Daquigan, Lim & Enriquez invited to 2022 ATC Selection

Date posted on July 31, 2021
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At least one tradition that Pinoy racing fans look forward to every year will happen in 2021. Absent in 2020, the annual Asia Talent Cup (ATC) Selection Event held at the Sepang Kart Track every October will proceed in 2021. Riders selected will go on to compete on Moto3 bikes all over Asia together with MotoGP and WSBK events. It is like the Red Bull Rookies Cup of Asia.

The organizer DORNA and title sponsor Idemitsu has annouced the names of the 100 riders who passed the inital screening out of 400 applicants. This includes Alfonsi Rei Daquigan, Bostin Lim and Alexander Enriquez.

From 2013 until 2019, the many young Pinoy racees apply to be invited for the selection and there is always at least 1 Filipino who gets to be invited. In the past  2014 MotoIR Youth Cup Champions Gian Carlo Mauricio and Robert Mathew Ramos were invited while successful participants and MotoIR alumni who went on to compete in the ATC were Ralph Kenneth Torres, Koko Tadachi, McKinkey Kyle Paz and, the most recent one and who achieved the Philippines first ATC podium, was Troy Alberto in 2018.

A very young Paz (35) was selected in 2014
Troy Alberto has the most succesful campaign in ATC by a Filipino in 2018.

Paz went on to dominate local racing before becoming the first  Filipino FIM Champion in ARRC and now is competing in FIM European Moto2. Alberto competed in Thai Talent Cup and is now the official Honda rider in ARRC SS600.

Alfonsi Rei Daquigan is only 11 years old  but has competed exclusively in Japan’s Daijiro Cup for pocket bikes in 2017 and 2018. He has also been practicing on his NSF100 and is being coached by non other than multi PSBK Champion and former ARRC racer Dashi Watanabe of WRD.

With Coach WRD’s Dashi Watanabe

Recently, he joined the first MotoIR3 All Stars MiniGP race last July 17 at Clark Kart Track for his first race in the Philippines battling with the best road racers on stock miniGP bikes. He took an impressive pole position and a third place podium in one race. He us scheduled to race in at leadt 2 more MotoIR3 All Stars event before the Selection.

IR Nation is confident that, with his dedication, talent, experience and very young age, Alfonsi Daquigan will surely attract the attention of DORNA and Alberto Puig. Based on our experience, he is the type of young talent that Puig is looking for.

Daquigan at speed in the Official MotoIR3 Test

Let’s all hope and pray that the travel restrictions will not hamper the chances of these 3 talented kids in their pursuit of their MotoGP dreams.

With proud parent, coach and 53Sportsfactory team during the MotoIR All Star podium

Official ATC Press Release:

Riders Invited to 2022 Selection event announced.

The candidates to be invited to the 2022 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup Selection Event in October have been shortlisted

After an intensive communications campaign in collaboration with key circuits across Asia, national federations, motorcycle riding schools and additional partners, more than 400 riders from 22 countries have applied for the chance to race in the 2022 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup.

Their applications have now been analysed by the Selection Committee and 100 riders from 10 countries have been shortlisted for an invite to the 2022 Selection Event. Comprising six female candidates and 94 male, they hail from Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Subject to the evolution of the pandemic and approval from the necessary authorities, the Selection Event is set to take place on the 26th and 27th of October at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. There, the shortlisted riders must demonstrate their skills and riding ability around Sepang Karting Circuit. The Selection Committee will then meet to analyse all the data and determine the final riders chosen to participate in the 2022 Cup, as well as a list of reserve riders.

The shortlist of candidates who are invited to the Selection Event can be found attached below.Riders attending the event will be required to comply with the health protocols in place in order to attend. Each candidate will get an e-mail explaining these, and is urged to read the information carefully and make sure to comply with each deadline. 

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