Garzo pounces on last lap Gutierrez error for crucial win

A penultimate corner crash for the #99 sees Garzo claim victory in Race 2 as Zannoni and Casadei climb onto the podium.

Talk about drama! A last lap, penultimate corner crash for race leader Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) handed Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) a huge 25 points as the title chase leader heads to Misano with a commanding 38-point lead, as Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) and Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) complete the Race 2 rostrum at the Red Bull Ring.

Just like Race 1, the second electric class battle of the day was another barnstormer as Garzo grabbed an early race lead. This time, Zannoni didn’t make a Turn 1 error and slotted into P3 behind Gutierrez, with Casadei again getting away well from P9 on the grid to jump up to P5.

Gutierrez made a move for the lead stick at Turn 1 on Lap 2, but with four to go, Garzo returned the favour at the same corner. Gutierrez was then demoted to P3 as Zannoni stuck his Ducati up the inside at Turn 4 with three laps left, as the duo then battled away before Gutierrez was finally back through with one and a half left.

The final lap saw Gutierrez pass Garzo. Again it was Turn 1, with Garzo unable to fight back this time. The Axxis-MSI star held the lead superbly before heartbreak unfolded at the penultimate corner. Gutierrez’s front tyre gave way and the rookie slid out of the lead, handing Garzo a golden ticket worth 25 points.

Zannoni and Casadei finished P2 and P3, with the latter Garzo’s chief Championship rival heading into the final round at Misano. Zannoni and Gutierrez remain in contention, but it’s going to take a monumental turnaround from here.

Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) picked up a P4 in Race 2, 0.6s away from the win, to cap off a solid weekend for the double Champion. Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing) rounded out the top five as Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) bounced back from a crash in Race 1 to P6 a little later in the afternoon. Lukas Tulovic (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™), Nicholas Spinelli (Tech3 E-Racing), Andrea Mantovani (KLINT Forward Factory Team) and Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) were the riders to finish in the top 10.

So that’s it from the Red Bull Ring. A stunner plays out, with Garzo heading to Misano with one hand on the trophy – but it’s not over until it’s over. Two more races in 2024 remain as we get set to crown our World Champion next time out.

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