The Road to MotoGP™ expands into Latin America
Two new competitions join the programme, growing its reach around the world
Dorna Sports is delighted to announce two additions to the Road to MotoGP™: the FIM MiniGP Latin America Series and the Latin America Talent Cup. The two series set in motion a new era for motorcycle racing talent across the continent of South America and beyond, offering young riders invaluable opportunities to join the Road to MotoGP™.
Riders from 20 countries will be eligible to participate in both the FIM MiniGP Latin America Series and the Latin America Talent Cup: Mexico, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. 20 federations from around Latin America will be in charge of selecting the riders who will race in each competition.
Latin America Talent Cup:
The standard Latin America Talent Cup calendar will be six rounds comprising 12 races. Riders will be aged from 14 to 21 years of age, with a grid size of 25.
The competition will begin near the end of 2023 as the first round takes place alongside WorldSBK’s expected return to San Juan Villicum in Argentina, and the calendar then follows its future schedule as it continues into 2024, with the first round of the season planned for March at the Autodromo Internacional de Codegua in Chile. The Cup then visits Termas de Rio Hondo in Argentina alongside MotoGP™, before two rounds in Brazil at the Autódromo Internacional Ayrton Senna in Goiânia and the Circuito dos Cristais in Curvelo.
The top three riders in the Latin America Talent Cup will get the chance to take place in the Selection Event for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. The Champion of the Latin America Talent Cup will also get promoted into the SSP300 class in the CIV (Italian national Championship) as part of the GP3 AD11 team.
FIM MiniGP Latin America Series:
The FIM MiniGP Latin America Series will begin in 2023, and in line with requirements to become part of the FIM MiniGP World Series, will see 15 riders between 10 and 14-years-old competing on equal Ohvale GP-0 160 machinery.
The calendar will run from March to October, with five events across three countries: Argentina, Brazil and Chile.
The 190cc FIM MiniGP Latin America Series will begin in 2025, providing the next step on the ladder for those who compete in the maiden year of the 160cc Series and the link between entry level and the next steps on the Road to MotoGP™. The top riders in the 2023 160cc FIM MiniGP Latin America Series will be promoted to the 190cc Series, and the top riders in the 190cc Series into the Latin America Talent Cup.
Both the Latin America Talent Cup and the FIM MiniGP Latin America Series will be run by GP3 Sport as promoter, in collaboration with FIM Latin America and as part of Dorna’s Road to MotoGP. They will also count on the support of rider coach Leandro “Tati” Mercado, current WorldSBK rider.
Pedro Venturo, President of FIM Latin America: “FIM Latin America is always searching for the best projects to develop motorcycling in the region. To be able to see these projects become a reality for Latin America fills us with pride and satisfaction, and we’re sure they will prove beneficial for riders across the region.”
Antonio D’Angelo, GP3 Sport: “We couldn’t be happier with this project. This is something we’ve been working on for a while – to be able to unite 20 different countries from across Latin America, giving riders the chance to compete equally and provide different options to allow them to reach the top levels of motorcycle racing. It’s something unique. With the help of Dorna and FIM Latin America we will be able to provide all the necessary tools in order to develop and grow Latin American riders.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna Sports CEO: “We’re delighted to see the Road to MotoGP expand into Latin America, adding a new region to the programme and providing an incredible opportunity for thousands of young riders. Our mission with the Road to MotoGP is to make our sport as accessible as we possibly can, and we’re proud to support and grow this unique programme in motorsport. Accessibility breeds equality and we look forward to seeing the Latin America Talent Cup and FIM MiniGP Latin America series add such a valuable step in our global ladder.”