mmg.com.au

Every sports star needs a secret weapon and Kyabram road racer Brad Shaw now has one of his own.

For the next year, the 17-year-old will have five-time 500cc world champion Mick Doohan in his corner.

The Australian motorsport legend will serve as Shaw’s personal mentor as part of a Sport Australia Hall of Fame scholarship he received in September.

The package includes a $5000 sporting grant to go towards his racing and a return flight with Etihad Airways anywhere in its network.

However, the mentoring element could prove just as valuable.

Shaw said he had an idea Doohan would be the man and could not wait to meet him.

‘‘We sort of hoped it was (Doohan), because your mentor has to be inducted in the (Sport Australia) Hall of Fame and he’s the only road racer that has been inducted,’’ Shaw said.

‘‘He’s just going to give us good guidance with stuff, where to go and what to do in the years to come and what path to take.

‘‘He might help me with tactics, tell me how to approach a race weekend and what’s the best way to do stuff.

‘‘We hope he does, but we’ll have to wait and see.

‘‘It’s amazing, I really can’t get anyone better to help me out for the year.’’

Shaw had a breakout season this year, winning the Pirelli Superstock 600 Sprint Championship and Superstock 600 C-grade Championship.

With a new season set to begin in mid-February, Shaw is in the middle of the off-season.

However, he is doing a lot of cycling, gym and running training and spending as much time on the bike at his home track at Winton as he can to make sure he is ready to return to racing.

‘‘It’s really hard around the Christmas break and it’s really hot for riding, but we try (to ride) as much as we can,’’ he said.

Shaw expects to have his first meeting with his new mentor next month.