Brian Uriarte snatched both victory and the Cup lead in Race 1 at Misano on the final lap.
The 16-year-old Spaniard goes into the last race of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2024 tomorrow morning just 2 points ahead of season-long rival Álvaro Carpe.
Second across the line was pole man Valentin Perrone and the Argentine 16-year-old finished just 0.26 seconds ahead of Hakim Danish, the Malaysian 17-year-old who won last week. Carpe led down the back straight on the final lap but was passed at the end of it. Then Maximo Quiles crashed in front of him and Carpe finished 6th.
Uriarte’s simple solution
“The plan was to take care of the tyre, not to make the rear suffer too much and have something left for the last laps.” 
“I think that I did the best I could. I was just going through the race and enjoying each corner because tomorrow will be the last race.”
Alvaro had an advantage halfway round the last lap. “Yes, but I thought I could catch him. Maybe on the TV, it looked a lot but on the bike, it didn’t look that bad. Maybe half a second, you take the slipstream, you brake a bit later and you have him.”
Sounds simple? “Yes it’s simple, but not that easy,” he concluded with a brilliant laugh.
Perrone kept out of trouble
“It was a crazy race. At the beginning of the race I decided to push, then I realised that the track was not perfect, not the grip we had on Friday so I decided to stay calm. As other riders passed me I didn’t fight too much, I followed.”
“At the end I saw Pini, Maximo, also Brian, all the group riding super crazy. I said to myself, ‘Keep calm, think about the championship.’ Then at the end of the last lap, it all happened right in front of me.”
“I saw Maximo enter the corner the corner a bit crazy, went a bit wide and when he opened the gas he was on the wrong line. I saw it happen, opened the line and kept away, so I could get P2. It’s great to be P3 in the Cup so I will enjoy the race tomorrow, try to win but enjoy it.”
Danish did it little by little
“It was a difficult, tough race for me today. I was a bit towards the back at the start and I was losing the group a bit but I kept my focus and momentum to follow the front group then try to catch them.”
“Little by little I caught them and finally I arrived and got into the lead group. On the last lap, I tried to win, but it was a bit difficult. Anyway, I finished P3, and I have to thank my family and everyone that supports me and we have another race tomorrow. So wish me luck and I will enjoy the race and do everything I can to win.”
Carpe knows he can win
“I’m unhappy today because I could win or at least get a podium,” stated the 17-year-old Spaniard. “But Maximo crashed in front of me. I know that it’s not his fault, also not my fault. Today I wanted my fifth win, and the points for the Cup.”
“Now Brian is in the lead and I need to win tomorrow or at least be on the podium with him behind me to win the Cup. I know it will be difficult, I will try my best.”
“The bike was good, I was fast and in the lead, I know that I can win.”
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