Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Britain's Matthew Hoyle fastest in Jerez

Britain’s Matthew Hoyle topped the timesheets for the first test of the Red Bull MotoGP rookies in Jerez this week.

The Spanish circuit saw 24 young riders test for two days and for many it was their first time on track for several months.

Experienced 16-year-old Matthew Hoyle from Bradford recorded a best time from the two days of 1:54.364 and said there was nothing new about the track or the bike.

Hoyle said: “It is just great to be riding again, I have been waiting all winter for this, it’s just so great to be out on the track again.”

Hoyle ended the 2007 season third in the Cup standings and the highest place finisher to be in the series again for 2008.

He was fastest over the two days and setting himself up and the man to beat.

The Spanish pair of Luis Salom and Christian Trabalon were second and third respectively.

This is the second year the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies cup has been run and ten riders have stayed with the series from 2007 and are joined by 14 newcomers.

Quickest of the new riders for 2008 was Mathew Scholtz who managed to gain a lot to speed despite a heavy first day crash.

Scholtz was fifth overall and said: “I really enjoyed that last session, I’m feeling a lot better now.

“My favourite bit of the track is the last fast left hander… the place where I crashed.

“I made a mistake, I was too fast but now I have a much better line and I am quicker but not crashing.”

Combined times from Monday and Tuesday at Jerez.

1 Matthew Hoyle GBR 1:54,364
2 Luis Salom ESP 01:54,456
3 Cristian Trabalon ESP 01:54,544
4 Sturla Fagerhaug NOR 1:55,023
5 Mathew Scholtz RSA 1:55,154
6 JD Beach USA 1:55,281
7 Kevin Calia ITA 1:55,285
8 Deane Brown GBR 1:55,371
9 Daniel Kartheininger GER 1:55,761
10 Alessio Cappella NGR 1:55,814
11 Sasuke Shinozaki JPN 1:55,919
12 Nico Thöni AUT 1:56,049
13 Nelson Major FRA 1:56,226
14 Florian Marino FRA 1:56,486
15 Daniel Ruiz ESP 1:56,551
16 Markus Reiterberger GER 1:56,818
17 Niklas Ajo FIN 1:56,982
18 Jakub Kornfeil CZE 1:57,060
19 Daijiro Hiura JPN 1:57,213
20 Dylan Mavin AUS 1:57,290
21 Peter Sebestyén HUN 1:57,511
22 Joshua Elliott IRL 1:58,690
23 Harry Stafford GBR 1:58,730
24 Adam Blacklock GBR 1:59,069