Rider Profile

Michael Hill

Michael was voted ‘BEST NEWCOMER’ by the North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club in his first year of competition (1995), achieving 43 top ten finishes and scooping the North East Supersport 125cc Championship.

1996 was witness to Michael’s first full season of British Championship competition. He also won the North East Supersport 125cc Championship for a second successive year.

1997 and 1998 saw Michael concentrate on the British Superteen Championship. He was a consistent top ten finisher and was never placed out of the top three in the ‘club’ events in which he took part.

In 1999 Michael competed in the National Aprilia RS125 Challenge. Again a regular front runner, he finished 12th overall in the series and a superb 2nd in the ‘Superteen’ category. His track talent coupled with his natural skills in PR resulted in NZT Racing (a German team) approaching Michael inviting him to contest several rounds of the German 125cc Championship for them.

Michael progressed to the MRO National 125cc Championship aboard a GP spec Honda in 2000. He achieved a best position of 13th before reluctantly having to cut short his season.

Michael returned to full time competition fronting his own TABOO Motorsport team in the National 125cc Championship in 2003. Easily qualifying for every event, he achieved a best result of 21st.

2004 would once again see Michael aboard a 125cc machine but this time in the British Championship. After promising pre-season tests, he suffered all sorts of problems in terms of machine reliability. In addition he sustained a broken ankle as well as having all of his kit (including helmets, leathers etc.) stolen which forced him out of action and facing a £5000 bill.

In the 2005 British 125cc Championship Michael lapped considerably faster at every circuit visited and challenged regularly for British Championship points. He also contested a National race meeting finishing a superb 2nd. In addition Michael continued to be a regular visitor to the circuit commentary boxes. His observations and knowledge when commentating continued to impress race fans and he is fast becoming an established speaker in his own right so much so that he appeared as a guest on Channel 4’s coverage of the Brands Hatch World Superbike event as well as acting as a summariser at the British Motorcycle GP.

2006 saw Michael become a regular point scorer in the British 125cc Championship. Achieving a best position of 8th he finished in 23rd position in the overall standings and his TABOO Motorsport team became one of the most recognised 125cc teams within the British Championship paddock. In addition he continued to build his profile off track by working as a pit lane reporter at various European rounds of the World Superbike Championship and by playing a pivotal role in the annual ‘Day of Champions’ fundraising event held at the British GP in aid of the ‘Riders for Health’ charity. He was also invited to assist on stage at the ‘Day of Champions’ in Valencia, held at the final Moto GP event of the year.

Michael has also featured in the popular docu-soap ‘ Natural Born Racers’ screened on the Bravo Channel and was involved with the film ‘And Still I Rise’.

Rider CV

The Team

After a 3 year lay off from racing, Michael Hill returned to National level competition launching TABOO Motorsport in October 2002. Sole responsibility for the team, which includes management and promotion, rests on Michael's shoulders.

Now operating out of London, 2006 sees the team launching its most serious attempt for success to date. With an extensive pre-season testing programme, a full calendar of events planned in the UK (and hopefully Spain), and a link with Pete Banks Racing with regards to mechanical set-up, Michael is confident of taking TABOO Motorsport to the next level.

After progressing through National 125cc competition, the team has spent the past two seasons in the ultra competitive British 125cc Championship and will once again take to the track in this series in 2006.

In addition to racing, Michael is also busy developing his presenting and broadcasting skills and can be regularly heard in the commentary boxes at major UK events. He was also a guest on Channel 4's coverage of last years World Superbike Championship event from Brands Hatch.