In an exciting sports crossover, former track cyclist (and racing driver) Chris Hoy has hooked up with the best team in Formula 1 to refine the Skarper e-bike conversion kit he's been backing.

If you’re an F1 fan, I’m sorry if you disagree with elements of that opening statement, but look, Ferrari will have its resurgence at some point - I’m sure of it. In the meantime, Bike-EU reports that Christian Horner, the Team Principal for Oracle Red Bull Racing, was sufficiently impressed with Skarper when Hoy recently showed it to him that he duly instructed his team of engineers to make it smaller and more efficient.

The move likely comes off the back of an injection of £4m in investment in Skarper in April 2023.

“This partnership with Skarper demonstrates how F1 expertise can help to improve everyday technology for the benefit of the public,” commented Horner. “The device is an incredibly clever piece of engineering and we have been able to make it smaller and more powerful thanks to our own talented engineers."

The device works by clipping onto the rear chainstay, and onto a pre-installed ‘DiskDrive’ (also from Skarper), which replaces the rear disc on a non-electric bike.

It has a listed weight of 3kg, and comes with a 250W motor that can provide 50Nm of torque, as well as a battery offering claimed range of up to 60km.

Hoy commented: “We’re incredibly grateful to Christian Horner for supporting a British start-up with developing this device that we believe will revolutionise the cycling sector and benefit riders worldwide."

Whilst pre-orders appear to have sold out, the Skarper website suggests those who have already bought should expect their Skarper kits between summer and Christmas of 2024. If and when pre-orders open again, prices start from £1,295.