Who Will Qualify For The 2016 Red Bull Rookies Cup?

There is some good news for motorcycle racing enthusiasts in India. No, MotoGP isn’t coming to India yet. However, something in the same mould and pretty special in its own right is coming to India. India hosts the one-make Suzuki Gixxer Cup which consist of five rounds. In 2016, these five rounds of the Gixxer Cup will also host the qualifiers for the Red Bull Road to Rookies Cup. But what is Road to Rookies Cup and why should you care?

Road to Rookies by Red Bull

The Road to Rookies Cup is a Red Bull-sponsored event and is aimed at young bikers to showcase their talent. How young, you ask? Try the age group of 13-17-year-old kids. The Road to Rookies Cup has been running since 2007 and 2016 marks the tenth running year of the Cup. In 2016, the two best racers to qualify from India will head to Spain to participate in the 2017 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. From there, the path to higher levels of motorcycle competition open. To give you a bit of perspective into the importance of Rookies Cup, the Moto2 and Moto3 world champions in 2015 were ex-Rookies. This is no small feat by any measure. The Rookies Cup qualifiers will be held over two rounds alongside the Gixxer Cup. The riders’ championship standings will be calculated separately from the Road to Rookies qualifier standings.

What it means for motorsports in India

Well, for starters, the young riders in India will get to showcase their skills and test their mettle against the world's best. In a country where one cannot even begin riding before turning 18, this is a huge opportunity for aspiring racers. This not only gives them a chance to compete against other racers from around the world but also exposes them to the workings of a dedicated racing outfit. This should benefit the motorsports scene back in India as only a few guys seem to have such exposure. That should hopefully result in improving the level of motorsport competition in India.

The ride

In the Gixxer Cup, riders get to pilot modified Gixxer motorcycles. The Gixxer used, in this case, is powered by a 2-valve single overhead camshaft 154.9cc four-stroke, single cylinder, air-cooled motor that puts down more than 15 PS of power and over 14Nm of torque. The engine utilises a carburetted fuelling system and is mated to a five-speed gearbox. The Gixxer uses a disc brake up front and drum brake at the rear for stopping duties. It sports telescopic front suspension and a monoshock at the back. It has 100-80/17-size tyre up front and 140-60/R17-size tyre at the back. There are more modifications made to the bike for the race - lightweight racing clip-on handlebars, rear-set aluminium foot pegs, megaphone type racing exhaust, special race compound tyres, high-flow racing air filter and a cowl where you can find a passenger seat.

Want to find out who wins the Gixxer Cup? Want to know which two participants take the early lead in Road to Rookies Cup? Then log on to ZigWheels this Sunday, August 14, 2016 to see the participants slug it out at Round 2 of Gixxer Cup at Madras Motor Race Track in Chennai as the motorsports action heats up. This time, it is not just about winning the Gixxer Cup but also about making the first big impression in the Road to Rookies Cup.