— Rossi & Aspar form Riding Academy
Two of the biggest names in road racing joining forces to guide young riders to Grand Prix via the Spanish Championship
With four world titles as a rider and six more as a team manager, Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’ is adding his experience to that of nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi in a new partnership that is set to open the path to Grand Prix for a host of young riders. Through his recently-opened VR46 Racing Academy, the Italian superstar is already helping young riders get started and now he will have a legal, logistical and sporting infrastructure to take them to the very top.
The idea is that the best young riders from Rossi’s academy will take the step up to the Spanish Championship within the team run by Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’. As part of the Aspar Team they will benefit from the experience and professionalism of one of the most respected and established structures in the business and have the opportunity to follow their dream all the way to the very pinnacle of the sport.
Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: “It is great to see Valentino Rossi starting to think about the future of young riders and that he has chosen the Aspar Team to be a part of his project. Valentino is thinking about the future, investing his time and effort in fresh talent and he has opted to call on the experience of our team, which has a strong history. It is a great source of satisfaction that he has chosen the Aspar Team to help him carry this project forward. We will work to find the best way to co-ordinate our efforts and bring as many riders through from his academy as possible. I am sure it will be a fruitful relationship for both parties because the best riders from the VR46 Racing Academy will have the means to compete in the Spanish Championship, even the World Championship, and we can continue our own project of developing young talent.”
Valentino Rossi: “Jorge is a great person who is in charge of one of the best teams in the paddock. We have known each other well since my first Grand Prix back in 1996 and I can remember many great battles with him in 125. I like the way he works, which is backed up by his longevity in the World Championship. The same is true of Gino Borsoi, Jorge’s right-hand man, who I raced with when we were both young. I am delighted that we have reached this agreement together. Initially I will help young riders through the recently created VR46 Racing Academy – the idea being that the best riders from the Academy will be taken by Jorge to contest the Spanish Championship with the Aspar Team. I think it is one of the best teams around and I can’t think of a better place for young riders to develop.”
— Rossi’s brother to ride with Aspar in 2014
Following on from the recent news of an agreement of collaboration between the Aspar Team and Valentino Rossi, the team can now announce that the Italian superstar’s younger brother Luca Marini will contest the Spanish Championship next season in Aspar Team colours. The youngster will make his debut with the team in the final round of this season at Jerez. Marini already contested the fourth round of the current championship earlier this year at Albacete and made his World Championship debut as a wildcard at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. His objective for the Jerez round will be to adapt to his new team and build a foundation to work from in 2014. Both Aspar and Rossi have high hopes for the Italian youngster and his evolution within the Spanish team over the next year.
Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’: “Bringing Luca Marini into our team is another step within the agreement we have with Valentino Rossi. Luca is determined to work hard and hopefully he can adapt quickly to the team and get a good feeling in the final CEV round of this season so that we can lay solid foundations for 2014. We will have Luca Marini with us in the Spanish Championship next season and I am sure we will see a positive evolution from him. Hopefully this will involve the occasional wildcard appearance in the World Championship, which I think would be important for the Aspar Team. I have seen him ride at Albacete and Misano and his lap times were good at both circuits. I think he has good potential and I trust Valentino Rossi when he tells me that he is very intelligent.”
Luca Marini: “I am really happy to be contesting the final round of the CEV with the Aspar Team because they are known internationally for being one of the best teams around. I hope to learn a lot and adapt quickly to the team. I have never ridden at Jerez before but I am told it is a beautiful circuit. Hopefully I can have fun there and enjoy my first experience of Jerez. The main objective is to work hard to fit into the team and try to get a good feeling from the start. This first race will be a good chance for us all to adapt and prepare ourselves for next season. In 2014 I will be riding for the Aspar Team and that makes me very proud. I think that if we work hard together we can achieve great things.”
