Seven MotoAmerica Riders Advance To Final Day Of Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Selection Event

All seven of our MotoAmerica riders made it through the first cut at the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Selection Event. On Thursday, they join 49 other riders from around the world who are all hoping to be one of the eight or so new riders chosen for the 20th edition of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. *Photo courtesy of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.*

As further evidence of MotoAmerica’s mission to find and develop World Champions, seven current and former MotoAmerica riders are participating in this week’s Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Selection Event, which is being held in Guadix, Spain.

Apparently, the plan is working because all seven of our riders were chosen to continue into Thursday, which is the final day for the event. Out of 112 riders from 38 countries around the world, 56 have advanced to the final day, including the following seven MotoAmerica riders:

• Hank Vossberg

• Ella Dreher

• Bodie Paige

• Kensei Matsudaira

• Mikey Lou Sanchez

• Mahdi Salem

• Joshua Raymond Jr.

Former Moto2 rider Sergio Gadea mentored Hank Vossberg (left), Kensei Matsudaira (center), and Ella Dreher (right) last week at Aspar Circuit in preparation for this week’s Red Bull MotoGP Rookie Cup Selection Event.

Three of the above—Vossberg, Dreher, and Matsudaira—were also invited to train last week in preparation for this week’s Selection Event at four-time GP World Champion Jorge Martinez’s Aspar KSB Sports Academy in Valencia, Spain.

According to Peter Clifford, Director of Rider Development & Media for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, “About eight (new riders) will be invited to join the grid for 2026, which is the 20th Cup season.”

Current MotoAmerica riders and champions who have been selected for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in the past include Cameron Beaubier (2007), JD Beach (2007, 2008 [Champion]), Mathew Scholtz (2008, 2009, 2010), Jake Gagne (2009), Hayden Gillim (2009), Sean Dylan Kelly (2016, 2017, 2018), Rocco Landers (2021), and Alexander Enriquez (2023). Current Moto2 competitor Joe Roberts (2012, 2013) also was formerly selected for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and American Kristian Daniel Jr. has been competing in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for the past two years.

From all of us at MotoAmerica, good luck to Hank, Ella, Bodie, Kensei, Mikey Lou, Mahdi, and Josh on Thursday.