Red Bull Rookies head to Austria

And suddenly there are only five races left in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for 2019. Five more times that the KTM RC 250 Rs will roar this season and that means that there are still 125 points on offer for any extra-terrestrial that can win every race.

It might take that kind other-worldly performance to wrest the Cup title from the jaws of Carlos Tatay for the 16-year-old Spaniard has a strong bite on the lead with a 47 point advantage over his nearest rival Yuki Kunii. The 16-year-old Japanese cut into Tatay’s advantage with a fine victory in Germany but re-injured his right hand in his Moto3 wild card outing at the Czech Grand Prix on Sunday and will miss the chance to close the gap further in Austria.

There is still a list of riders who have Tatay and his points advantage in their sights:
Well into their stride now, in only their first Rookies Cup season, are 15-year-old Spaniards Pedro Acosta and David Salvador. Acosta was also a winner at the Sachsenring while Salvador had an uncharacteristically troubled weekend. Both will need all possible points by being first past the post at the Red Bull Ring if they are going to keep their title chances alive when we head further south for the single race in Misano, the penultimate venue for the season.

Also still in with a chance to bridge the points gap are Jason Dupasquier, Haruki Noguchi and Lorenzo Fellon, they are also Rookies riding at the Red Bull Ring for the first time. Dupasquier, the 17-year-old Swiss and 15-year-old Frenchman Fellon are still knocking on the door of a podium finish. Noguchi, the 18-year-old Japanese, has been there twice but two falls in recent races have cut into his points total.

There are another two in their second Rookies Cup season who would love to snatch victory, Max Cook the 16-year-old Englishman grabbed his first podium in Germany and now has his eyes on the win that would turn his Rookies experience into something special.

Belgian 15-year-old Barry Baltus started the year with all the attack and flair that made race wins look certain, he has been on the podium twice but the win has so far eluded him. He missed both races in Germany after a fall in practice but it is as certain as anything is in Rookies Cup racing that he will be in the battle at the front this weekend.