Team Bolliger Switzerland will continue to give young riders the chance to shine in the FIM Endurance World Championship by adding another emerging talent to its line-up for 2024.
A mainstay of the EWC since 1982, Team Bolliger Switzerland has recruited 22-year-old Spaniard Álex Toledo to follow on from Pedro Nuno Romero Barbosa, who joined the Kawasaki-powered squad for 2023 and turned 23 in August.
Toledo will be on duty for the season-opening 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans and the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race when he will deputise for Swiss rider Marcel Brenner. He will also perform reserve rider duties in the Bol d’Or championship finale and be available as a back-up option for the 8 Hours of Spa Motos, should he be required.
Swiss star Brenner, who will combine his EWC commitments with an FIM Supersport World Championship campaign, and Team Bolliger Switzerland stalwart Nico Thöni, complete the #8 attack alongside Romero Barbosa. Austrian Thöni and Portuguese Romero Barbosa are set to contest all rounds.
Team Bolliger Switzerland Team Manager Kevin Bolliger said: Álex has already tested with us so we know he’s quick. He finished fourth in the FIM Moto2 European Championship last year and eighth this year and has also done three races in the world championship. He needs to learn endurance racing, but he did a really good job during the test, he’s a good rider and fits in well with the team. I am confident we have a good quartet of riders for 2024.
Bolliger continued: It’s a challenge to take a young rider but the riders are turning younger and younger in the EWC and the young guys are really fast. If riders like Álex and Pedro wish to stay in the EWC they can expect a long career with us but if they are really fast, they can do a bigger step into a factory team. That’s a bit of a risk that I take but Team Bolliger is like Sauber in Formula One. They took young drivers and helped them to grow before they moved to a factory team. If the same happens for one of our riders then we can be proud because of the opportunity we have given them. It would be an honour for us to work together and show a young rider how to race, prepare and go ahead. It’s a good opportunity for both sides.
Original Source [ FIM EWC ]
