The CEO of MotoGP owners Dorna Sports, Carmelo Ezpeleta, has confirmed the Spanish company’s plans to create a British Talent Cup.
In an interview with motogp.com last week, former grand prix winner and the man behind the careers of some of the sport’s biggest names Alberto Puig revealed Dorna’s plans to create an affordable series for young British riders to help them into the world championship.
Speaking to crash.net at the factory Yamaha team’s launch in Barcelona last week, Ezpeleta revealed that a budget is already in place for the series and aims to have it up and running for 2018, with the selection process for young riders taking place this year at Silverstone.
At present, it is unlikely that the Talent Cup will run in conjunction with the British Superbike Championship. However, Ezpeleta is planning talks with series owners MSV and BSB race director Stuart Higgs next month about the series.
“The cup will be in ’18 for sure,” confirmed Ezpeleta. “This year is Silverstone will be the selection for the cup, as we normally do it. This is fixed. We have the budget and we decided to do it… next year. This year there will be the British Talent Team with John McPhee.”
Ezpeleta is modelling the British cup on the hugely successful Asia Talent Cup, which has been seeking out up-and-coming stars from the likes of Japan and Thailand since 2014. Though unsure as to what the calendar will look like – the ATC runs over six rounds – Ezpeleta is confident that the selection process will see a large turnout.
“We want to do something similar to the Asia Talent Cup in 2018 for British people,” he said. “We don’t know yet the calendar which races there will be but we want to make the selection in Silverstone.
“Then we will choose obviously for age and qualities and something like that. We will test in Silverstone and then the idea is to do the same as we are doing with the Asia Talent Cup. All the equipment will be coming from us so we will teach the people.”
The reason for the push in setting up a talent scheme for British riders comes in the wake of a banner season for the country’s riders, Ezpeleta highlighting the success of Cal Crutchlow who became the first Brit to win two premier class races since 1979. It is also hoped that BT Sports, the home of MotoGP in the UK, will be able to air the series and give it the exposure it needs to flourish.
“We talk with the television and we it is important,” he added. “Also, now we see that the success of Cal and other British riders has revitalised a lot the British Grand Prix. This is the place to do it.
“In principle we think we need to create that and we have the support of the television, this is something we believe in. It’s not just that but if you don’t show on television the people don’t realise how important it is.”
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