By Justin Schwarze
Beaconsfield motorsport prodigy Teerin Fleming was recently selected to join the grid of the upcoming Asia Talent Cup season.
It’s a huge opportunity for the youngster, with the Asia Talent Cup a major pathway to MotoGP, Red Bull Rookies, European Talent Cup and other high-level motorsport competitions.
Despite being just 14, Fleming has already got quite the decorated career in motorsport.
In 2021 he earned himself a wildcard position on the grid for the Oceania Junior Cup, his first national race.
From there, he impressed enough to receive a full-time spot in the same competition the following year.
He also began MiniGP in 2022, where he finished top two for the season; earning qualification for the MiniGP World Series in Valencia, Spain.
It took time to adjust to the level of competition.
“I did the World Series for the first time, I didn’t qualify and I really struggled,” Fleming said.
“I realised what that level was at.”
Even with the poor result, the experience was invaluable to Fleming’s development as a rider.
“On the track, I learned the level comparison, and how different the mentality is from Asia, Australia and Europe,” he explained.
In 2023 he made the transition to racing in Spain and spent majority of the year overseas.
“2023 was my first full year in Spain, racing in the Mir Cup and that was alright,” Fleming said.
“That was my first year in Promo, which is a new category with new bikes.”
With the new bike, he excelled, finishing eighth in the championship, including some wins throughout the season.
As 2024 rolled around, Fleming once again competed in the Mir Racing Cup.
During the season he suffered major injuries in a crash that required surgeries at a crucial part of the campaign.
“I was in the hospital before surgery and I had a lot of stress before going in because I wanted to make the Asia Talent Cup selection event,” he said.
Along with that, he was leading the championships he was competing in at the time of his injury.
Surrounded by a good team, he was able to bounce back in time for the selection event.
“Mentally, it wasn’t too bad, but I also had one of our mates that was living with us, and he was quite good because he helped us out with a lot of things,” he said.
“I didn’t really feel like mentally it was too bad; it was more physically.”
Competing at the selection event, Fleming hoped to land in a position for season 2025.
He was unfortunately informed he did not make the grid, and had been selected as a reserve driver.
It was a very hard pill to swallow.
“At first I was selected as a reserve rider, so to be honest I was quite upset,” he stated.
“It was my first ride back I’d had since my injuries, so at first I was a little disappointed.”
However, he was forced to immediately shift his focus to the last few rounds of the Mir Cup; determined to finish the year strongly.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he received some game-changing news.
“About two months later, before the last round, we got an email saying that I’d been selected for the full 2025 season (of the Asia Talent Cup),” Fleming said.
“When I got the emails, it was a big, big relief.”
It’s a new venture for the young rider, and a new level of competition.
“It’s a new championship, new people,” Fleming said.
“I’m not too sure where the level is going to be right now.
“We’ll see, but I’ve just got to take it step by step each session.”
With the selection come new goals that Fleming has set for himself.
“My goal next year is to be selected for Rookies, through Asia Talent Cup,” he stated.
“I want to race for Red Bull and in the European Talent Cup, so that’s the next step I want to be at.”
Until then, he can reflect on the journey that has led him to this point.
“It’s been a lot of hard work,” he said.
“It’s been a lot of hard work getting to that level, which we’ve got to now.
“Now I’m at a new level, so I’ve got to find that new pace.”
Along the way he’s had lots of influences, citing his dad, brother and coaches as major parts of his journey.
“I’ve had a lot of good coaches, but Jack Mahaffy, my current coach, who got us over to Spain in the first place,” Fleming spoke highly of.
“Without him, I don’t think I’d be anywhere close to where I am now.
“Jack has been here and done it himself, so he was a really big influence and he’s helped me a lot.”
Fleming will continue to prepare, as the first race of the Talent Cup is in February, at Chang International Circuit in Thailand.
That race is a test, then round one commences in March on the same track, beginning what is set to be an exciting new chapter of racing.
