PTR Honda rider Jules Cluzel's battle for victory with Kenan Sofuoglu at Misano last month might have looked hot but it was the team's race truck that burst into flames on the journey back to its Lincolnshire base.

Fortunately no-one was injured in the fierce fire that started when a tyre blew out on the left hand side of the trailer but significant damage had been sustained to both the unit and its contents before the alarm was raised.

The trailer was brought back from France last week and the team began the soul destroying task of recovering what could be salvaged and are only now able to assess the true extent and cost of the damage which runs into tens of thousands of pounds.

PTR Honda Team Manager, Simon Buckmaster said: “This is a huge setback for the team at this stage of the season. Jules is currently only 30 points off taking the lead in the Championship and we want to be in a position to keep his very real hopes of becoming World Supersport Champion alive.”

“There is an unbelievable amount of work to do to put this right. We will do it, the team have been fantastic with their effort and dedication. We want to give ourselves the best chance to be World Champion this year but realistically for a private team this is a huge financial blow. There is a large hole in the side of the truck that was cut to ensure the fire was completely extinguished and there is an even bigger hole in the budget to run the team for the rest of the season which is why we are appealing to the PTR Honda fans and the wider racing community for their help at this challenging time.”

If the target is achieved the team will hold a draw for one lucky donor to win VIP tickets to the last European World Supersport round at Jerez as guests of PTR Honda !

Donations will be used to rebuild the trailer and replace the equipment destroyed by the fire.