Six years ago, the FIM CEV Repsol expanded from being a competition held exclusively in Spain, and this year two of the eight rounds that make up the calendar will take place abroad. The action for the season kicks off on Monday with the first practice sessions in Portugal, as Estoril once again hosts the inaugural event of the year. The first race for the Moto3 Junior World Championship, plus the opening two for the Moto2 European Championship and European Talent Cup, will be held this week.
More than 130 riders of 24 different nationalities will compete in the three classes that have become the prelude to the World Championship. Not surprisingly, more than half of the current MotoGP grid have come up through the national championship, ranging from the likes of Marc Márquez and Maverick Viñales to Fabio Quartararo and ‘Pecco’ Bagnaia, among many others. This is the eighth season that Repsol has been title sponsor for the series, part of its social commitment to the training of young riders that has become a cornerstone of its 50-plus years supporting sports.