When all racing competition came to a halt in 2020 it presented numerous challenges for the ongoing racing development of Yamaha Motor Philippines and its stable of riders who were training for international competition. After winning the 2019 UB150 Championship in the ARRC, McKinley Kyle Paz was on pace to rise to the next level. But after being shelved for an entire season, Yamaha and Paz stayed ready for when races would resume. One year later Paz would be selected to be part of the VR46 Master Camp Racing team in the 2021 FIM CEV MOTO2 European Championship. ‘The Wonderboy’ will be the first Filipino to ever be part of the prestigious tournament that serves as a stepping stone for aspiring riders from all over the world who want to reach the MOTOGP.
This new challenge would take ‘Wonderboy’ Paz from Asia to Europe, to race in Spain. With the tournament season already ongoing he joined the fray in round 3 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The task of going up against the best young talent on a global stage would be daunting but this was an exciting situation that only fueled his drive to succeed. This was the beginning for Paz to show the world that he is on par with international talent. Moving up from the 150cc category would also test his mettle with limited time to get himself familiarized with a new bike and racetrack. But this is all part of the journey, the makings of a future champion and the trials he would face.
After the qualifying round, ‘Wonderboy’ Paz would register a 1:47.813 time which places him at 18th on the grid. After an impressive run that saw the rider on pace to place at least 11th, he had to bow out late in Race 1 due to technical issues. That was also a factor in race 2 which affected his performance that pushed him back to a 21st place finish. Even if it was not an ideal start, it was still a historic debut for the young Filipino rider who has officially placed himself among the best young riders in the world. This is an inspiring moment for all future Filipino riders who want to represent the country in international competitions.
This is only the beginning because ‘Wonderboy’ Paz and the VR46 Master Camp Team begins their preparation for the next round. Round 4 will be on July 4 in Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal where he will continue to Race our Flag.
