Another stunning race saw 0.242 seconds cover the top 5 at the end of 14 laps of Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup action in Race 2 at Jerez.
Hakim Danish made the perfect last corner move for the win but Álvaro Carpe picked up the Malaysian’s slipstream and timed a masterful pass right on the line to take victory with fellow Spaniard Brian Uriarte 3rd.
Álvaro Carpe with perfect judgement
“That was good, I think I made a very good race,” understated the 16-year-old from Murcia. “It was a big group with all the riders more aggressive than yesterday. Morelli had a very good pace, I was trying to follow him, I had a good feeling from my KTM but I was on the limit. In the last 5 laps, it got very slippery, especially in corners 7 and 8.” 
“I got a good exit from the last corner, I had a perfect slipstream of Danish up through the gears as normal, 5th gear and I went to go out of the slipstream at the perfect moment, tucked in completely and I knew I had done it.”
“I felt even better with the bike than yesterday, the track was colder, still some damp patches but they were off the racing line so no problem for me.”
“I enjoyed this race so much. Like always I must say thanks to all the staff who do such a brilliant job and support us all.”
Hakim Danish almost had it
“The race was a very fast pace,” explained the 16-year-old from Terengganu, Malaysia. “I was able to improve from yesterday, not make the mistakes. Early in the race, I didn’t feel too good because I felt it was a bit slippery.”
“I tried to adapt, to change my style of riding and it worked. I tried to follow the front group and I could do it.”
“The last two laps of the race were quite difficult with a lot of overtaking. I managed to stay in the front group, overtake on the last lap and get in a position to win the race. I pushed to the line but I saw Alvaro’s bike beside me and I knew he crossed the line first.”
Brian Uriarte takes debut weekend podium.
“I enjoyed the race so much,” enthused the 15-year-old from Santander. “Marco at the beginning was pushing pretty hard. Danish pushed me off the racing line and it was a bit damp so I had to lift the bike. I struggled a bit but finally, I could battle for the win.”
“I took the risk for the win and went for it at the last corner but went a bit wide and they got inside me but I am still happy. Of course, I wanted the victory but this is not too bad.”
“It was a great race, a lot of slipstream and overtaking sliding and fighting. Great fun and an exciting start to the season.”
Màximo Quiles just misses the podium
“A very difficult race, I felt the bike moving around a lot,” stated the Spanish 16-year-old. “I still pushed, Morelli and I opened a gap. We tried to hold it but in the last five laps there was nothing left I couldn’t hold the front, especially in left turns I had to back off and I started to lose positions and the group went.”
“Then in the last 3 laps, I said, ‘Come on Max’ and I pushed as hard as I can. I caught the group again, I overtook everybody, I was up to 2nd position. Then on the last lap, we braked hard at the end of the back straight Carpe and me, we went wide, Carpe wider than me but he didn’t touch the wet, again I touched the wet and had a big slide.”
“Then I pushed to get back, in the last corner I passed Rico at least, I tried to overtake Brian for the podium but there was no drive left. I am happy because I had good rhythm and I got good points to start the season.”
Rico Salmela in the wrong place and 5th
“It was difficult for me at the start, it was super cold and sliding a lot,” explained the 16-year-old Finn. “In the end, I managed to catch the group but I am a bit angry with myself because in the last corner, Carpe had to cut the gas a bit and I had gone the wrong side of him to the right instead of the inside and I lost the possibility…. I don’t know what to say.”
Marco Morelli did the leading but 6th
“I’m happy with what I managed to do in the race, I pushed a lot, I did my best,” said the Argentine 16-year-old who had won Saturday’s Race 1. “But towards the end, the bike was sliding a lot, with three laps to go it was really battling to ride the bike the way I wanted.”
“I pushed a lot from the beginning to get in front and maybe I pushed too much for the tyres. With these things I learn so maybe in the next race I will push but not so much and leave a bit for making a big effort in the final laps.”
“Still a great start to the season, one victory and in Race 2, all the time running in the front so I am happy for the way things are going, keep rolling.”
Ruche Moodley frustrated with double long-lap penalty
“I didn’t jump start, I really didn’t, we have a video and you can see that I didn’t,” stated the exasperated 17-year-old South African. “So I don’t know why I got a double long lap penalty. It’s very disappointing. We give it our maximum and then we get a penalty……”
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