A brand new series for up and coming young motorcycle racers, the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup, was officially launched at Losail for the Qatar Motorcycle Grand Prix.
The series will see 22 of the best young Asian riders compete for top honours in the eight-race season, with the first round taking place as part of the MotoGP support bill. The riders were selected through a rigorous process in Malaysia last autumn and an intesive training camp in Aragon, Spain.
Joining senior figures from Shell Advance at the announcement were championship organisor Dorna Sports as well as representatives from partners such as Honda, Red Bull, Air Asia and Alpinestars.
“Shell Advance is honoured to support the creation of this new, exciting and competitive championship,” said Global Brand Manager for Shell Advance, Kar-Tai Koh. “Shell fuel and lubricants have been at the forefront of international motorcycle racing for many years, including our on-going partnership with Ducati Corse, and the creation of the Shell Advance Asia Talent Cup opens an exciting new chapter. We know that there is sufficient dedication among these young riders to discover some potential stars of MotoGP in the future, and we are delighted to support them in this critical early stage of their careers.”
“Today marks the start of what will be an unprecedented chance for young motorcycle talents to showcase their skills in a dedicated Championship,” added the leader of the MotoGP Academy, whose CV includes the discoveries of Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa, Alberto Puig. “There has been much to learn in a very short space of time, but we are committed to ensuring that every rider in the series reaches the very limit of his or her potential. A special note of thanks goes to Shell Advance for its support in making this championship possible and for helping to realise the dreams of these young riders.”
