The supply chain of modern motorcycle racing, which enables young talents to take their first steps on the ladder to the decisive leap into the international championship, is very diverse. An aspect that is not limited to Europe, but also extends to the Asian regions. Promoted and monitored directly by Dorna Sports, it was possible in a short time to create a sector called “Road to MotoGP” whose main objectives are to contain costs and run races without differences or technical imbalances in order to ensure that the qualities of each are emphasized more.
Red Bull Rookies Cup: Where the little Zarcos show up
A Europe-wide brand championship in which the events coincided with some MotoGP races, the competition was launched in 2007 thanks to the patronage of Dorna and the Austrian energy drink giant Red Bull. Thanks to the technical support from KTM, KTM even switched from the RC 125 to the significantly further developed RC 250 R in the course of the season a calendar specially designed for MotoGP, riders between the ages of 13 and 18 (selected by the organizers through comparative selections) have the opportunity to present themselves on the racetracks of the old continent in order to bring them closer to the international stage. The project has expanded to our country due to the agreement signed last year between Red Bull Italy and FMI to support the Pata Talenti Azzurri in circuit racing.
The Rookies Cup has proven to be suitable for generating young talent. Although he had to wait a few seasons before arriving in the then 125cc World Championship, the current Pramac is a Racing driver Johann Zarco secured the title in 2007, followed by two exceptional cases represented by JD Beach and Jake Gagne as they were winners in 2008 and 2010: Except for a few rare appearances as a wildcard, neither of them had the opportunity to compete permanently in the world championship (only Gagne in the SBK 2018), but found in the USA, as one can see from the titles won in MotoAmerica SS600 and SBK can see. In addition to various champions such as Jakub Kornfeil, Lorenzo Baldassarri, Florian Alt, Karel Hanika, Bo Bendsneyder, Ayumu Sasaki, Kazuki Sasaki, Can Oncu and Carlos Tatay, The series has also proven to be an excellent stepping stone for some Spaniards: the 2018 Moto3 champion Jorge Martin (1st place in 2014 and now protagonist in MotoGP alongside Zarco) and rising star Pedro Acosta (Class of 2004, reigning champion of the Rookies Cup, current front runner and the great revelation of Moto3).
Northern Talent Cup, looking for the new Saarinen and Mang
Launched at the end of 2019 and strongly supported by Dorna in consultation with ADAC and (also here) KTM, The Northern Talent Cup aims to encourage the growth of young riders from Northern and Central Europe, from areas that are so far far removed from championships at the highest level. Based on the European Talent Cup regulations, the maximum number of participants is 26 between the ages of 12 and 17, who race with standard RC 250. Although the debut season was influenced by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organizers had to set up a calendar with only four rounds, which were mainly distributed in Germany (Sachsenring-Lausitzring-Hockenheim) and the Czech Republic (Brno) with the IDM made the NTC in this year stations at excellent facilities such as Le Mans (together with the world championship), Assen and Red Bull Ring, but also Oschersleben. It’s a championship that is gradually on the rise, as evidenced by the fact that the winner will compete in the Rookies Cup the following year (the master 2020 Soma Gorbe and similar in the immediate future to the winner of 2021, Jakub Gurecky), while at least two of the remaining drivers are registered for the selection event.
European Talent Cup, for the jump into the Moto3 Junior World Championship
Inspired by the Asia Talent Cup One-brand series that to this day drivers of the caliber of Ayumu Sasaki, Kaito Toba, Somkiat Chantra, Ai Ogura, Deniz Oncu and recently Taiyo Furusato (Born in 2005, four wins out of four and 1st place on his debut in the Rookies Cup 2021 in the Mugello race as a replacement for the injured Gabin Planques), Since 2017, the European Talent Cup has been part of the FIM CEV Repsol program in consultation with Dorna. Instead of the disappointing Production class, it is reserved for young riders ages 13-17 who all ride the same standard Honda NSF250R machines with the intention of enabling talented young people to make the leap into the Junior Moto3 World Championship or the Red Bull Rookies Cup (similar to the British Talent Cup held parallel to the British Superbike), But that’s not all: the different winners – Manuel Gonzalez (SS300 2019 champion, currently in the world SS600), Xavier Artigas and Be Guevara, both in the Moto3 World Championship – all of which have gone through the CEV are good examples. A championship in which even two Italian drivers Matteo Bertelle and Matteo Patacca reached the note (this year they are involved in CIV), in July the ETC unfortunately recorded the tragic death of Hugo Millán, hit in full by another driver after an accident on the Aragon track.
SuperSport 300, on the school desks for the Superbike World Championship
In contrast to the aforementioned championships, which were created to replace the European Junior Cup, Supersport 300 (intended for near-series models) has joined the European World Superbike event program. TRiders must be at least fifteen years old to participate, but the motorcycles admitted in this category are not all 300 cc, and for this reason the minimum weight and engine speed vary for each model. While it previously included motorcycles like the Honda CBR 500RR, last season the roster was limited to the Yamaha YZF-R3 and the Kawasaki Ninja 400, with a few exceptions represented by the KTM RC 390 R in 2017 it was thanks to the triumphs for the most part the land of the Spanish conquest Marc Garcia, Ana Carrasco, Manuel Gonzalez and recently Adrian Huertas, only with the Dutchman Jeffrey Buis break the supremacy in 2020. Even though The purpose of the category is to create an entry ladder into the SBK in a relatively sustainable manner from an economic point of view, Providing the same opportunities to win for all drivers, it has stood out from its close competition on several occasions and is considered too dangerous. In this sense, in the last few weeks, premature death is younger Dean Berta Vinales in race 1 in Jerez de la Frontera, the category has catapulted into the eye of the storm.
Photo credit: Red Bull.