The class of 2024 is about to head out for the first Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup event of the season in Qatar, with Lusail International Circuit hosting a two-day test on the 17th and 18th of February. It’s our first chance to see how the rookies fit in, who’s setting the pace, and what we can expect in 2024.
RETURNING CONTENDERS
There are eight returning riders in 2024, and they’ll be looking to get up to speed as soon as possible. 2023 frontrunners Ryota Ogiwara, Zen Mitani and Riichi Takahira, all from Japan, will head in as favourites, as well as the likes of Malaysia’s Farish Hafiy. With the switch to Pirelli tyres the experienced riders have their own adaptation to focus on, and that will be of interest alongside the arrival of the rookies.
THE ROOKIES
The returning riders provide benchmarks for the fresh arrivals. 12 new faces join the grid, but as we’ve seen even recently, rookie is sometimes just a word! There are seven countries represented in 2024, with the rookies bolstering the ranks: Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. Will they make their mark right from the off?
We'll find out across two days of testing action, so keep up to date across social media and with our post-test round-up, and get ready for another blockbuster 2024!