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The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is superb – well worth catching up on if you don’t know too much about it. It’s effectively a feeder series for the higher MotoGP classes, and always provides some cracking action featuring excellent Brit talent like Danny Kent (Check out this iTunes link for video podcasts of last season’s races) and although the 2010 season itself will be underway before too long, the organisers are already looking ahead towards the selection process for the 2011 championship, and applications are now open for the 2010 Selection Process.

As the level of the Rookies Cup has got higher and higher the organisers have had to make the selection process ever more stringent. The competition to get into the Rookies Cup has become as intense as the Cup itself so they are now giving it a well deserved title: “Road to Rookies Cup”.
The Road starts with the online application through the website at www.redbullrookiescup.com

Applicants will fill in a good deal of information about themselves and their motorcycle experience. Once accepted onto the Road they will send in their competition results through the 2010 season to further inform the Selection Panel about their progress during the year. The top performers on the Road to Rookies Cup will be featured in a special section on the Rookies Cup website so that everyone can see who is likely to be invited to the Selection Event, planned for early October.

The very best of the riders who take the Road to Rookies Cup will be invited to that crucially important Selection Event and this year the Selection Panel will have more information than ever before about the prospective Rookies to make sure that the future World Champions get a chance to prove themselves in the 2011 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

So if you have your heart set on Grand Prix stardom – or of course if you know someone who could be ideal material for this championship, then get on the case now…

There’s a superb article by stv21 over at AlvaroBautista.co.uk – chronicling the history of Alvaro Bautista’s helmet designs throughout his MotoGP career.
And even better than that, you can also cast your vote on which is your favourite of all. Vote here…
It’s a fascinating feature and there’s lots of great pictures of the helmet designs; and I’m going to be very interested to see which lid comes out on top.

Enjoy! (And pass on!)

One for the Scots amongst our readers… The following has been forwarded by Kev Coghlan to aid in the call for youngsters wanting to compete in the 2010 Scottish Minimoto Championship.
If you know anyone who fits the bill and would be interested then do follow it up – if not then please pass the word on.
There’s full info at www.polini.co.uk

Scotland’s Search for a Star 2010

Over the last 10 years McIntosh Moto Ltd has run a competition to give children a chance to access the world of Minimoto racing without the expense of buying a bike. We are giving 10 lucky children the chance to win a minimoto to use for the 2010 Scottish Minimoto season. Yes, a bike to keep and race for a season. Open to all kids even with no experience. This competition for 7 to 13 year olds will consist of a 10-minute practice and a 10-minute qualification to be judged on lap times and rider style. 5 of the bikes will be for the 7 to 9 age group, 5 for the up to 13 years. If you are a lucky winner and you receive a bike you will be required to purchase your own safety clothing at a discounted price.

McIntosh Moto Ltd would also like to stress it is a motorcycle sport, which can also be dangerous.
The competition will be held at Kartstart Kirkcaldy (01592 650200 Michelston Ind estate) on Sunday 28th March. Sign on will be 10am and we hope to be finished by 12 noon. We will supply you with knee sliders, elbow pads, gloves and a helmet if you do not have your own. You will be required to wear strong but loose clothing and boots that cover your ankles. Motocross boots do not flex in the correct way so we recommend you do not use these.

Dates you must be able to attend if you win a bike:
• Bike Presentation date TBA.
• All 8 Scottish Championships rounds see calendar.
• Also selected practice days.

Racing is a very big commitment and needs 100% input from both the child and the parents. Please do not enter unless you fully understand this.

This competition is backed by Visordown magazine, Melville Motor Club, Knockhill Race Circuit, Kartstart Raceways and 3 times British Superbike Champion Niall Mackenzie whose own 2 sons both competed in the Scottish Minimoto Championship.
Racers like Kev Coghlan, Deane Brown, Timmy Hastings, Jimmy Storrar, Michael Robertson and David Paton to name only a few have all started their careers on minimotos and are now house hold names in the world of Scottish road racing & are all behind Scotland’s Minimoto X Factor competition.

We will also be at the Scottish Motorcycle show stand H56A if you require any more information. If you have any questions do not hesitate to call.

Event Organiser
Alan McIntosh

Yes, that’s right… This is what Alvaro Bautista would look like if he was made out of Lego.
Actually he’d probably look more like one of the characters out of those Lego computer games, except way cooler.
Anyway this image is the result of the wonderfully time-wasting Lego Photo iPhone Application (iTunes App Store Link) where you can either take pics of people using the iPhone’s camera within the Lego app itself, or just choose a photo from your albums and brickify it accordingly.

So for those of you who’ve always wondered what a Lego Alvaro might look like, well here’s your answer.
And if it’s never crossed your mind, then that’s probably a good thing

I don’t get out enough…

Good news for anybody attending the Scott Redding Appeal Fundraiser Event. As the day approaches – this coming Saturday January 16th (see the Scott Redding 2010 Event page for full details) – there are a couple of updates to bring you…
The first is a slight shift in timings with a slightly earlier start at 5pm, with the event finishing at 9pm.
The other news is a real bonus! It’s been announced that another young British star and close friend of Scott’s, Danny Webb, will be at the event – so don’t miss your chance to meet another great MotoGP talent!
Tickets can be bought on the day for £10, or alternatively you can just get on and buy yours online right now by clicking the button below…

Full details of all work by the Scott Redding Supporters Club can be found at ScottRedding2010.com

Matt Coch at the excellent F1 website PitPass reports that Donington looks to have officially closed its doors, following months and months of trouble since the strategy to swap it for Silverstone as the F1 venue whilst MotoGP moved to the Northamptonshire circuit.

While no official confirmation has been received, Donington Park employee Richard Langley has confirmed that he and his colleagues have been made redundant. “As of today Donny is officially closed,” admitted another insider. “It’s a travesty!”

The news follows the failure of administrators for the circuit, Begbies Traynor, to find a buyer for the lease, despite interest from a number of parties. Consequently, the lease now reverts to the Wheatcroft family who have yet to decide on the future of the facility.
When investors Lee Gill and Simon Gillett became involved through their Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd the future of the circuit seemed promising. Investment in the circuit was a key factor in the 150 year lease agreed with the late Tom Wheatcroft, DVLL holding the lofty ambition of returning Formula One racing to the circuit for the first time since 1993.

DVLL Chief Operating Officer Gill resigned midway through 2008, just weeks after it was announced that a deal had been secured with Bernie Ecclestone to bring the British Grand Prix to Donington in 2010. More trouble soon followed as the local council was less than interested in providing the required planning permission for the new developments. By April 2009 DVLL had fallen behind with its financial responsibilities and the publication of a new circuit layout did little to convince the sceptics. Just six months later the project totally collapsed as Gillett failed to raise the required capital.

It’s hopefully not genuinely the end of the fantastic circuit – though it certainly appears to be so for now – as it’s criminal that such an elegant, exciting and evocative circuit should disappear after such a long and illustrious history.
Personally I wish MotoGP was there and not at the vapid, bland, characterless Silverstone. It may be fast but that doesn’t equal “Great” in my book.

I’d love to think that somehow somebody will resuce it and return MotoGP to the circuit. And whilst Herman Tilke’s actual circuit plan looked interesting, you can’t help think that a lot of the atmoshpere and attractiveness of the place would be lost in all his pompous VIP infrastructure like any other circuit of his.
Donington was always a great ’spectator circuit’ – and hopefully if anyone can bring it back to life they’ll remember that and make it one of their main considerations.