IHe strings words together at full speed, like when he’s riding his motorcycle. With self-confidence and essential assurance when you arrive at 220 km/h at the end of a straight line.
Louis Papelard, 15, is a boy in a hurry. Obsessed with one goal: to become a professional motorcycle rider. “The only limits we have are the ones we set for ourselves,” says the teenager from Trois-Palis, who has a golden opportunity to get closer to his dream.
The student of 1re at the Charles Augustin de Coulomb high school in Angoulême is participating in the selections for the Red Bull Moto GP Rookies Cup, until Thursday, in Guadix (Spain). He is one of 200 young drivers with high potential chosen by the organizer Dorna Sports. The fight promises to be fierce. Only the best 13 will have the chance to participate in all seven rounds of the championship next season.
It would be a godsend for the Charentais. The Rookies Cup, intended for very young riders, is the antechamber of Moto 3, itself a stepping stone to Moto GP via Moto 2. The talent incubator financed by the energy drink brand has, among others, revealed the Frenchman Johann Zarco, winner of the first edition in 2007, and the Spaniard Jorge Martin, currently leading the Moto GP world championship, crowned in 2018.
Another advantage and not the least: free. Motorcycles, mechanics, engineers… The main costs are covered by the Rookies Cup. “We only have to pay for transport and accommodation,” explains Louis Papelard. “Everyone has the same bike. The difference is made in the piloting and minor adjustments. »
4e of the French Superbike championship
The Charentais revealed himself this season by taking 4e of the French Superbike championship (NSF250 category), which he concluded with a 4e place, last weekend, at Castellet. A great performance for someone who discovered the category after his title of French mini OGP champion in 2023. “This is his first season riding a big bike. It went from 130 to 220 km/h in top speed,” illustrates Wilfried Papelard, Louis’ dad.
“The only limits we have are the ones we set for ourselves. »
The boy’s performance is all the more remarkable because he did not fight with the same weapons as his competitors. Winner at Le Mans at the start of the season and leading the general standings for a long time, Louis Papelard fell back in the hierarchy due to lack of means to upgrade his Honda. “Some teams have data engineers and a mechanic per motorcycle, unlike us,” underlines the Team Berry Performance driver. “The gap between us and the competition has widened as the season has gone on. »
“I know they are going to prepare traps for us”
This week, Louis Papelard will start on an equal footing with opponents who, like him, do not lack determination. Since Tuesday, the young riders have been carrying out a series of timed tests with the same motorcycles. And it is not necessarily the fastest who will be selected.
“They judge our ability to analyze the motorcycle,” explains the teenager, who went fishing for information. “I know they are going to prepare little traps for us to see if we can detect them. » The general behavior of the pilots will also be scrutinized. Affable and comfortable in English, the Charentais can rely on his chatter to charm the paddock.
Whether he is selected or not, he hopes to join the European Talent Cup (ETC), more famous than the French Superbike championship, next season. Several teams spotted him, according to his father. “They compete with the best in the ETC,” he assures.
But unlike the Rookies Cup, the European Talent Cup requires financial resources. The entry ticket is around €95,000. This is €60,000 more than the current budget (€35,000) of the young rider, who would need €25,000 more to compete with the biggest teams in the French Superbike championship, in which he could participate again if he does not can’t find anything better.
While waiting for a patron, Louis Papelard does six weekly training sessions, half on a motorbike on the Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge circuit, the other half to perfect his physical condition (bodybuilding, running, cycling). ).
“He goes to great lengths,” recognizes Wilfried Papelard, a former pilot, who knows the importance of building a mind of steel. “He sometimes helps out for free to our partners in the summer or sleeps in a tent at the foot of the camper van. » A learning the hard way to catch up and one day overtake the daddy’s boys who integrate Moto 3 without any difficulty thanks to their father’s bank account.
A claimed connection with Sébastien Charpentier and Gregg Black
Louis Papelard has no shortage of models in Charente. Starting with his mentor Sébastien Charpentier, double Supersport world champion (2005, 2006), who supported his early career. There is also Julien Pilot, Maxim Pellizotti, and Gregg Black, the reference with his three world endurance titles. “He gives me advice, for example on the mental side. He is a very accessible person, who does not show off,” appreciates Louis Papelard, who hopes to go on an internship in Spain with his eldest. “He offered it to me. I hope it will happen. »
This profusion of high-level pilots in Charente can create a favorable environment for the young pilot’s future career. “There are many motor sports enthusiasts in Charente,” underlines Wilfried Papelard, looking for partners to finance his son’s career. “All it takes is one person to believe in him. »
Related News :