Masbou ready for maiden season

This year's 125 World Championship will be Alexis Masbou debut season in Grand Prix racing. The French youngster will join fellow countryman Mike di Meglio in the minor class and will race under the banner of the Ajo Motorsport – Honda team.

"We started to talk with Ajo Motorsport at the end of the season. At Valencia, we met them, they heard about my results, in the French and European Championships, and we reached an agreement for this year," said Masbou, who won the 125 French Championship last year.

"It will obviously be a season of learning. I will discover new tracks and a new world: everything seems so different at the World Championship level! I could experience that with my two wildcard appearances at the French Grand Prix. There's quite a gap between the French and the European Championships, but the World Championship is way above."

"I can't really set any kind of goal: I just have to do my best, but without rushing as I have plenty of things to learn. We'll see how it goes, but the single fact that I'm a GP rider is a great motivation."

Masbou rose up through the ranks with the Equipe de France Espoir, under the guidance of former riders Alain Bronec and Nicolas Dussauge. He will be joined by another rookie at Ajo Motorsport, Tomoyoshi Koyama.