Jacob Roulstone 2023
Australian road racer Jacob Roulstone will again tackle dual championships in Europe in 2023.
Solid performances throughout the recently completed 2022 season has earned the 17-year-old renewed contracts within both the FIM JuniorGP World Championship and highly-coveted Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
For the JuniorGP, Roulstone has re-signed with leading Spanish outfit Aspar for a second tilt at the title, testament to his progression since moving up from the European Talent Cup (ETC) ranks.
Jacob Roulstone
“I’m really happy to be continuing this journey with Aspar. We made a lot of good steps in the later part of this year and I’m determined to start 2023 where I left off and fight for race podiums. This was a season of learning and developing connections. I gelled well with the team and, from my point of view, this is the best crew and environment to help me achieve my goal of winning the Junior World Championship and securing a pathway into the World Championship.”
While his inaugural Rookies Cup campaign proved a steep learning curve at times, Roulstone’s commitment was rewarded with a second year in the prestigious championship, which runs in conjunction with MotoGP events throughout Europe.
“Being accepted into Rookies Cup again feels great as I know they believe I can achieve more in a second year and the coaches and staff have trust in my abilities and potential. Whilst it has been a challenging bike to learn, I can’t wait to see what’s possible now I have got to grips with it. You just have to look at the Rookies Cup past participants to see how many incredible riders have come out of this programme and another year is a fantastic chance for me to fight for the championship win and to have my career prospects and goals highlighted.”
Throughout 2022, Roulstone focused on learning new tracks and motorcycle machinery while honing his skills in the world’s toughest junior motorcycling championships.
“Absolutely it was challenging at times and definitely a step up from the European Talent Cup I’d raced in the previous two years. But we worked incredibly hard and improved dramatically to finish the year in the top 10 of the JuniorGP race at Valencia – no mean feat when racing against the top junior riders on the planet. I got to race at some of the best racing circuits on the planet, like the Red Bull Ring in Austria, Mugello in Italy and the Sachsenring in Germany. It was an amazing experience.”
“From a technical perspective, I’ve learned how to ride different bikes and
switching from a smaller bike to a bigger bike required me to change my riding style significantly. I really got to utilise the telemetry on the bike to understand the dynamics of every aspect from opening the throttle, braking and moving my body on bike to change the way it rides. I am satisfied with my 2022 campaign and have set my expectations even higher for 2023 to continue the momentum. I want consistent top 5 finishes in both championships, with some podiums to be in the mix to win both titles. Leaving dad, my sister and the family dog was not an easy decision, but if there is anywhere that motorcycling thrives, it’s in Spain. The sacrifices have been worth it.”
It will be his fourth season based in Spain after moving with his mum Leah in 2020 to pursue his racing passion.
After racing in Australia and Asia throughout 2019, Roulstone, of Jamberoo, New South Wales, was offered a place with the illustrious Leopard Impala Junior Team in the 2020 ETC, prompting the move to Spain. But just two weeks after arriving, the world changed forever when the Covid pandemic struck. “We lived in a hotel room for 105 days until we could finally leave isolation. It was a tough start to my European career,” Roulstone explains.
When racing finally commenced, Roulstone tackled the foreign tracks with determination and continually improved throughout the year, scoring several top 10 finishes.
The following year, he etched his name in the history books as the first Australian rider to win an ETC race and earned another two podium finishes to complete 2021 as the only non-Spanish rider to feature in the championship top 12 from over 50 riders, not withstanding two mechanical DNF’s in the season.
After a short break at home on Australian soil, Roulstone will return to Spain in January to embark on an intense winter training programme before continuing full throttle towards his goal of being a MotoGP world champion, a goal he has had his eye on since he was four and been committed to his entire life.
Sponsorship is essential to success and Jacob currently has places available on his leathers, helmets and training gear for the 2023 season, along with exclusive supporters pack opportunities. Non European riders like Jacob incur many added costs that require extra financial support from personal sponsors, so every bit helps.
Interested sponsors who believe in supporting a determined young Aussie on this journey can secure a prime position by contacting Leah Roulstone .
