Rookies Cup prepares for the future

From the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is enjoying its fifth season and as the selection process is now open for the 2012 series the partnership is very pleased to announce its plans extending through 2013.

Dorna, KTM and Red Bull will continue in the partnership that has provided the world's teenagers with a truly fantastic stepping stone into Grand Prix racing and makes the transition into the four-stroke Moto3 era with a brand new machine provided by KTM for the 2013 Cup.

Over the past five years the Cup has become the natural route for riders to take who wish to enter MotoGP. The Cup's status as the entry point into MotoGP for the aspiring talents from around the globe is further enhanced by the announcement that the best rider from the 2012 Cup will be offered a place in a Grand Prix Moto3 Team for 2013 by Red Bull.

“We put 'MotoGP' in the series title for a reason and it has become the main stream for riders coming to Grand Prix," said Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta. "We will continue to work with our partners Red Bull to increase the already impressive world-wide television coverage and status of the Rookies Cup so that everyone knows the key role that the Rookies Cup plays in developing Grand Prix racing talent.”

KTM has similarly been an essential part of the Cup since its inception and after six years on the competitive circuit, the RC 125 KTMs currently being used will be replaced in 2013 by KTM’s entirely newly developed four-stroke Moto3 machine.

“The Rookies Cup perfectly matches our company philosophy,” said Stefan Pierer, KTM CEO. “Just as the RC 125 was closely related to our factory Grand Prix machine, the Rookies Cup Moto3 machine will be very similar to the bike that we will race in the Moto3 World Championship next year. They are part of our latest range of tarmac models, also represented by the 125 Duke. These provide riders with an introduction to street bike riding just as the Rookies Cup is the road to Grand Prix success.”

Riders supply information about themselves including their racing experience enabling the panel of experts to select around 100 who are invited to a Selection Event to be held in early October. From this annual Selection Event normally 10 to 15 riders are chosen to be invited to take part in the following season's Cup. They race and learn alongside those retained from the previous season as part of a grid of up to 25 teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17.

The exact schedule for the 2012 season has yet to be finalised but is likely to be very similar to the 2011 Cup which is being contested over 14 races at eight GPs in Europe. The races can be seen on over 40 television stations around the world and are webcast live on www.redbull.tv.