Red Bull Rookies launches renewed search for tomorrow's
champs
 When
riders in the Red Bull Rookies Cup are on the circuit they
are almost indistinguishable from the professionals in the
125 cc world championship.
It's only when the front runners take off their helmets and
climb up on podium that it become clear that they are indeed
very young talents. Following the successful launch for tomorrow's
champions in 2007, the Rookies, aged between 12 and 16-years,
will again be out to master some of the world's best circuits
in 2008.
European series and parallel US series in 2008
Red Bull Rookies Cup, a unique opportunity for these junior
riders to compete on the world's top racing circuits riding
identical KTM RC 125 machines, was launched in 2007. This
hothouse for nurturing tomorrow's champions is now being expanding
in 2008 to include the Red Bull AMA Rookies Cup in the USA,
setting up a unique battle for junior supremacy on both sides
of the Atlantic.
New circuits, new challenges
For 2008 some things will stay the same and some will be very
different in Europe as these young riders battle it out in
the 10-race calendar that starts with a double-header in March
at the Spanish Grand Prix weekend in Jerez and ends with another
two races in Brno in August for the Czech Grand Prix. Rookies
this season will also ride for the first time at Le Mans.
At the end of the European season, the ten top rookies will
then face off against their 10 best American counterparts
for the Red Bull Riders Cup, first at Indianapolis in September
and then at the final Grand Prix of the season in Valencia,
Spain.
Experience versus talented newcomers
Ten Red Bull Rookies remain from 2007 and they are being joined
by 14 new faces to create a field of entries from across Europe
as well as from South Africa, Australia and Japan. Having
already passed the rigorous selection process the riders now
test in February and March in Jerez, Valencia and Estoril.
This year eyes will be on Japan's Daijiro Hiura who snatched
a ride as a wild card entry in the final race in 2007 and
showed he is one to watch, while UK rider Matthew Hoyle and
Spaniard Luis Salom, who both amassed experience last season,
should be among the front runners. Dean Brown of Scotland
and Markus Reiterberger are two experienced 14-year-olds expected
to perform well, as is 16-year-old Sturla Fagerhaug of Norway.
KTM support beyond providing KTM RC 125 cc machines
For KTM, the Red Bull Rookies Cup is a unique opportunity
not only to provide the identical machines for the Rookies
but also to initiate a parallel program for promising young
KTM mechanics to train and operate in the rarefied atmosphere
of real racing. This commitment underlines KTM's credo to
always be "Ready to Race" both now and in the future.
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