‘We are focused on giving the talented Indian children an opportunity’ – Marco Rosetto, Founder, MiniGP India

The FIM MiniGP championship is the best way for children to get a ticket to race in the premier classes of motorcycle racing. By providing evenly matched Ohvale motorcycles to race on, Marco Rosetto’s vision is probably just what Indian motorcycle racing needs at the moment. Excerpts from an interview.

Interviewed by: Joshua Varghese
Photography: Sanjay Raikar

Why did you choose India for the MiniGP project?

For 10 years I have been coming to India and I firmly believe that there is a lot of talent here. This opportunity did not exist before, so it was a beautiful window to enter. I personally want to give something back to India.

How has the response been so far to the MiniGP championship?

The response has been amazing and I did not expect this in the short time that we started this. We may have started in November 2021, but there are three years of work behind it. The turnout was great. There were more than 50 kids, of whom we have chosen 15 who will be the most adequate for this championship.

What do you have to say about the current crop of riders that you have chosen?

There are two different levels because some are already racing in the national championships; for others it is their first time on a motorcycle. Some also have a motocross background so they know how to ride a bike. But it is all within the spirit of what we are doing. We reward the winners and help and dedicate even more time to the ones who need it.

How many riders will get to race internationally? What is the roadmap for the future?

We are going to have five rounds; that is, 10 races here in India. The first two in the classification at the end of the championship will join us in Valencia during the same weekend as the MotoGP finale. They will then compete in the world final with contenders from 16 countries.

By when do you think India will have its first MotoGP or WSBK superstar?

With my heart, I will work very hard to do it within three to four years.

What is the driving force behind this whole project?

What we are doing is completely out of passion. We are a group of motor sport enthusiasts and we have experience in this background. We are focused on giving the talented Indian children an opportunity. We are purely looking for talent.