There was nothing left for Cameron Beaubier to conquer in MotoAmerica after winning his fifth AMA Superbike championship in 2020. With Joe Roberts vacating his seat at the American Racing Moto2 for a spot on the ItalTrans squad, Beaubier pondered a return to the Grand Prix paddock. He ultimately seized the opportunity, but inconsistency has plagued the California native’s two-year stint in the intermediate class.
In 2021, Beaubier required some time to acclimate to the Triumph-powered Moto2 machinery and Grand Prix circuits. Over the course of 18 races, number six only finished in the top 10 five times and crashed out of competition on six occasions. However, many believed the five-time national champ stood on the brink of a breakthrough following a fifth-place finish at the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
The American rider replicated those results two rounds later at Portugal’s Portimao Circuit, a track that Moto2 raced earlier in the 2021 season. Given his newfound familiarity with the GP tracks and late-season improvements, race fans expected Beaubier to ride that momentum into the 2022 season. Unfortunately, he couldn’t deliver on those expectations.
After 14 rounds, Beaubier has posted six DNFs (did not finish), a figure that already matches his 2021 season total. While the American captured his best result yet with a fourth place at the French Grand Prix, he’s only finished in the top 10 in two other instances. With just six races left in the 2022 season, it looks like Beaubier is ready to depart the Grand Prix scene for good.
According to several reliable MotoGP sources, the rider plans to return to the MotoAmerica AMA Superbike class for the 2023 season with Tytlers Cycle BMW. Neither Beaubier nor Tytlers Cycle BMW owner Michael Kiley have officially confirmed the news, but all signs point to the California kid coming home after the 2022 Moto2 season. There’s no word on who will replace Beaubier in the American Racing Team, but many suspect that British rider Rory Skinner could join the outfit in 2023.
