Lightning signs Isle of Man TT Winner Cameron Donald to ride TT ZERO and other European races

Lightning Motorcycles has signed two-time Isle of Man TT Winner Cameron Donald to race for the team in the TT Zero and European electric motorcycle racing.  The Australian won both the Superbike and Superstock classes during the 2008 TT Week.  He joins Michael Barnes and Miguel Duhamel on the Lightning Motorcycles racing team.

“This is unbelievable, it’s like Eric Clapton coming to play your birthday party.”  says Richard Hatfield, chief executive officer and founder of Lightning Motorcycles.  “This really changes things for the electric racing world.”

In the 2013 season, the team intends to race in both North American and European electric motorcycle racing, as well as a return to Bonneville and El Mirage for land speed racing.  Their exact schedule will depend on funding as well as rider availability.

Neither the FIM e-Power nor TTXGP series' have announced the 2013 electric motorcycle racing schedule as yet, however we have heard this announcement is imminent.  Lightning expects to have Cameron Donald ride in European events including the TT ZERO, while Barnes and Duhamel will cover the North American events.

Michael Barnes has ridden for Lightning in TTXGP races since 2010.  Miguel Duhamel rode for Lightning at the FIM e-Power race during the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans.  For Lightning's land speed runs they've had Paul Thede in the saddle.

This makes another top motorcycle racer signing up to race on an electric motorcycle.  Earlier examples include not just Barnes and Duhamel, but Eric Bostrom who joined the Brammo team in 2012, and Steve Rapp who rode for MotoCzysz in 2011. 

As the electric motorcycle field starts to move beyond early adopters it will help to draw fans if big name racers are in the saddle.