Red Bull Rookies Class of 2023 accelerates at Portimao
Rookie Red Bull 2023
Two days of record-breaking test runs in perfect conditions at Portimão prepared the world’s 26 fastest teenagers for the 17th season of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
Aerodynamic updates on the KTM RC 250 Rs, using details pioneered in the KTM MotoGP program and developed for Moto3 World Championship bikes, have perhaps helped the fastest rookie to break the record circuit.
Máximo Quiles finished 3rd in last year’s Cup and is the highest ranked driver who will return. “It’s great to be back on the KTM, I really like it. You can feel that the bike is a little more powerful than last year, the way it gets through the hills here and out into the corners. I started off easy yesterday, got used to the bike again and pushed a little harder today with the new tyres. There are a lot of fast riders, it’s always the same in the Rookies Cup.”
It’s not just the returning gladiators that are up to speed, shattering any suggestion that there’s any predictability as to who will fight for this year’s Cup. That will be decided across 14 races, starting at the Portuguese Grand Prix on March 25.
“I have to get old,” laughed racer coach Gustl Auinger. “I’m just impressed with these guys. It was great to have a Choice Event again last year after we missed it a few years. I was hoping we’d see some fast riders but I’m sure they’ll have to take a couple of races before they get up to speed. “In the first session yesterday, you could pick out the newcomers but by the second session, they were right there, looking strong and running as fast as the second and third year Rookies. Then, at the end of the day, they’re going to play soccer together and you know, we have another great group of kids.“
“I am very satisfied with the test,racer coach Dani Ribalta said. “First of all I was very impressed when we got here the engineering team did a great job getting ready for all the bikes, complete overhaul, refreshed engines, new maps with the lower part is firmer and the driver can feel the improvement. Some are below the lap record and some are already very fast. We were a lot luckier than last year with dry weather and lack of wind. It gave us a great start to the season.“
Red Bull rookie calendar 2023
- 1&2 March 25-26 – Portimão (Portugal)
- 3&4 April 29-30 – Jerez (Spain)
- 5&6 May 13-14 – Le Mans (France)
- 7&8 June 10-11 – Mugello (Italy)
- 9&10 June 24-25 – Assen (Netherlands)11&12
- August 19-20 – Spielberg (Austria)
- September 13 & 14 – Misano (Italy)
Red Bull’s 2023 Rookie List
- 2 Amaury Mizera (France)
- 5 Leo Rammerstorfer (Austria)
- 8 Eddie O’Shea (UK)
- 11 Ruché Moodley (South Africa)
- 12Jacob Roulstone (Australia)
- 13 Danish Hakim (Malaysia)
- 14 Cormac Buchanan (New Zealand)
- 18 Angel Piqueras (Spain)
- 23 Rhys Stephenson (England)
- 25 Alexander Enriquez (USA)
- 27 Rico Salmela (Finland)
- 28 Máximo Quiles (Spain)
- 47 Edoardo Boggio (Italy)
- 50 Carter Thompson (Australia)
- 54 Alberto Ferrandez (Spain)
- 56 Kevin Farkas (Hungary)
- 57 Danial Shahril (Malaysia)
- 67 Casey O’Gorman (Ireland)
- 69 Marcos Ruda (Spain)
- 78 Jakob Rosenthaler (Austria)
- 81 Lorenz Luciano (Belgium)
- 83 Alvaro Carpe (Spain)
- 88 Shinya Ezawa (Japan)
- 93 Arbi Aditama (Indonesia)
- 94 Guido Pini (Italy)
- 95Marco Chincolla (Argentina)