The Moto2 Championship is one of the most hard-fought race series around. It produced Honda’s Marc Marquez, known for his “never give an inch” attitude and aggressiveness. There is another rider in Moto2 this year that might make the leap to MotoGP next year and impress his competitors from Day 1. Scott Redding.
Redding is a 20 year old from the UK with national and international racing experience seemingly beyond his years. He was Rookie of the Year in the 125 cc GP category back in 2008 while in his mid-teens. After moving to Moto2 in 2010, he initially had some teething problems (at least partly due to chassis issues) before becoming a regular at the front. This year he already has two wins and a healthy lead in the points after 6 rounds.
Redding’s manager stated last week that there is already one “firm offer” for Redding to move to MotoGP in 2014. His Moto2 team, Marc VDS, may make the move with him. Although the identity of the team making the “firm offer” is unknown, at least one other MotoGP squad (rumored to be Ducati) is very interested in Redding.
Redding’s performance in Moto2 is all the more impressive when you consider he is a relatively big fellow at 155 pounds … roughly 20 pounds heavier than his average competitor. Pol Espargaro weighs 136 pounds for instance. The huge horsepower in MotoGP should erase any disadvantage for Redding.
Redding cut his teeth in his early teens racing two strokes in the Spanish Championship, before becoming the youngest rider in history to win a Grand Prix race (15 years, 170 days old). With that pedigree, the youngster won’t be shy about elbowing his way through the field next year on a MotoGP bike. Keep an eye on him.
If he couldn’t beat Marquez, Esparagaro and Iannone with any frequency to become a star in Moto2, I’m not sure why anyone thinks he’d become a star in MotoGP.
Because people learn? And sometimes get better?
He is on track to win this year’s championship. Watch him mix it up with Espargaro, with whom Marquez fought many close battles, and remember he was a teenager last year. This kid is special and multiple MotoGP teams are very interested in him.
Marquez was a teenager last year too. Redding is coming along but if he becomes a prospect on the level of a Marc Marquez I will be very surprised. Stefan Bradl’s trajectory looks more realistic to me. Solid but not star quality (yet).
I agree he is not at the level of Marquez at this point, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a front runner. Both of these guys are extremely young and undoubtedly getting better all the time. I tried to point out that he didn’t have the best Moto2 chassis in the past, as well. There is good reason when several MotoGP teams get excited about a 20-year-old.
Another element is the physics of Redding’s body, he is both taller and heavier than the rest of the horse jockeys he competes with. The disparity was such that the class now has a combined minumum weight for the rider and motorcycle. This has helped, but he is tall, and the aerodynamics is an issue that the weight minimum doesn’t address. As a racer myself, I can comment from first hand knowledge the difference between my 175 lbs vs. 100 lbs on 125cc roadracers when the green flag waves. Do not marginalize this crucial aspect of the racing formula – power to weight ratio. Redding will be a better fit on a MotoGP bike, and may come into his own in the premier class.
That was last year before he got on the new Kalex framed bike. Now he’s at the head of the class and showing his real potential against other guys on the same chassis. I think on the right bike he’s a good candidate for MotoGP Alien status in a year or two.
re: ” I think on the right bike he’s a good candidate for MotoGP Alien status in a year or two.”
the MotoGP by-laws clearly state, Article 2, Subsection 9…
“No persons holding an incorrect passport are eligible for alien status”.
look it up, it’s in the books.
The story should be about the photographer! What a great shot!
yes he is!! Rossi out—Redding in…………..
dang they get younger every day. To quote Tolstoy “…his lips are still wet with his mother’s milk…”
Eeeewww.
Dirk, Its all about the bikes. I’d rather see tech details about his bike. Why the recurring them “what about so-and-so” or “so-and-so is on/off/etc”. Without the machine he’s just another teenie bopper. Show us more bike stuff….
I would argue that in Moto2, it’s all about the riders. Not the bikes. With a spec engine, a spec ECU, and spec tires all the riders on a much more level playing field.
Ducati?….if they don’t get their act together they won’t be able to attract any riders, including rookies. Where is all this VW support anyways?
re: “Is Scott Redding the Next MotoGP Star?”
how are we defining “star”…? not any more than smith, crutchlow, or toseland who preceded him. if stardom is what he seeks, the kid’s gotta change venues.
Hey, how about a Suzuki offer?
the man said “star” not “obscurity”.
+1. LOL!
Anyone who can lean a bike like that in the top picture is a star in my book. It’s like these guys defying the laws of physics…
Yeah, that is an incredible picture.
Or he works with the physics: The farther the rider leans toward the center of apex, the less does the bike lean through a given radius at a given speed. The less the bike leans the more upright it is and the more efficient is the tire contact patch and the less is sidewall wear (where race tires wear faster than center tread).
So: the highest theoretical velocity through a given radius is with the least possible clearance between rider and pavement. I wonder if possibly his extra 20# vs. average rider weight (per Dirck) could potentially increase rather than decrease his cornering velocity?