MotoAmerica’s Mini Cup by Motul will be part of the new FIM MiniGP World Series, which is being billed by Dorna and FIM as the “first step” to reaching the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
The FIM MiniGP World Series includes mini racing series run by FIM regional, national, and continental affiliates around the world using the same set of sporting and technical regulations to standardize the competition. The new program is open to riders between the ages of 10 and 14 using Ohvale GP-0 160 motorcycles, and the regional series must include at least four events and eight races.
The Champion of each of the FIM affiliate series will be given the opportunity to participate in a World Final, which will take place during the week leading up to the final MotoGP event of the season. The winner of the World Final will earn a spot in one of the next series up on the ladder on the Road To MotoGP, like the British Talent Cup, Northern Talent Cup, or European Talent Cup.
Today, FIM and Dorna announced that there will be an FIM MiniGP North America Championship running in conjunction with 2021 MotoAmerica events at Road America (June 11-13), Ridge Motorsports Park (June 25-27), Pittsburgh International Race Complex (August 13-15), and Barber Motorsports Park (September 17-19).
According to MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland, competitors entering MotoAmerica’s Mini Cup by Motul 160 class at those events will automatically be entered in the new FIM MiniGP North America Championship.
“We want to be sure that our riders have the opportunity to qualify to go to that World Final, if they choose to, and this is a way to do that,” said Aksland. “We kind of started this with the Mini Cup, formalizing a [mini racing] program. It’s good to see Dorna is taking a step to develop a worldwide platform for that and giving young kids this opportunity. We’re already seeing four or five kids from the Mini Cup last year are moving up to Junior Cup. It’s good to create these steps on the ladder, for sure.”
Read more in a press release issued by Dorna and FIM:
FIM MiniGP World Series: first selected Cups confirmed
The first seven series to be included in the new Road to MotoGP™ programme have been revealed
Thursday, 22 April 2021
The FIM MiniGP World Series begins in 2021, designed to unify and standardise MiniGP competitions from around the world under the same umbrella. The newest path on the Road to MotoGP™, the series aims to create an equal platform for young riders worldwide and increase their skill and opportunity.
Federations and CONUs (continental unions) from around the world have been applying to be part of the new Series, and the first seven competitions to be included can now be revealed: France, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, North America, Spain and the UK. The seven are the first to have their applications approved and published.
All riders will race on Ohvale GP-0 160cc machinery, the official and sole motorcycle of the FIM MiniGP World Series project.
In France, the FIM MiniGP France Series will be called Mini GP France. Racing begins at the end of May at Le Castellet, and the calendar comprises four rounds. From Le Castellet, the Cup will race in Aigues Vives, Fontenay le Comte and Alès.
The FIM MiniGP Italy Series is the CIV Junior and will be the first to start competition on the 25th of April. Five rounds are planned for the Italian series, including two visits to Modena, and the calendar begins in Magione for the 18 riders on the 2021 entry list.
In Malaysia, the FIM MiniGP Malaysia Series will begin at Sepang International Circuit in June and race until September. A four-round calendar is planned with races at four different circuits and 15 riders are already confirmed to take part.
The FIM MiniGP Netherlands Series will begin in Veldhoven at the end of May. A round at Assen prefaces visits to Lelystad and the legendary Spa-Francorchamps, just over the border.
North America will have a continental series named the FIM MiniGP North America Series. Beginning in June, the Cup will race at Road America, Ridge Motorsports Park, Pittsburg International Race Complex and Barber Motorsports Park in the USA, but the Cup is the first CONU application to be approved and is open to the continent.
In Spain, the FIM MiniGP Spain Series starts at the Circuito Internacional Kotarr, Burgos, from the 5th to the 6th of June. More than 20 riders will fight it out at four rounds in 2021.
In the UK, the FIM MiniGP UK Series calendar takes in five rounds across the UK, with more than 15 riders on the Entry List set to compete on kart or short circuit layouts at Thruxton, Donington, Cadwell, Snetterton and Silverstone beginning at the end of July.
The FIM and Dorna Sports have received further applications from other federations and CONUs, with the inclusion of more Cups to be announced by the 30th of April.
The final deadline for federations and CONUs to submit applications to be part of the new FIM MiniGP World Series is the 23rd of April.
