The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is a motorcycle racing series contested by young, up-and-coming motorcycle riders, who have not had experience in a motorcycle grand prix previously. The class was founded in 2007, and since then a number of the rookies have progressed through to the 125cc/Moto3 championship in MotoGP.
Prior to the 2013 season, a 2-stroke KTM RC 125cc engine was used. The year 2013 saw a change of machinery to the 4-stroke KTM RC250RBR, following the introduction of the four-stroke Moto3 class.[1]
The Spaniard José Antonio Rueda was the first racer to win the Cup title and his first World Championship title in the same year (2022).
The Spaniard Ángel Piqueras was the second racer to win the Cup title and his first World Championship title in the same year (2023).
Twenty ex Rookies have gone on to win a world championship as of 2023:
Rider
World championship
Johann Zarco
2015 Moto2, 2016 Moto2
Danny Kent
2015 Moto3
Lorenzo Savadori
2015 Superstock 1000
Brad Binder
2016 Moto3
Marc García
2017 Supersport 300
Joan Mir
2017 Moto3, 2020 MotoGP
Jorge Martín
2018 Moto3
Alan Techer
2017–18 FIM Endurance World Championship
Joshua Hook
2017–18 FIM Endurance World Championship, 2022 FIM Endurance World Championship
Raúl Fernández
2018 FIM CEV Moto3 Junior
Izan Guevara
2020 FIM CEV Moto3 Junior, 2022 Moto3
Enea Bastianini
2020 Moto2
Adrián Huertas
2021 Supersport 300
Pedro Acosta
2021 Moto3, 2023 Moto2
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
2021 Superbike
Daniel Holgado
2021 FIM CEV Moto3 Junior
José Antonio Rueda
2022 FIM JuniorGP
Ángel Piqueras
2023 FIM JuniorGP
Karel Hanika
2023 FIM Endurance World Championship
Jaume Masià
2023 Moto3
So far, ten ex Rookie riders have started a race in the MotoGP class as of 2022 (active riders in bold):
Rider
First race weekend in MotoGP
First pole position in MotoGP
First podium in MotoGP
First win in MotoGP
Race Starts
Teams
Johann Zarco
Qatar 2017
Netherlands 2017
France 2017 (GP - 2nd)
Australia 2023 (GP)
123 (GP)
Tech3 Racing (2017-18) KTM Factory Racing (2019) LCR Team (2019) Esponsorama Racing (2020) Pramac Racing (2021-)
No podiums (S)
No wins (S)
18 (S)
Joan Mir
Qatar 2019
No poles
Austria 2020 (GP - 2nd)
Europe 2020 (GP)
80 (GP)
Team Suzuki Ecstar (2019-22) Repsol Honda (2023-)
No podiums (S)
No wins (S)
16 (S)
Miguel Oliveira
Qatar 2019
Portugal 2020
Styria 2020 (GP - 1st)
Styria 2020 (GP)
84 (GP)
Tech3 Racing (2019-20) KTM Factory Racing (2021-22) RNF MotoGP Racing (2023-)
No podiums (S)
No wins (S)
16 (S)
Brad Binder
Spain 2020
No poles
Czechia 2020 (GP - 1st)
Czechia 2020 (GP)
70 (GP)
KTM Factory Racing (2020-)
Argentina 2023 (S - 1st)
Argentina 2023 (S)
18 (S)
Lorenzo Savadori
Europe 2020
No poles
No podiums
No wins
21 (GP)
Gresini Racing (2019-20) (Test Rider) Gresini Racing (2020-21) Aprilia Factory Racing (2022-) (Test Rider)
4 (S)
Enea Bastianini
Qatar 2021
Austria 2022
San Marino 2021 (GP - 3rd)
Qatar 2022 (GP)
48 (GP)
Esponsorama Racing (2021) Gresini Racing (2022) Ducati Corse (2023-)
No podiums (S)
No wins (S)
11 (S)
Jorge Martín
Qatar 2021
Doha 2021
Doha 2021 (GP - 3rd)
Styria 2021 (GP)
53 (GP)
Pramac Racing (2021-)
Portugal 2023 (S - 2nd)
France 2023 (S)
18 (S)
Darryn Binder
Qatar 2022
No poles
No podiums
No wins
20 (GP)
RNF MotoGP Racing (2022)
0 (S)
Fabio Di Giannantonio
Qatar 2022
Italy 2022
Australia 2023 (GP - 3rd)
Qatar 2023 (GP)
39 (GP)
Gresini Racing (2022-)
Qatar 2023 (S - 2nd)
No wins (S)
18 (S)
Raúl Fernández
Qatar 2022
No poles
No podiums
No wins
36 (GP)
Tech3 Racing (2022) RNF MotoGP Racing (2023-)
17 (S)
Data correct as of November 19 2023
^"Rookies Cup Future Champions Wanted". Red Bull. Archived from the original on 2014-04-08. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
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Global Information
Ángel Piqueras
Current season
Johann Zarco
Danny Kent
Lorenzo Savadori
Brad Binder
Joshua Hook
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu
Karel Hanika
Qatar 2017
Netherlands 2017
KTM Factory Racing (2019) 
LCR Team (2019) 
Europe 2020 (GP)
Team Suzuki Ecstar (2019-22) 
Miguel Oliveira
Styria 2020 (GP - 1st)
RNF MotoGP Racing (2023-)
Argentina 2023 (S - 1st)
San Marino 2021 (GP - 3rd)