FIM MiniGP World Series
The FIM MiniGP World Series is designed to unify and standardise MiniGP competitions from around the world under the same umbrella, aiming to create an equal platform for young riders worldwide to increase their skill and opportunity. Federations and CONUs (continental unions) from around the world can apply to be part of the series.
Australia is not in this inaugural 2021 season but plans are afoot for our inclusion in 2022. Australian Superbike Champion Wayne Maxwell has been instrumental in growing the popularity of the Ohvale bikes in Australia and is heavily involved in the planning for 2022. The series is aimed at riders 10-14 years old.
The goal is to have a series of national championships across the globe that follow the same rules and
conditions so as to have standardized MiniGP competitions all over the world. In this way riders from different
countries will have the same formation and experience
Races must take place on karting circuits that meet minimum standards set by the FIM or national federation in question, who will also decide on the minimum circuit length. Riders must be between 10 and 14 years old, competing on equal Ohvale GP-0 160 machinery. The official single tyre supplier for all the FIM MiniGP World Series will be Pirelli, with a standard tyre allocation given per event.
A minimum of four events comprising a minimum of eight races must be included on the calendar, with a minimum number of 15 permanent riders in each competition. The first event must take place by July 2021, and the final event of the season should be held no later than the 17th of October. At the end of the season, the top competitors will be offered some incredible opportunities.
The champion of every national, regional, or continental MiniGP cup will be given the opportunity to participate in a World Final, which will take place during the week leading up to the final MotoGP event of the season. The winner of the World Final will, subject to age and location/nationality, will secure a spot in one of the Road To MotoGP programs on the next rung of their career ladder.
The top riders from each national, regional, or continental MiniGP cup will also have – depending on their age and location – either direct access to the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup selection or the availability of entry into the Honda British Talent Cup, Northern Talent Cup or European Talent Cup.
FIM President Jorge Viegas and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta both opened the Press Conference presenting the project, before two of the OHVALE GP-0 160 bikes to be raced in the final in Valencia were then unveiled. One of the display machines was in Italian colours, set to be raced by the top competitors emerging from the 2021 FIM MiniGP Italy Series, and one sported a Malaysian livery for the top three from the FIM MiniGP Malaysia Series.
Italy and Malaysia are just two of the first seven competitions included in the new series that were revealed in April, alongside France, the Netherlands, North America, Spain and the UK. Now, another five competitions can also be confirmed as part of the project: Alpe Adria, Indonesia, Ireland, Portugal and Qatar. The FIM MiniGP Qatar Series begins in late 2021, and will therefore be the first Cup to be included in the 2022 FIM MiniGP World Series.
FIM President Jorge Viegas
“One of the main objectives in my mandate is to allow all the young girls and boys that want to race in motorcycling to have this possibility, regardless their financial condition. The FIM MiniGP World Series is the first step on the Road to MotoGP, with very limited costs and in a safe environment. Furthermore, this project implicates directly the National Federations and the Continental Unions, and this is extremely important for its success. I want to thank Dorna, with whom we have been working for a long time on this project, for the fantastic collaboration, and also our partners Ohvale, Pirelli and Motul.”
Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta
“This is a project we started to study a long time ago; how to establish the base of the pyramid on the Road to MotoGP. We have the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, the FIM CEV Repsol, Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, Northern Talent Cup, Honda British Talent Cup and many programmes on the Road to MotoGP, but the base of the pyramid is important to manage to get a lot of people racing, and in the same competitive conditions. For us this has been important from the beginning, to give the opportunity young riders to race with the same material and possibilities. I want to thank the FIM, and Ohvale and Pirelli, as well as Motul as they have recently joined us as a partner of the series.
“It’s a big collaboration, as it has always been since 1992, with the FIM, but also with the National Federations and Continental Unions. I think to involve the federations in a worldwide project is something important and this gives us the chance to do that. This project will become more and more important, for us it’s an important step and the base of the pyramid. I’m sure there will be many young riders who can test their skills racing in correct conditions: on circuits approved by the FIM, who have safety measures in place to ensure the same high level of safety as in all of our Championships. For us, this is very important.”
OHVALE will be the official and sole motorcycle supplier of the FIM MiniGP World Series.
• The bike with which the series shall run with will be the OHVALE GP-0 160 with 10” wheels.
• The participants* of all the national series that will be part of the FIM MiniGP World Series, will be offered the following special conditions:
1. Price for the 1 Motorcycle 2,900 EUR + VAT + transportation costs.
2. Engine 250 EUR + VAT + transportation costs.
3. The following spare parts would be FOC for the participants and would be included in the sale of
the motorcycle:
• Acerbis brake protector
• Carburetor kit PE28
• Kit of crankcase cover, rear light & tank foam (FIM Europe regulation)
4. All motorcycles will be sold with a sealed engine to ensure technical equality amongst the series.
5. Apparel Kit with the championship graphics.
6. Sticker kit with the championship’s logos
7. Bikes will be bought by the participants directly from the OHVALE official local dealer.
*For participants who already own a motorcycle points 2 through 7 also apply to them.
• OHVALE Official local dealer will be present at each event with spare parts and technical service.
• OHVALE will also be present in the FIM MiniGP World Series Final:
• Offering technical and mechanical support
• To those participants that will join the Final from overseas, OHVALE will provide the motorcycle FOC (excluding spare parts and repairs).
• Participants will have to include OHVALE logo on the Motorcycle
The riders participating in each of the MiniGP Series will be offered the following opportunities: • National & Continental levels: the top riders from each National MiniGP Series will have (according to their nationality or geographic area and age): direct access to the ATC selection and the availability of one entry into the BTC, NTC or ETC.
World Final: The top 3 classified riders National, Regional and Continental MiniGP Series will be given the opportunity to participate in the FIM MiniGP World Series Final that will be take place during the week of the FIM MotoGP World Championship final season event at Valencia. The winner of the FIM MiniGP World Series Final will secure a spot in one of the Road to MotoGP programs.
For 2021 the following series have been selected to participate in the FIM MiniGP World Series:
- FIM MiniGP Alpe Adria Series
- FIM MiniGP France Series
- FIM MiniGP Indonesia Series
- FIM MiniGP Ireland Series
- FIM MiniGP Italy Series
- FIM MiniGP Malaysia Series
- FIM MiniGP Netherlands Series
- FIM MiniGP North America Series
- FIM MiniGP Portugal Series
- FIM MiniGP Qatar Series*
- FIM MiniGP Spain Series
- FIM MiniGP UK Series
The top 3 classified riders of all these series will be invited to participate in the FIM MiniGP World Series Final which will take place from the 9th to the 11th November in Valencia**. *The FIM MiniGP Qatar Series will not be present in the 2021 FIM MiniGP World Series Final, it is the first cup to be included in the 2022 FIM MiniGP World Series. **Date and event subject to the evolution of the pandemic and the approval of the corresponding Governments and authorities.
Source: MCNews.com.au