Image: Supplied.

Following the selection event for the 2024 Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup (IATC), Australians Archie Schmidt and Rikki Henry have been chosen to join the series next year.

Schmidt and Henry, both 14, were among the 10 riders picked to feature in the IATC next year, while fellow Australian Hudson Thompson was named as a reserve.

Action at the selection event began at 8 am, Wednesday, at the Sepang Karting Track, and concluded mid-afternoon, with a team of experts on hand to assess the riders, led by Dorna external talent promotion director Alberto Puig. 2009 250cc champion Hiroshi Aoyama was likewise on hand, as well as rider coaches Joan Olive and Diego Lozano.

With each session on track, some names were selected to continue to the next stage until the final decisions and announcements were made following the conclusion of the last exit. 10 riders were chosen outright and 10 additional names as reserves, all together representing nine countries: Australia, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Schmidt is the current leader of the Oceania Junior Cup (OJC), showing both speed and composure throughout the series so far, while Henry claimed the FIM MiniGP Australia Series 160cc title with a number of race wins to his credit.

Currently, Australians Marianos Nikolis and Levi Russo compete in the 2023 IATC, while the full list of selected and reserve riders can be found here for the 2024 season. The selected riders will join those chosen from the current pool of competitors to remain in the series next year.