On May 13th, the ESBK tour made its third stop: Valencia. Here, the Chinese road racing team unveiled their ace in the hole, foreign driver number 37, Jose Luis. He gripped the controls of the COLOVE321RR, squaring off against 24 competitors from powerhouses like KAWASAKI and YAMAHA. When the dust settled, it was Luis who held the first-round championship aloft. This triumph represents not only the first international championship for a Chinese racing team but also the first worldwide recognition for a motorcycle made in China.

The decision to bring a foreign driver into the KOVE team was strategic. The goal was to rigorously test the racing machine’s limits and expedite the performance improvement of Chinese drivers. This strategy paid off handsomely. Jose Luis, the team’s new recruit, exceeded all expectations. After just two practice sessions and a single qualifying round to get accustomed to the vehicle, he took the ESBK’s first official race by storm. Behind the wheel of the KOVE 321RR, he ruled the roost. His victory lap ended at the top of the podium, where he claimed the much-coveted ‘C’ position.