The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup starts its fourth season in 2010
With 15 nations represented in the provisional entry list of 25 riders – all looking to follow in the footsteps of 2009 winner Jakub Kornfeil. Kornfeil received his FIM award from the Federation president Vito Ippolito at the final MotoGP round in Valencia, where he was racing in the 125GP class – and the 16-year-old Czech is due to start next season as a full time grand prix rider.
“It is what I have been working for. I knew that winning the Rookies Cup would be my best chance of having a full time grand prix ride,” he said. “So now I have a very good opportunity in grand prix as a Red Bull athlete and I know that I still have a lot of learning to do but I want to be racing in the top twenty and get some points if I can.”
The Cup winner is not the only one to be launched into a professional career from this year’s Rookie Cup; runner-up 17-year-old Norwegian Sturla Fagerhaug is also hoping to compete in the 125GP class while third placed Florian Marino, the 16-year-old Frenchman, steps across to the European 600 Superstock Series as a full time member of the prestigious Ten Kate Team.
“I have a great chance in a great team and I have to thank everyone in the Rookies Cup for helping me so much to progress as a rider, especially Gustl who taught me how to win,” said Marino recalling Rider Coach Gustl Auinger’s words to him in Donington after a string of top six finishes. Three weeks later he won in Brno.
With those men added to the list of Rookies Alumni already in GP racing – such as 2007 Cup winner Johann Zarco, and runners-up from 2007 and 2008; Lorenzo Savadori and Luis Salom – the Cup has proved itself as a successful development ground for teenagers with great ambitions.
With the men in front of him having graduated, the way is clear for 16-year-old Californian Jake Gagne, fourth in 2009, to complete his transformation from motocrosser to winning international road racer in just three seasons by taking the 2010 Rookies Cup.
But he will be fiercely opposed by another 14 riders who remain in the Cup from this season and the 10 Rookies brought in new from this year’s Selection Process.
The number of races for the coming season has been increased to ten so the riders get more opportunity to develop their skills and prove themselves in front of the grand prix fans, teams and media.
There are more double race weekends so that the Rookies will perform both on the same day as the MotoGP race in Jerez, Assen, Sachsenring and Brno and on the preceding day of MotoGP qualifying in Jerez, Mugello, Assen, Sachsenring, Brno and Misano.
Provisional Entry List:
3 Deni Cudic AUT
5 Philipp Oettl GER
7 Alejandro Pardo ITA
16 Joshua Hook AUS
17 Antonio Chiari BRA
18 James Flitcroft GBR
20 Mathew Scholtz RSA
22 Daniel Ruiz ESP
23 Niccolo Antonelli ITA
24 Harry Stafford GBR
27 Alessio Cappella ITA/NGR
32 Jacob Gagne USA
34 Xavier Pinsach ESP
41 Brad Binder RSA
46 Daijiro Hiura JPN
47 Tomas Vavrous CZE
52 Danny Kent GBR
57 Brody Nowlan AUS
61 Arthur Sissis AUS
66 Florian Alt GER
72 Alexander Kristiansson SWE
74 Kevin Calia ITA
77 Taylor Mackenzie GBR
95 Xavier Figueras ESP
98 Alan Techer FRA
Provisional Calendar:
Pre Season Test: April 12th, 13th & 15th Valencia – Spain
Races 1 & 2: May 1st & 2nd Jerez – Spain
Race 3: June 5th Mugello – Italy
Races 4 & 5: June 25th & 26th Assen – Netherlands
Races 6 & 7: July 17th & 18th Sachsenring – Germany
Races 8 & 9: August 14th & 15th Brno – Czech Republic
Race 10: September 4th Misano – Republic of San Marino
source: crash.net