FTR MOTO takes a further step forward with the development of its Moto2 GP machine when British rider Graeme Gowland races in the penultimate round of the CEV Buckler Spanish Championship at the Jerez circuit on Sunday. Gowland races the M209 prototype machine for the first time at Jerez having tested the racer at the Albacete circuit three weeks ago. “The FTR machine is very special,” said Gowland. “And the technicians at FTR have been busy producing new development parts since the Albacete test so I can’t wait to get going at Jerez.” Gowland is no stranger to the Spanish Championship scene having won the Supersport title in 2007 with the Joe Darcey Team – the same team that is now working with FTR to produce a race-winning Moto2 contender. “When I tested at Albacete it was like going home,” said Gowland who spent 2009 racing in the British Superbike Championship. He continued: “Miguel and Anton and the guys at Joe Darcey know exactly what they’re doing when they prepare a race bike and the FTR Moto2 machine is armed with one of their supersport motors so I have all that’s required to get a good result at Jerez.” “We’ve now got a wide range of geometry options with the FTR chassis and the machine has adjustment everywhere so I’m pretty hopeful we can get it dialled into the Jerez track and get a decent result on Sunday,” added Gowland. FTR director Steve Bones commented: “The Jerez race with Graeme and the Joe Darcey Team is another major step forward in the development of the M209. There was a lot of interest in the machine at last weekend’s Valencia Grand Prix and at the test afterwards but we’re keen to get a clear picture of development and racing achieves exactly that.”