Daniel Muñoz won his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race in fabulous style after an incredible race long lead battle of eight KTMs. The 15-year-old Spaniard put in a perfect last lap of Spielberg to hold off Ivan Ortolá the 17-year-old Spaniard and Colombian 15-year-old David Alonso the Cup points leader.
David Muñoz qualified fastest but a penalty put him at the back of the grid. The 15-year-old Spaniard’s opening laps were sensational though and he quickly cut through to the lead group while archrival Alonso did most of the leading.
David Muñoz also had a long lap penalty to serve though and that dropped him out of the lead group. Then Alonso got a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits and that pushed him back to Muñoz.
As the laps wound down the pair fought back into the lead group for the most intense struggle over the last two laps with David Muñoz finally taking 4th.
Daniel Muñoz happy with perfect win
“It is an incredible race for me, my first victory. The race was crazy, all the riders were passing at every turn. I am very happy with that and tomorrow I will push more, I want to win again but I know it will be very difficult.”
Ivan Ortolá pleased with final laps
“The race was really crazy, I made a very good start. I pushed a lot to overtake many riders. In 2 or 3 laps I was up into 3rd position. I stayed at the front of the group and in the end was thinking what to do.”
“I really like what I managed to do in the last laps to get 2nd and thanks to my mechanic and all the staff. I’m looking forward to race tomorrow, we’ll see what the weather does but wet or dry it doesn’t matter I will push a lot.”
David Alonso content with good points
“An incredible and crazy race. I made a good start and was running fast laps at the front. Then later I got a long lap penalty, I didn’t think I had been on the green so much but OK, then I caught back up to the lead group again.”
“Then the last two laps were difficult because the riders were fighting hard and we had some contact. But I managed to come through the group and finally get 3rd position on the podium.”
“That’s so good for the championship, little by little we are getting podiums and tomorrow it’s another race and I will try for as many points as possible.”
“I learnt a lot in this race, the bike is so good and I’m getting better. It was a great battle with David Muñoz, on the limit but good and I managed to get the position.”
“For tomorrow I prefer it to be dry as I am fast on this track, if it rains I am not the fastest but I am fast.”
Broadcast
This weekend’s Rookies Cup races can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world.
Race 2 is on Sunday at 15:30, the show starts 10 minutes before the race.
For more info checkout our dedicated Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup News page Rookies Cup News
Or visit the official Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup website rookiescup.redbull.com/
SBN Directory – add your motorcycle related business here
Follow us on social media:
Instagram: @superbikenews
Twitter: @sbknews
Facebook: @superbikenews
If you would like to receive our headlines daily to your email inbox then sign up to our newsletter: Here
Subscribe to our news channels: Here
