle of Man TT.

However, the Isle of Man-based Italian admits he is unsure what to expect as his FR450GP machine tackles the rigours of the 37.73-mile course for the first time.

“I worked with Paul at the North West 200 and TT with PreZ Racing as a mechanic, and I get on well him,” Faraldo said.

“I just asked him if he wanted to ride the bike at the Manx Grand Prix and it was easy.

“To be honest, with all the problems we had with the Irish road races this year – with them being cancelled – I lost interest in the racing, and I didn’t want to do anything this year because it’s too much money.

“But when I started with Paul, I decided we would do the Manx. It’s my first year doing the Manx and the bikes are something I build by myself, they’re not bikes you can buy somewhere, so I don’t know what we can expect,” he added.

“I know the bike is a good bike because we won all the Irish road races with Keelim Ryan last year and with Derek McGee the year before; I know the bike can do well but around here, I don’t know how it’s going to go.

“If we can finish, I will be more than happy because we can get all the data and improve the bike for next year, so I’m going to take it as a year for learning the bike and see what I need for next year.

“I would like a good result to be honest, but I can’t expect [too much] because it’s the first year for me, first year for Paul.”

Practice for the 100th Manx Grand Prix is scheduled to get underway on Sunday, August 20.