PaddockSpy-Grand Prix Blog

Two young U.S. talents tipped for big things on the world stage have been drafted in to ply their trade in Europe in 2009, as part of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup series´ third edition.

Champion of the recently-disbanded Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup, Californian teenager Benny Solis and Owensboro, Kentucky´s Hayden Gillim will take part in the youth talent initiative´s eight-race season as they look to progress to the World Championship.

Solis was an early standout in the stateside version of the rookie talent search, whilst Gillim pushed his fellow American in the latter half of the year. Both have been given another year to hone their skills alongside some of the top young riders in the world.

`I´m really excited about racing in Europe this year,´ says Solis on the move across the pond. `I feel exactly how I felt in late 2007, when I received a call from Kevin Schwantz saying that I was accepted into the Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup.´

`I know it´ll be hard, but racing is always fun, whether I win or lose. I´m more anxious than ever to go and ride the GP tracks, and I hope to do as well as I did last year.´

The eight Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races will take place alongside six MotoGP World Championship events, with double-headers at Jerez and Brno bookending the series. Single-race events will take place at Mugello, Assen, Sachsenring and Donington.

Two preparatory tests for the championship are set for March 26th-27th in Estoril and March 30th-31st in Jerez.

source: www.motogp.com