TwitGP2 Announced!

TwitGP2: This Time It’s For Charity

This time last year, an untimely volcanic eruption led to the birth of a Twitter phenomenon. Within just a few days, the crackpot concept of a virtual race had snowballed into an out-of-control monster, and TwitGP became, as one fan put it, the “greatest use of anything, ever.”

For more serious and tragic reasons this year, there is once again a gap in the MotoGP calendar where the Japanese Grand Prix should be. The organisers of TwitGP have the greatest respect and sympathies for the Japanese affected and wish them all the best, but we’d also like to cheer everyone up and so, inevitably, inescapably and possibly inexplicably to the newbies, it’s time for TwitGP2.

Somehow, we’ve now got more followers than turn up at the Qatar GP. There are over 11,000 people in the TwitGP collective, from Angola to Zaire Belgium, and quite frankly that scares us, seeing as our ambition outweighs our talent and all we ever do is shout nonsense from the sidelines. But the amazing thing about TwitGP is that its followers, who range from riders to window cleaners to International Space Station engineers, are constantly pushing it in new directions. Having seen the splendid things they came up with last time (who could forget those liveries?), we’re more excited than Colin Edwards at a ‘buy one, get one free’ gun sale to see what they can come up with this time.

The most important thing about TwitGP2 is that as well as having a ball and enjoying some excellent racing, we’re also going to have a go at raising some money for Japan. More details will be released soon – but for the time being all you need to know is that the TwitGP2 race will explode onto your Twitter feeds from the spectacular Twitegi Circuit (don’t worry, it’s a safe distance from Fukishima) on Sunday 17th April 2011.

Expect another mouse-tickling line-up of MotoGP champs past and present, and possibly even Max Biaggi, provided we can find him a small enough pair of boxing gloves. We’ll also be joined once again by the coolest people who work in MotoGP, who’ll ignore their day jobs for a few days to take part in something much, much more fun.

Keep an eye on @TwitGP for news, timings and Vampire Goat knows what else in the build-up, not to mention information on how you can get involved and raise a bit of cash for our mates in Japan. Have a word with @TwitGPpr if you’re an actual member of the press chomping at the bit to write about this. She may even reply.

(New followers may find it useful to read about last year’s race, TwitGP1 as it is now known, HERE.)