Huge interest in second season of ADAC Northern Europe Cup

• Just under two weeks left to register at www.adac.de/moto3
• Schedule with eight meetings and eleven races now complete

Munich: After its successful debut season in 2016, the ADAC Northern Europe Cup is once again proving very popular. Some 25 riders from all over Europe have already signed up for the 2017 season. All those interested (born 2003 or later) still have until 12th February to enter for the 2017 season of the ADAC Northern Europe Cup at www.adac.de/moto3.

The ADAC NEC was launched a year ago to smooth the way for young talents intending to embark on an international career. The Cup is divided into Standard and Grand Prix categories. The standard class of the ADAC NEC is a training ground but was hard-fought from the outset in 2016. GP riders can continue to develop their skills, working towards their big ambition of a start in the world championship.

To support the young talents, the ADAC NEC offers big prize money and a promotion pool in the Standard class. In their role as manufacturer of the standard engine units, Honda are contributing 14,800 euros. Intact Battery Power and Liqui Moly have donated 10,000 euros to support the best riders. MRA will also be an ADAC NEC partner in 2017 and contribute hugely to the promotion of the riders. To that end, the ADAC NEC will receive even more support in 2017 from MotoGP promoter, Dorna.

Reigning champions and newcomers

The riders enrolled so far come from all over Europe. Apart from attracting competitors from the Czech Republic, Belgium and Germany, riders from the Netherlands, Denmark, Hungary and the UK have also enrolled. The provisional field of entrants is already shaping up well and promises to produce plenty of exciting racing, and the ADAC is expecting even more entries before the deadline.

Well-known teams with a lot of world championship experience have already joined the line-up. Kiefer Racing, who lifted the Moto2 World Championship title with Stefan Bradl, intend to field a total of six drivers in the ADAC NEC in 2017. Among them are the reigning Standard class champion from the 2016 ADAC NEC season and ADAC Sport Foundation protégé, Dirk Geiger (14, GER), plus the 2016 champion from the ADAC Junior Cup powered by KTM, Mate Laczco (14, HUN).

Team Freudenberg Racing will field 2016 ADAC Junior Cup powered by KTM championship runner-up and ADAC Sports Foundation protégé Jan-Ole Jähnig (15, GER), plus Red Bull MotoGP rookie, Walid Soppe (17, NED). Philipp Freitag (19, GER) will try again to be a championship contender with F Koch Rennsport after finishing the 2016 ADAC NEC season in third place overall. A great many newcomers will also be in the field.

Intact GP with Dirk Reissmann’s Intact junior team will be on the grid with two riders.

Eleven races, eight meetings

The 2017 season will kick off with a 2.5-day practice session from 8th to 11th April at the Misano Marco Simoncelli World Circuit near the Italian Adriatic coast. Just a few weeks later (28th - 30th April), the ADAC NEC riders will compete at the Grand Prix Circuit in Assen under the banner of the Superbike World Championship before heading to the Motorsport Arena in Oschersleben for the second and third races of the season (19th - 21stMay).

The following weekend (26th - 28th May), the young talents will travel directly to the UK, where they will again contest two races at Donington Park during the World Superbike meeting. In a season packed with highlights, the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring from 30th June to 2nd July will be one of the mega draws of the year. The ADAC NEC, along with the MotoGP stars, heads next to the Czech Republic (4th - 6th August) before the season draws to a close after the meetings, each featuring two races, at the British Superbike Championships in Silverstone (8th - 10th September) and at Assen (29th September - 1st October).

The 2017 ADAC Northern Europe Cup schedule

08/04/17 - 11/04/17 Misano, ITA Practice

28/04/17 - 30/04/17 Assen, NL World Superbike

19/05/17 - 21/05/17 Oschersleben Endurance World Championship (2 races)

26/05/17 - 28/05/17 Donington Park World Superbike (2 races)

30/06/17 - 02/07/17 Sachsenring MotoGP

04/08/17 - 06/08/17 Brünn, CZE MotoGP

08/09/17 - 10/09/17 Silverstone British Superbike Championship (2 races)

29/09/17 - 01/10/17 Assen, NL British Superbike Championship (2 races)