Source: Supplied.

Longtime Australian international Damian Cudlin has officially launched a brand new ‘MotoStars’ racing, coaching and training organisation alongside current MotoGP contender Jack Miller at Phillip Island today.

MotoStars will utilise short course road race and karting circuits upon introduction in 2017, conducting two-day events in a bid to bolster the sport at an introductory level.

It will cater for junior and senior road racing, as well as supermoto. Dates are to be released, but are poised to include a six-round series across the east coast between Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. An expansion into the west could also be on the cards in the future.

“My aim for MotoStars is to establish an exciting, affordable and accessible way to go road racing and to lay a stepping stone for the future generation of Aussie road racers,” Cudlin explained. “Essentially the idea is to use smaller tracks, which are great for the kids, and are more accessible and affordable for us.

“We can also add supermoto to the program, which attracts more riders, making this sustainable. It also means that we won’t be relying on any other series and running as a support class, which can often mean a five-lap race during the lunch break. MotoStars will be a standalone event, which gives riders heaps of track time and that’s what everyone wants.

“We want MotoStars to be a place for budding young GP hopefuls, as well as ‘just for fun’ families to compete. It will give riders with existing MX machines a chance to have a go and even fill a void for recreational senior riders to race with their mates at an affordable rate.”

Miller, who starred on his way to fifth on the grid this afternoon ahead of tomorrow’s Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, is right behind the project and credits ex-MotoGP racer Cudlin as an instrumental part in his own development.

“I’m really confident in the MotoStars concept and when Damo told me about it I was really excited to get behind this,” Miller told Fox Sports.

“He knows what he’s talking about and I guess I’m the result of his first project, as he coached me and taught me a lot in the early years in Moto3, and I certainly wouldn’t be here today without his help.

“I think Australia needs a thing like MotoStars to help bring through the next generation of racers, so they can compete with riders from countries like Spain and Italy where they have programs that groom their talent from an early age. This is a way for me to give back to the sport and I’m looking forward to seeing this up and running.”

MotoStars has more information on classes and machine eligibility available on its website at www.motostars.com.au with more details like venues, costs, sponsors and even an exciting scholarship program due to emerge soon. You can also find @MotoStarsAustralia on Facebook.