World Superbike move “not a thing” for Moto2 winner Dixon

Dixon came to Moto2 in 2019 having previously been a race winner in British Superbikes, and scored his maiden grand prix victory at the Dutch GP in June.

Over the MotoGP summer break, he became linked with a potential step to the premier class and thinks “there’s still a couple of options” for him, despite the available rides already being earmarked for others.

In the frame for a Gresini MotoGP ride, Dixon has prioritised staying in Moto2 with Aspar should that not come to fruition and currently has no interest in moving to WSBK.

Asked by Motorsport.com ahead of the British GP if MotoGP was a realistic option for 2024, Dixon said: “I don’t know. I think there are still a couple of options.

“At the end of the day, my dream is to go to MotoGP and be there. But, it needs to be right and I need to be given the opportunity.

“If I get given one opportunity to go, I’ll show what I can do.

“But if I’m not to go there... I had interest in World Superbikes, but it’s not a thing [for me].

Jake Dixon, GASGAS Aspar Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“I’ve done all the hard work here, to switch championships makes no sense.

“So, if I’m to stay in Moto2 another year, so be it. It’s not that I don’t want to do that, but my dream is to be in MotoGP.

“If I stay in Moto2, I feel my loyalty is to this team. I owe it to them because they gave me the opportunity not once but twice. That’s massive.

“If the MotoGP thing doesn’t come off, then we need to aim to be not just one-time world champion but twice in Moto2.”

Dixon is one of the few riders in recent times to have made the step from production racing into the grand prix paddock and found success, but concedes the sacrifice was “massive”.

“It would be too easy to take the World Superbike route because we’re on those bikes anyway [in BSB],” he added.

“I’ve always dreamed of being in MotoGP and being here. When I got given the opportunity, this is how much I feel like I backed myself: I went from earning probably six figures to earning nothing, for one year coming here.

Ai Ogura, Honda Team Asia, Jake Dixon, GASGAS Aspar Team, Pedro Acosta, Red Bull KTM Ajo

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“So, that’s how much I backed myself that I could make it work.

“When it wasn’t working and after 2019 I wanted to quit because I had the worst year of my life.

“But these moments make you stronger and you’ve got to back yourself.

“There are times when you think ‘f***, maybe I should have stayed in BSB, taken the easy route’.

“But I’ve proven I can do it, I’m as good as all of them here. I’ve got less experience maybe than even Pedro [Acosta], he’s 19 and he’s been racing as long as I’ve been racing.”

Dixon endured a torrid British GP, in which he crashed out on the opening lap after receiving a touch from Darryn Binder at the final corner.

He later raged to TNT Sport that Binder had “ruined my championship” and called for him to be given a race ban.