Talented Australian road racer Jacob Roulstone will contest the 2024 FIM Moto3 World Championship.
Roulstone, 18, will join forces with current Moto3 world championship leader Daniel Holgado, of Spain, in the Red Bull KTM Tech3 team, immersed in a performance environment renowned for producing future champions.
Red Bull KTM Tech3’s decision to invest in a rookie prospect is testament to Roulstone’s potential. He recently confirmed a top five finish in the 2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup with a best race result of runner-up and is currently top-four in the FIM JuniorGP World Championship.
Already earning podium finishes in the hotly-contested feeder series, Roulstone is undoubtedly ready to progress his career.
“It’s the next ‘natural’ step for me. It’s super exciting and a huge opportunity to be part of the Red Bull KTM Tech 3 team in 2024 and race on the world stage. They are a very experienced and professional team who have brought through many great riders into the MotoGP paddock and one of the highest placed teams in Moto 3 championship,” he said.
“Having Herve Poncharal as the team manager and who has been in the paddock for over 30 years, will be a great advantage in my rookie year as he will be able to guide me and provide me with so much advice and knowledge.
“Stepping up from Rookies Cup and the JuniorGP won’t be easy but with the team, the people around me and my own determination, I believe we can have a decent rookie season. My goal is to have some top 10 finishes in the races and finish as Rookie of the Year.”
“Competing in the Moto3 world championship means I’ll be one step closer to my dream of racing MotoGP. I will be racing at 22 race events worldwide, alongside MotoGP and Moto2, including a race at Phillip Island in October 2024.”
Red Bull KTM Tech3 team principal Poncharal described Roulstone as a “very promising” talent.
“He is clearly on the rise and we are looking forward to teaching him the Moto3 class next year. We are very excited for this line up,” he said.
Roulstone’s quest for promotion into the elite ranks began earlier in the season when several teams approached him to ride for them in 2024.
“My mum Leah, who manages me, met with them to discuss my future and to consider what they had to offer me. Many teams want a lot of money so some of them were just out of the question. It’s a pretty tough sport in this way.”
It will be Roulstone’s fifth season based in Spain after moving with his mum in 2020 to pursue his racing passion.
“It’s difficult moving to the other side of the world, leaving family and friends behind and having to learn different languages and a new way of life. The reality is this is where the majority of riders are from and the best training tracks are located. The opportunities for training are top class and there is always someone fast to train with. To now achieve my goal of racing in the world championship makes every sacrifice worth it,” he said.
The team’s major sponsors, Red Bull and KTM, are iconic in the motorsport world, including the feature class, and now the hunt for personal sponsors eager to align with Roulstone’s racing endeavours is underway.
“Because motorsport doesn’t have a huge following in Australia as it does in Europe, the ability to attract sponsors from home can be challenging. The flip side is that the level of exposure Australian companies can have is huge because there isn’t many of us riding at this level,” he said.
“I would certainly like the opportunity to partner with some Australian companies with branding on my helmet and leathers and be a great ambassador for them.”
On the track, Roulstone is focused on a strong finish to an already impressive 2023 season.
“I’m still fighting for the championship with Aspar Junior Team in the JuniorGP with two rounds to go – one in Aragon next weekend and the final round in Valencia in November.
“Once that is over, at the end of November I will have a one day test with my new team before flying home to Australia for 2 months. I will start official testing around the end of February next year in preparation for the first round of racing at the QatarGP in March.”
