Danny Ray Kent (born 25 November 1993) is an English motorcycle racer, best known for winning the 2015 Moto3 World Championship. In doing so he became Great Britain's first Grand Prix solo motorcycle world champion since Barry Sheene in , as well as the first British lightweight class champion since Dave Simmonds in .
During 2020, Kent competed in the British National Superstock 1000 Championship, aboard a Kawasaki ZX-10R, and for 2021 aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000R in the British Superbike Championship,BSB: Danny Kent joins Gino Rea at Buildbase Suzuki for 2021 Motorcycle News, 3 February 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021 until a crash caused a dislocated and broken hip in August 2021.Tim Neave lands BSB debut as Danny Kent faces injury timeout visordown, 19 August 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021BSB Donington: Danny Kent to undergo surgery on fractured hip Motorcycle News, 16 August 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021
For 2022, Kent continued with Buildbase Suzuki but for 2023 he joined, as sole rider, a new BSB team established by his personal sponsor using a Honda.Kent brothers team up for 2023 BSB and SSTK Bennetts Bike Social, 20 November 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2023Danny Kent scores a hit on solo BSB debut with own team BikeSportNews, 11 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023
For 2024, Kent moved to the Mar-Train team with McAMS their title sponsor, and has resigned for the 2025 season. He won his first British superbike race at the final round of the 2024 season.and Mar-Train join forces for 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship BritishSuperbike, 01 November 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2024
Career
Early career Born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, Kent like many others started out in Minimoto, before moving into the FAB-Racing MiniGP50 and MiniGP70 British Championships. Kent progressed through the Aprilia Superteens Championship earning success before being selected for the Red Bull MotoGP Academy and racing in Spain in the Spanish 125GP Championship. When the Academy closed Kent was switched to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, where he finished runner-up in 2010. Kent also contested a wild card ride at Silverstone in 2010 aboard a 125cc Honda, earning him a late ride with Lambretta in the 125cc Grand Prix world championship that year.
125cc/Moto3 World Championship
Kent entered the 125cc world championship with Lambretta in 2010 at the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, qualifying in 16th place, a big improvement on 29th in which he qualified for the British round earlier that year – however he retired from the race. He took a best qualifying position of 10th at the Portuguese Grand Prix in Estoril and a best and only race finish of 21st at Phillip island during the Australian Grand Prix.
For 2011, Kent switched to the Red Bull Ajo Aprilia team to compete in his first full season in the 125cc world championship. Kent enjoyed a successful first season scoring 82 points with a best finish of fourth place, on the way to 11th in the championship standings.
2012 was the start of the Moto3 class. The new formula would use four-stroke 250cc engines apposed to the two-stroke 125cc engines of the class it was replacing. Kent remained with the Red Bull Ajo team however the team switched to running KTM motorcycles spearheading the factory's assault on the title. The team had a fantastic year with Kent's teammate Sandro Cortese taking the world championship along with Kent himself taking fourth in the championship. Kent earned his first podium at Assen in the Dutch TT, and he took his first win at the Japanese Grand Prix at Twin Ring Motegi with a great last lap result. He followed up in similar fashion just four rounds later at the final Grand Prix of the season in Valencia with a brave last corner overtake on Cortese earning him his second Grand Prix victory.
Moto2 World Championship For 2013, Kent raced with Tech 3 in the Moto2 category alongside fellow Moto3 graduate Louis Rossi. Kent's season started with a run to 18th place in Qatar, he scored his first points at round six with a 13th-place finish in Catalunya. Kent scored points on four more occasions with a best of 12th at both the Czech and Malaysian races, and had a strong end to season with three consecutive point-scoring finishes before breaking his collarbone in the warm-up for the Japanese Grand Prix, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
Return to Moto3
Having been originally announced to remain in Moto2 with Tech 3, Kent returned to Moto3 for 2014; he competed with the Ajo Motorsport team, riding a Husqvarna-branded KTM.
For 2015, Kent moved to the Leopard sponsored Kiefer Racing squad, running Hondas. Kent's season started off well, reaching the podium at the first race in Qatar and taking his first win for Leopard in the following race at the Circuit of the Americas. Kent won the next two races – the first British rider to win successive races in the lightweight class since Barry Sheene in – in Argentina and at Jerez to open up a championship lead. He added further victories in Catalunya, the Sachsenring and his home event at Silverstone.
Kent led the championship by twenty-four points ahead of Miguel Oliveira, with one race remaining. Despite Oliveira winning the final race in Valencia, a ninth-place finish was enough for Kent to claim the championship and become Great Britain's first Grand Prix motorcycle world champion since Barry Sheene in .
Return to Moto2 On 27 September 2015, it was announced that Kent would be moving up to the Moto2 class for the 2016 season, with his Leopard Racing team. He was joined in the team by his Moto3 championship rival Miguel Oliveira.
