Raymond Schouten Grand Prix 2004 125cc

A new name in GP ranks for 2004 is Dutch teenager Raymond Schouten.

The 18 year old has signed with the Honda Arie Molenaar racing team to have a crack at GP in 2004 and becomes the latest talent to emerge from Holland. The son of a former national champion, Schouten will join the renowned Molenaar set-up and come under the instruction of former nine-times GP winner Hans Spaan.

“Normally to get to this stage involves following a road through the European Championships but Raymond has so much potential that we wanted to shorten this procedure; because of Vaessen and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta we were able to do this and I am very happy to have him as part of the team,” said Arie Molenaar.

Acting as chief mechanic Spaan has been working with Schouten over the last few months and guided him through two rounds of the Spanish CEV series to get the youngster up to speed.

“The Dutch national level is low in comparison with that in Spain, Italy and Germany,” remarked former double vice-World Champion.

“I believe he learned more by contesting the last two rounds of the Spanish Championship this season that he did during a whole year in Holland. The difference between our national level and the GPs is huge and Raymond knows that he will have to make a big effort in his first campaign.

"At the moment he is one of the best Dutch riders and we hope that with every GP he will learn more. If he finishes the first race in 30th and by the last he is within the points then he will already be showing a progression.”

Raymond Schouten - Profile

Born and raised in one of the major Dutch race families, the 18 year young talented Dutch race-ace Raymond Schouten was breaded in the best possible race-atmosphere. His father and uncles all raced, of whom father Mar Schouten was Grand Prix-rider from 1981 up to 1986, racing in 250cc and 350cc GP’s. After his race-retirement Mar Schouten became the chief engineer of new Dutch race-ace Wilco Zeelenberg who raced Honda and Suzuki factory bikes in the 250-cc GP’s and later Yamaha 600 in Thunderbike and Supersport class. Mar Schouten was the high skilled technical rains behind the 250cc GP-win of Wilco Zeelenberg in 1991.

After the retirement of Wilco Zeelenberg Mar Schouten was chief engineer of the 250cc and 500cc DeeCee Jeans Racing Team, leading riders as Wilco Zeelenberg, Aberto Puig, Johan Stigefelt, Robby Rolfo, Jurgen van den Goorbergh and Anthony West and many others to the GP-top.

With his father working in de GP-scene, youngster Raymond Schouten started his motorsports career in motocross at the age of 4, starting to challenge in KNMV Cup crosses in 1990 (age 10).

After four years of motocross competition Raymond switched from dirt to tar at age 13. He started in the 50cc Scooter Cup-races and made it quickly in to the Dutch Championships after finishing third in the 2000 Yamaha TZR Cup.

The Dutch federation KNMV acknowledged Schouten’s talent and gave him dispensation to race in the 125cc Dutch national Championships in 2000 at the only permanent racetrack in Holland, the TT Circuit Assen.

After his first race miles at the TT Circuit Assen in 2001, finishing seventh in the championship, the KNMV dedicated the 125c wildcard in 2002 for the Dutch TT to Schouten, which made him the youngest Dutch Grand Prix-participant ever at the age of 17. Since then he qualified as best Dutch rider in Assen, also with his 2003 wildcard. Unfortunately engine problems (2002) and a crash (2003) meant that Schouten has not yet finished a GP.

In the 2002 Dutch championship Schouten missed the Dutch 125cc title by only 0.0728 seconds, when he finished second in the final and deciding race at Belgium's Spa Francorchamps. But at 17 years of age he was the youngest ever runner-up.

Dutch federation KNMV gave Schouten the opportunity in 2003 to race some European Championship races in the second part of the season, Schouten went to EC-races in the Czech Republic - Most (14th) and Sweden - Anderstorp (7th).

Both the Dutch federation KNMV and the TT Circuit Assen support the high talented youngster with extra practice facilities and physical and mental training.

In the 2003 Dutch championship Raymond Schouten finished third. He missed two races due to an injury early this year, which costs him his first Dutch championship title.

Rounding out the Arie Molenaar squad is Czech GP star Jakub Smrz. However he will ride in the 250 ranks while Schoulten aims for 125 success. This will be the fourth year of GP participation for Smrz, who will be the only Czech rider in the 250 class.

The Dutch outfit enlisted the services of the 20 year old towards the end of the 2003 campaign after he had been released from his contract with the Elit squad. He scored their first points of the quarter-litre season with 14th position at the final race in Valencia. Smrz managed to notch an overall placing of 24th in the standings with a highest result of 12th at Assen.

The former European 125cc star and three times national Champ at the same level, who is also currently still studying, will steer a kitted RS 250cc Honda in the team headed by ex-125 GP winner Hans Spaan.

“Jakub is a good rider but sometimes he wants too much,” Spaan commented. “He has now had three years in an around the GPs and he is the type of rider you have to calm down rather than push onwards.

"He has the track knowledge and also some experience of the 125s so I am hoping he will be a positive influence on young 125cc rookie Raymond Schouten; I expect Jakub to be scoring points regularly next year.”

Smrz earned five top ten finishes riding a Honda in the 2001 125cc Championship and a career best fifth position at Assen. For 2002 he started in the 125s and finished in the 250s, establishing a link with the Dutch team at this time when he filled in for Katja Poensgen.