Twenty youngsters chosen for Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 Thursday 7th September 2006 Twenty young riders took their next step on the road to their motorcycle racing dream today, as their qualification for the 2007 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup was announced. The twenty were chosen after a phenomenal response to the invitation for them to try their luck, with a total number of applicants topping 1,100 young talents. After whittling down the field from the initial entrants, a total of 165 riders arrived at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo on 28 August 2006 to begin the selection process under the watchful eye of Spanish motorcycling legend Alberto Puig and KTM Race Director Harald Bartol. The event in Valencia was contested on standardised Metrakit Pre GP 125 spec bikes. The hopefuls were divided into two groups, to ride on either Monday 28th or Tuesday 29th, before the successful 45 returned on the Wednesday for the final chance to take a place amongst the lucky 20. The selected twenty are: Lukas SEMBERA – Czech Republic Johann ZARCO – France Cyril CARRILLO – France Lucy GLOECKNER – Germany Markus REITERBERGER – Germany Christoph SCHOENBERGER – Germany Peter SEBESTYÉN – Hungary Lorenzo SAVADORI – Italy Sturla Borch FAGERHAUG – Norway Javier CHOLBI – Spain Johnny ROSELL – Spain Cristian TRABALON – Spain Robert GULL – Sweden Adam BLACKLOCK – United Kingdom Matthew HOYLE – United Kingdom Stuart MITCHELL – United Kingdom Jamie Charles MOSSEY – United Kingdom JD BEACH – United States of America Cameron BEAUBIER – United States of America Kris TURNER – United States of America The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2007 will also be contested using uniform top material, namely a KTM RC 125 specially developed race model for rookies motorised with 45 HP and technically supervised by August Auinger, a multiple motorcycle GP winner from Austria, and his team. The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races in 2007 will be run mainly on the Sunday of a GP weekend, immediately after the MotoGP premier class and in front of the corresponding crowds. Only in Assen and Mugello will the races will be held on a Saturday. The following rounds are provisionally scheduled: 25 March 2007 Jerez 2 June 2007 Mugello 24 June 2007 Donington Park 30 June 2007 Assen 15 July 2007 Sachsenring 19 August 2007 Brno 4 November 2007 Valencia More information can be found at www.redbullrookiescup.com and www.motogp.com Harald Bartol “First I was surprised by the multitudes of applications. When almost 200 kids and their entourage were standing in front of the pits full of expectation, I was overwhelmed. The performances of the young riders were for the most part very promising, but most of all I’m glad that virtually no bad accidents were recorded during the three days. I believe that together we’ve found the best rookies for next year and that we’ll see some exciting races.” Alberto Puig “The first step has been taken now the kids need to seize the opportunity and gain experience in this Rookies Cup, they need to learn and learn again. This project of Dorna and Red Bull is exemplary for our sport, since the participants, but also the world champions in motorcycle racing are increasingly getting younger. So this cup certainly is an outstanding project!” And now, Q&A on the Red Bull Rookies Cup, with Red Bull’s Jordan Miller: Roadracing World: What is the thinking behind including kids who have never been on a paved road course or a road racing bike before? Red Bull: To be finally selected for the Red MotoGP Rookies Cup it is not solely important that you have to be among the 20 fastest riders. It is the overall impression including speed, personality, ambition, talent, drive and so on that counts. Of course, having experience in road racing will be a little advantage, but it is not a necessity. In our opinion using DOT tires instead of slicks will reduce the advantage of the experienced riders. RW: What will you say to the parents of a kid who did fund raisers to get over to Valencia, after their kid gets 15 minutes to learn on a new bike and a new track and fails to make the cut? RB: Unfortunately road racing is an expensive sport. It is simply a fact that you have to invest in your career, before eventually having success. The Red Bull MotoGP Selection provides a unique possibility to find out how their skill level is compared to other international riders. Maybe for some of them it’s better to invest once and afterwards accept that they are not ready yet for a career in Motorsports, than to get the same awareness in some years time. However, for few of the riders it will be their first trip out of their country, an experience they will never forget. RW: How is the selection process fair to kids who have not been on the Valencia track before? RB: There will never be the possibility to offer the same conditions to all participants. The riders have to convince our expert team by showing some good parts of the track. Faults are permitted. We simply want to see a positive race attitude and courage but no frivolousness. For the final selection we will take into consideration if they already had track time at the circuit of Valencia and therefore, it should also be fair to the “Valencia Rookies”. FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: To JD, Cameron and Kris We wish all of you our warmest congratulations. Everyone did an awesome job and the cream rose to the TOP; as it should. Dreams do come true and today more than any other time in history the youth of America is stronger than ever! All of us a Team Coolskunk KyDs Racing wish you the very best in everything you do! Now work hard, learn everything you can and kick some butt! Kind regards, Philip Rispoli Team Coolskunk KyDs Racing, Founder Flat Track Illustrated, Publisher Attica, New York