Kent walked out on his team after just three races into the season,Moto2: Kent parts ways with Kiefer Racing Motorcycle News, 24 April 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2018 and was without a ride for much of the remainder, with a wildcard ride in Moto3 and acting as an occasional replacement for injured riders in Moto2, before signing with a new team Speed Up Racing in Moto2 for the 2018 season.Danny Kent signs with Speed Up from 2018 MotoGP.com Retrieved 28 February 2018
Kent was sacked by Speed Up in late September 2018, with five races remaining, due to poor performances and refusing to follow team orders. In a statement to motogp.com, team boss Luca Boscoscuro was highly critical of Kent, stating “that behaviour doesn’t work. I’m sorry, but not with me”.Danny Kent confirms Speed Up departure Motorsport Week, 30 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018
British Superbike Championship
Kent secured an entry riding Halsall Racing's Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the Brands Hatch final round of the 2018 British Superbike Championship in October after a successful test.Brands BSB finale: Kent confirmed with Halsall Suzuki Bikesport News, 11 October 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018 He failed to finish in two races,Race one, British Superbikes – 12th–14th October – Brands Hatch – 2018 TSL timing. Retrieved 15 October 2018Race two, British Superbikes – 12th–14th October – Brands Hatch – 2018 TSL timing. Retrieved 15 October 2018 but finished in 12th from 15 finishers in race three.Race three British Superbikes – 12th–14th October – Brands Hatch – 2018 TSL timing. Retrieved 15 October 2018 The team subsequently folded after principal Martin Halsall withdrew funding.Halsall Racing withdraws from British superbikes Retrieved 28 July 2019
In late May 2019, it was announced that Kent would ride in British Superbikes on an ex-Leon Camier 2016 MV Agusta F4, starting from the July event at Snetterton.Danny Kent back in BSB with MV Agusta Paramatta crash.net, 28 May 2019. Retrieved 2 June 2019Kent's comeback: MV Agusta return to Bennetts BSB from Snetterton britishsuperbikes.com Retrieved 28 July 2019 Kent failed to finish a race at Snetterton,Redding in control after Bridewell tumbles from lead crash.net, 21 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019 but achieved 18th place in BSB race 2 at Thruxton in August.Thruxton BSB – Race Results (2) crash.net 4 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019 His employment was terminated by his team in mid-August due to a court conviction.Gino Rea to ride the Bike Devil MV Agusta at Cadwell bikedevil.net Retrieved 17 August 2019
Kent joined Buildbase Suzuki, continuing into 2022. A practice crash at the Donington Park third-round in May 2022 caused hospitalisation with no participation in the races.BSB Donington: Danny Kent ruled out with concussion following FP3 crash Motorcycle News, 21 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022Iddon "happy-ish" after Donington BSB top 10s, eyeing further improvements visordown.com, 24 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022
Personal life Kent became part of the Phil Burgan Race Academy (PBRA) – a programme for developing British talent in motorcycle sport, under the guidance of James Toseland. The aim of the programme is to provide support, both financial and consultative, to promising British motorcycle racers and teams of the future.
In August 2019, Kent received a four-month suspended prison sentence for carrying a knife in a public place during an altercation in March, 2019.Danny Kent: World champion admits carrying knife during scuffle BBC News, 15 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019 This resulted in his superbike team terminating his contract, with Gino Rea named as interim replacement.
Career statistics Career highlights 2001 – Welsh Minimoto – Debut and first win. 2004 – FAB-Racing MiniGP50 British Championship (2nd overall) 2005 – FAB-Racing MiniGP70 British Championship (1st overall) 2007 – British Aprilia Superteens Championship. 2008 – Invited into Red Bull MotoGP Academy and contested Spanish CEV 125GP (9th overall) 2009 – Academy closed – transferred to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup (4th overall, 1 win) 2010 – Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup (2nd overall, 2 wins) 2015 – Moto3 World Champion (6 wins)
British 125 Championship Year Bike 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pos Pts 2009 Honda BHI OUL DON THR SNE KNO MAL BHGP CAD CRORet SILRet OULRet 25th 11 2010 Honda BRH5 THR OUL9 CADRet MAL KNOC SNE BRH7 CAD CRO CROWD SIL OUL 23rd 27
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pos Pts 2009 SPA1 SPA2 ITA NED GER GBR CZE1 CZE2 4th 96 2010 SPA1 SPA2 ITA NED1 NED2 GER1 GER2 CZE1 CZE2 RSM 2nd 164
Grand Prix motorcycle racing By season Season Class Motorcycle Team Race Win Podium Pole FLap Pts Plcd WCh 125cc Honda Aztec Grand Prix 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC – Lambretta Lambretta Reparto Corse 5 0 0 0 0 0 125cc Aprilia Red Bull Ajo Motorsport 17 0 0 0 0 82 11th – Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Ajo 17 2 3 1 1 154 4th – Moto2 Tech 3 Tech 3 15 0 0 0 0 16 22nd – Moto3 Husqvarna Red Bull Husqvarna Ajo 18 0 2 1 0 129 8th – Moto3 Honda Leopard Racing 18 6 9 5 3 260 1st 1 Moto2 Kalex Leopard Racing 17 0 0 0 0 35 22nd – 2017 Moto2 Suter Kiefer Racing 3 0 0 0 0 3 33rd – Dynavolt Intact GP 0 0 0 0 0 Kalex CarXpert Interwetten 1 0 0 0 0 Moto3 KTM Red Bull KTM Ajo 2 0 0 0 0 6 32nd – Moto2 Speed Up Speed Up Racing 13 0 0 0 0 8 25th – Total 126 8 14 7 4 693 1
By class Class Seasons 1st GP 1st pod 1st win Race Win Podiums Pole FLap Pts WChmp 125cc 2010–2011 2010 Great Britain 23 0 0 0 0 82 0 Moto3 2012, 2014–2015, 2017 2012 Qatar 2012 Netherlands 2012 Japan 55 8 14 7 4 549 1 Moto2 2013, 2016–2018 2013 Qatar 48 0 0 0 0 62 0 Total 2010–2018 126 8 14 7 4 693 1
Races by year (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)