TEAM Great Britain star Tai Woffinden believes having former world champion Michael Lee in his corner will prove crucial when he makes his Grand Prix debut on Saturday night.

TEAM Great Britain star Tai Woffinden believes having former world champion Michael Lee in his corner will prove crucial when he makes his Grand Prix debut on Saturday night.

The 1980 World Final winner has served as the 19-year-old’s engine tuner for the past three years. Having triumphed in the white heat of a World Championship event, Lee would seem the ideal man to guide Woffinden through the FIM European SGP in Leszno.

Despite his tender age, the Wolves skipper has gained plenty of top level experience in Britain, Poland and Sweden. But Woffinden admits an extra pair of eyes will be very handy for his maiden SGP excursion.

He said: “Michael will be there. It means I can do the practise session and then change the engines about. It’s really good to have him there. He knows the sport inside out given that he rode for so long.

“He sometimes sees things I don’t, so it’s sometimes good to have someone else there, telling you what’s going on.”

Woffinden has made a point of not hyping up his Grand Prix meetings and is determined to remain relaxed ahead of the biggest night of his career so far. Having shone on the Leszno track when he competed there for Czestochowa in the Ekstraliga, he has no qualms about racing his first SGP event at the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium.

He added: “It’s just another meeting. I’m treating them all the same and going out with a clear head. I’ll give 110 percent and see how it goes.

“I enjoy the track and I got 11 paid 12 points when I was there with Czestochowa last year. It’s a really nice circuit. It’s a racer’s track if it’s grippy, but it can be difficult if it’s slick. We’ll see how it goes.”

speedwaygp.com