The wait is over, the action starts, chasing the World Champions. Brad Binder, Danny Kent and Johann Zarco are all ex Rookies and as the 2017 World Championships started in Qatar with Moto3 pole position for Jorge Martin and victory for fellow ex Rookie Joan Mir, the new generation are ready to follow.
The eleventh year of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup begins with the preseason test at Motorland Aragon on April 4th, 5th and 7th. As in previous seasons, 24 teenagers from 13 nations across the globe will be getting used to their KTM RC 250 Rs prior to the 13 race campaign which starts in Jerez on May 6th.
More than just riders
The Aragon test not only gives the young riders the chance develop their skills on the KTMs but to try out their new Alpinestars and Schuberth safety equipment, even for returning Rookies it is always a special moment as the young teens grow considerably through their time in the Rookies Cup.
The ever increasing level of Rookies Cup competition demands the very best not only from the riders themselves but from the partners who make the Cup possible. Founding partners, Dorna, KTM and Alpinestars have been joined in past seasons by Ipone and last year by Schuberth and now Panta, the Italian company specialising in racing fuels.
Calendar
Test - April 4-7 Aragon – Spain
R1&2 - May 6-7 Jerez – Spain
R3&4 - June 24-25 Assen – Netherlands
R5&6 - July 1-2 Sachsenring – Germany
R7&8 - August 5-6 Brno – Czech Republic
R9&10 - August 12-13 Spielberg – Austria
R11 - September 9 Misano – Italy
R12&13 - September 23-24 Aragon – Spain
Entry List
4 Dan Jones GBR
6 Ryusei Yamanaka JPN
9 Sasha De Vits BEL
11 Gabriele Giannini ITA
12 Filip Salač CZE
13 Walid Soppe NED
14 Matthias Meggle GER
19 Lorenzo Bartalesi ITA
20 Omar Bonoli ITA
21 Victor Steeman NED
22 Peetu Paavilainen FIN
24 Xavier Artigas ESP
28 Adrian Carrasco ESP
36 Beatriz Neila ESP
39 Kazuki Masaki JPN
40 Sean Kelly USA
43 Steward Garcia COL
44 Kevin Orgis GER
65 Can Öncü TUR
69 Rory Skinner GBR
79 Ai Ogura JPN
81 Aleix Viu ESP
82 Loran Faber NED
83 Meikon Kawakami BRA