Until now, the limit of age for the 'Junior class' was 15. As far as the 250cc and MotoGP class go, the age limit will remaine as before, 16 and 18 respectively. In terms of maximum speed, the FIM sticked to the same ruling.
“The limit for the minimum age starts on the date of the rider’s birthday. For the 125cc class, the maximum age is 28 years (25 years for new contracted riders participating in the 125cc Grand Prix for the first time and for wild cards) at the 1st of January of the corresponding Championship year.”
“For the 250cc contracted riders and MotoGP class, the limit for the maximum age finishes at the end of the year in which the rider reaches the age of 50. For the 250cc class, the age limit for wild card riders is 28 years at the 1st of January of the corresponding Championship year except for MSMA wild-card,” read the FIM statement.
The new rules come only months after Scott Redding became the youngest race winner in the history of the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix, at Donington Park. Not only that, but the British Grand Prix weekend witnessed 2 podium finishers in under 16 years of age (both at the 125cc class).
“You can't push these youngsters like that: they win their parish church championship and then come straight to the world championship. Unfortunately I visit the Clinica Mobile and I see these kids there, maybe with some broken bones. I don't think anyone can be against something like this, because if they start too young they risk getting burnt. And after all, at 16 years of age, they have a lot of time ahead of them,” argued MotoGP veteran Loris Capirossi – youngest ever world champion at 17, when asked about it by Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
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