MotoGP – Kevin Schwantz talent scout from overseas, and will try the KTM 125

While waiting for more certain news regarding his future at a managerial level in Suzuki MotoGP with his protégé Ben Spies, Kevin Schwantz dedicates himself to another very interesting activity: the search for new talents. The 1993 world champion is in fact the owner of the "Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School", which has the task of training young riders for two-wheel competitions. The 23 promising players chosen this year will participate in the US Red Bull Rookies Cup, where the Texan will be testimonial, mentor and "coach". The competition will be divided into 8 races alongside the same number of AMA rounds, plus an important challenge during the MotoGP weekend in Indianapolis between the best 10 of the American Red Bul Rookies Cup and 10 of the old continent, led by Alberto Puig.

Schwantz is happy with the results obtained in the recent Road Atlanta tests by his "students" and for the next tests scheduled at Barber Motorsports Park next Tuesday, he has decided that he too will get on a KTM 125 to challenge the very young riders and give them an extra push to do well. “It's very exciting because I've never ridden or raced a 125,” said Kevin Schwantz speaking on the radio show Pit Pass Radio. “I will be much heavier than all the kids who will participate, so I think that at the end of the next tests 7 or 8 of them will be faster than me. There is a lot of pure talent among them even though they are just starting out. I think that by the end of the tests there will be at least half of them faster than me, maybe even more than half.".

Schwantz also focused on the psychological level. “All these 23 guys are very talented, then we also have to see who will have the heart. It's difficult to understand at the moment who will really make headway and who won't. This school can help everyone become stronger. The best prospect is that all twenty-three riders look around at the end of the year and manage to enter the most important championships such as the MotoGP, World SBK or the AMA championship. Being among them and even in some cases making them bite the dust helped me gain a lot of respect from them. It's nice to see the progress they make and the seriousness they show. I don't have any children of my own and it's nice to see the smile on their face when my advice gives them the desired results.".

In conclusion Kevin made it clear that among the very young there is “Very competitive: many of them want to talk to me face to face rather than in a group, because they are afraid that their innovations could give an advantage to others”.

Valerio Piccini