Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – it all started with an idea 23.03.2007 In the spring of 2006, an idea sprung to life committed, ambitious and focused on an objective. Dorna, KTM and Red Bull decided on the biggest talent search in international motorcycle racing. More than 1,100 applications from 60 countries were received within a few weeks — among them 103 interested young ladies, who were looking to find their way into MotoGP. The following steps lay ahead of these young, 13 to 16 year old talents: Selection 2006 During the Selection Event at the “Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo” from August 28th to 31st 2006, the best twenty riders were selected in the first instance and nominated for the Rookies Cup. In another test in October at the Adria Raceway in Italy, three further rookies were nominated — under the athletic direction of Spanish motorcycling legend Alberto Puig, KTM’s Race Director Harald Bartol and multiple Grand Prix winner Gustl Auinger from Austria. Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 22 male riders and one young lady from ten nations will contest the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup starting March the 25th. Seven races supporting selected European MotoGP race weekends. From Jerez via Mugello to Donington, then from Assen via Germany’s Sachsenring to Brno, and finally back to the Selection’s point of departure — Valencia. In another step of professional training, the cream of the crop will have the opportunity to complete a very special kind of prep program at the Red Bull MotoGP Academy on their way towards MotoGP. They stood wide-eyed in front of the lap charts in Valencia, some of them with a tear in their eye at the Selection Event for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007. They were able to share their delight with friends, relatives and patrons. For it was certain: They had qualified and would travel across Europe from March to November 2007 chauffeured and accompanied by friends, relatives and patrons. Life has changed significantly for at least 23 families when testing started. Because from now on it’s all about hoping and trembling and competing. 23 talents between the ages of 13 and 16 need to be accompanied across Europe on their possible way towards the potential target: MotoGP. For most of them the motorsports bug runs right within their own families. Most of them (14) name Valentino Rossi as their role model, but reigning world champion Nicky Hayden is very popular as well. And all of them have only one goal: To compete in a MotoGP race and win it, too. The youngest of the rookies will be celebrating his 13th birthday in May. Péter Sebestyén from Hungary. And the oldest, Johann Zarco from France, has already reached a biblical age, turning 17 in July 2007. A young lady wants to try her hand as well — Lucy Gloeckner from Germany is the only female participant in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, she not only wants to push the young gentlemen ahead, but also be among the front runners herself — right at the sharp end, mind you. 23 riders from ten nations will push their KTM bikes onto the starting grid for the first time in Jerez. The young talents come from Germany, Italy, Norway, Great Britain, the USA, the Czech Republic, France, Sweden, Hungary and Spain. Great Britain leads the quantitative rankings with five rookies, followed by Spain and Germany with four riders each. The USA are dispatching three talents, while France is sending forward two riders to the cup. The remaining countries (Czechia, Hungary, Italy, Norway and Sweden) are each represented by one rookie. Riders and Numbers No. Name (Nation) # 03 Daniel Kartheininger (GER) # 05 Johann Zarco (FRA) # 06 Péter Sebestyén (HUN) # 07 Deane Brown (GB) # 09 Lukáš Ã… embera (CZE) # 11 Jamie Mossey (GB) # 12 Javier Cholbi-Pascual (ESP) # 16 Cameron Beaubier (USA) # 21 Kevin Sánchez Montillo (ESP) # 22 Cyril Carrillo (FRA) # 23 Matthew Hoyle (GB) # 28 Markus Reiterberger (GER) # 32 Lorenzo Savadori (ITA) # 33 Sturla Borch Fagerhaug (NOR) # 35 Christoph Schönberger (GER) # 36 Stuart Mitchell (GB) # 38 Kris Turner (USA) # 39 Luis Jaime Salom (ESP) # 52 Adam Blacklock # 66 Robert Gull (SWE) # 69 Lucy Glöckner (GER) # 73 JD Beach (USA) # 92 Cristian Trabalon (ESP) The seven races of the 2007 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Date Location Nation 25 March Jerez ESP 2 June Mugello ITA 24 June Donington GB 30 June Assen NL 15 July Sachsenring GER 19 Aug Brno CZ 4 Nov Valencia ESP More, from another press release issued by KTM: “Ready to race” also in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup KTM offers talents the highest technical standards. In the 125cc world championship, this year’s KTM riders are Tomoyoshi Koyama (JPN), Randy Krummenacher (SUI) and Stevie Bonsey (USA). Mika Kallio (FIN) and Hiroshi Aoyama (JPN) will fight for KTM wins and the title in the 250cc world championship. The rider to earn the overall victory in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup will be known in Valencia at the latest. But in any event the winner is KTM. The 2007 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup will be run on top spec machinery a KTM RC 125, a specially developed race model for rookies. The bikes of the young riders will be appropriately motorised by 45 HP, and technically supervised by Gustl Auinger, the five time motorcycle GP winner from Austria, and the KTM team — true to the motto: Ready to race! Cooperation between Red Bull, KTM and Dorna opens doors for talented young riders and possible future motorcycle champions. The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is a unique program for fostering motorcycle talent in promising young riders who compete on actual Grand Prix circuits in front of huge crowds, on identical bikes and under identical conditions. The program is designed to create a level playing field so that the best and the brightest emerge at the top and no young talent is overlooked due to a lack of financial resources or professional backing. “In the Cup it is important to have eventual: a real passion for racing and that you are fast on the bike,” says KTM Motorsports Manager Pit Beirer. “The KTM RC 125 bikes are all identical and are a very high standard. That means the fastest rider will win.” With MotoGP enjoying increasing popularity and of ever growing importance in the international motorsports calendar, the Rookies Cup is vital for developing young motorcycle talent aged between 13 — 16 years. In the final selection process, riders were chosen not only on their results but also according to their personality, racing spirit, team spirit and sense of fair play. The competition is truly international in 2007 with an extended list of 23 riders from 10 nations. KTM Road Racing Director Harald Bartol underlined that due to the fact that the riders were competing on bikes that were almost the same standard as the 125cc factory rider’s bikes, they were in the best possible position to be able to make the leap from the Rookies Cup into the World Championship competition. “From the 1,100 applicants we were also able to select the most talented candidates because money did not play the deciding role,” he added, underlining that unlike other similar programs, riders only have to finance their own travel costs while all other costs are covered. For KTM, the company with the “Ready to Race” philosophy, engagement in the program is essential for discovering potential future factory riders. The rookie element also extends to the technical team — the 25 mechanics working on the program are all KTM trainees. KTM and Red Bull cooperate in a range of rookies programs, including the now concluded Red Bull Supermoto Junior Cup, which ran successfully for four years. The Rookies Cup gives the young riders the inimitable experience of competing on GP circuits in front of huge crowds, all riding identical KTM RC 125 machines. Technical specifications – Rookies Cup Bike — KTM RC 125 ENGINE Engine Type single cylinder, 2-stroke Displacement (cc) 125 Bore x Stroke (mm) 54 / 54.5 Performance approx. 45 HP / 13.000 rpm Torque 30 Nm / 12.800 rpm Compression ratio 9:1 Transmission 6 gears Carburetor Keihin 38 Cooling Liquid cooled Lubrication Mixture lubrication Ignition CDI CHASSIS Frame Aluminium twin spar frame Suspension front / rear WP Suspension Brakes front / rear Brembo Steeldisc Rims front / rear Marchesini Fuel capacity approx. 13 liters Weight 136 kg incl. Rider