The moment of reckoning is approaching. The all-new WINDTRE Rising Stars Series is gearing up for the Regional Finals that will determine who wins the prize at the end of this year.
A new initiative for 2020, this new talent-spotting programme required young hopefuls around the world to tackle four Online Challenges in which Gamers are divided into three categories, depending on their location. These three are the Americas, Europe and Africa, and finally Asia and Oceania.
The stakes in the Regional Finals couldn’t be higher, with the winner in each category (Americas, Europe and Africa) receiving a guaranteed place in the MotoGP eSport Pro Draft Selection in 2021.
Each Regional Final race will take place in October (the Americas final race is on 7th October, Asia and Oceania on 14th October and Europe and Africa on 21st October). And the teams each qualifier will participate with have been determined.
Europe and Africa
Vindex813, will line up for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP. The Italian, who scored a maximum 100 points from a possible 100 in the Online Challenges, is the replacement rider for the team in this year’s Global Series, so has intimate knowledge of the Yamaha M1’s behaviour.
The same can be said of PieroRicciuti55, who is LCR Honda Castol’s entry and Pramac Ducati’s Jack Hammer4658. Both scored well in the Online Challenges (95 points and 90 respectively) and also are their teams’ replacement riders for the Global Series. Italian Riky scored 90 points and has been chosen to represent Red Bull KTM Tech 3. The Spaniard Ilorca26 has the privilege of representing Ducati Team, while DarkBright1 will be wearing Petronas SRT Yamaha colours.
Italian Simopiova26 has been chosen to represent Avintia Ducati with Spaniards motero99 (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Joel_Clay (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) both competing for the teams for whom they act as a replacement rider in the Global Series. Tommy77gp will line up in Repsol Honda colours with bruci_99 representing Ecstar Suzuki.
Americas
Brazil’s gustaa will surely start the Americas heat as favourite after scoring the maximum 100 points in the Online Challenges. He will line up for Monster Energy Yamaha Racing. He will likely face stiff competition from the American macargo1, who scored 95 points from 100 in the Online Challenges, earning him a seat at Repsol Honda Racing. The Argentine cristian will also be a contender aboard the Ecstar Suzuki.
Flanker-SNS will also be representing Brazil, as well as Petronas SRT Yamaha, with Chile’s SUPERMASIA running LCR Honda Castrol colours. XxBastoner92xX is the third of four Brazilians in this Regional Final. He will be riding for Red Bull KTM Tech 3. Argentine Bruno93 will line up for Ecstar Suzuki, with the Colombian DanielHG22 representing Ducati Team.
Argentina’s Nanchy could be an outside bet for success with Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, as could mrhitstick05, Pramac Ducati’s American entry. Brazilian SiqueiraRJ will be aiming for podiums aboard the Avintia Ducati.
Asia and Oceania
If the Online Challenges are anything to go by, Indonesia is likely to celebrate success in the WINDTRE Rising Stars series. Nine of the eleven finalists hail from the bike mad South East Asian country with both Australia and Malaysia fielding one entry apiece.
Anditekaka63 will start as the joint favourite after scoring a maximum 100 points from 100 in the four Online Challenges. He has earned a place in Monster Energy Yamaha Racing but will likely face stiff competition from fellow Indonesian AKI2X, who also scored maximum points in the Online Challenges. As a result, he has earned a place with Repsol Honda Team.
Australia’s Kuta916 will likely be in the mix after scoring maximum points in three of the four Challenges, performances that led to a call up with Petronas SRT Yamaha. Indonesia has also produced WanWan (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), E wahyu P (Ecstar Suzuki), Tamam (LCR Honda Castrol), germanosryan (Ducati Racing) and SpeedXLimit (Avintia Ducati), who will all be present in this Regional Final.
Malaysia’s rayyan mikail1 will represent Red Bull KTM Tech 3, while Indonesians DioForlandi (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) and MR_buzz (Pramac Ducati) are well placed to spring surprises.
