A new season of the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup is upon us, kicking off in Jerez alongside the World Championship. The two races will take place over the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, with 25 riders from 15 different countries competing.
Who’s to watch in the 2019 Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup?
Hailing from Australia, Billy Van Eerde was the 2018 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup champion. The 17-year-old holds an impressive record, winning Australian Dirt Track Titles at the age of ten, later going to win the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship Over 300 Production Supersport category. This year the Australian will also compete in the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship for the Asia Talent Team.
Max Cook, who placed third overall in the 2018 British Talent Cup, returns to the Rookies Cup in 2019. The 16-year-old was inspired to take up a motorsport by his Grandad, who was a rally cross driver, and his dad, who was a mechanic. He rode at the Scott Redding Young Riders Academy and was the 2017 Moto3 Standard Motostar British Champion. The young Brit will also be competing in both the Rookies Cup and the FIM CEV Repsol Moto3™ Junior World Championship.
American prospect Tyler Scott joins the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup for the first time in 2019, after a series of Flat Track wins and being signed by the Ikono Laglisse Academy in the FIM CEV Repsol European Talent Cup. Tyler grew up around bikes; his dad and uncle were AMA Flat Track racers and his dad now owns a motorbike dealership.
2018 and 2017 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup runner-up Haruki Noguchi joins the Red Bull Rookies for the first time, in 2019. The Japanese 17-year-old grew up watching MotoGP™ and starting racing at the age of five. With a convincing record behind him, Haruki also joins the FIM CEV Moto3™ Junior World Championship with the Asia Talent Team.
Indonesian rider ‘Super Mario’ Mario Aji joins the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup for the first time, after he placed fifth in the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup last year. The 15-year-old also rides with Astra Honda Racing Team in the FIM CEV Moto3™ Junior World Championship.
Of course, there will be some familiar faces on the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup grid including Carlos Tatay, Adrian Huertas, Aiden Liebenberg and Barry Baltus, who all return to the cup.
Watch the young MotoGP™ hopefuls as they take to the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto, alongside the World Championship, on the 3-5 of May, as they race alongside the Gran Premio Red Bull de España.