Marco Morelli scored a superb win over fellow Argentinian Valentin Perrone with Spaniards Màximo Quiles and Alvaro Carpe chasing them across the stripe.

The opening race of the 2024 Red Bull Rookies Cup season had everything from a hoard of different leaders, torrid race-long action and a last corner mêlée.

A blow-by-blow account is pointless, it was almost impossible to keep up with the overtaking from Uriarte’s superb start through pole man Quiles fighting back and the other leaders that included Ruche Moodley, Rico Salmela, Hakim Danish and finally Morelli.

Marco Morelli takes last corner win
“I am very happy, amazing, my first victory in Rookies Cup,” enthused the 16-year-old Argentine. “The race was a little bit crazy, in the opening laps I tried to push, if someone passed me I passed back it was crazy.”

“In the last laps, I tried to overtake, it was a little bit impossible so coming into the final corner I said to myself, OK, I will brake later….”

“I braked, later, later but….the other guys braked so so late. As I arrived I thought, for sure they go wide and I went inside, through the corner I saw them all wide and as soon as I saw the exit I went full gas, the rear was sliding, I was balancing it. Full gas and the victory.”

“I am happy with the win and it was a big thrill for me to see the flag of Argentina above the podium. This is amazing.”

“Corner 6 there was some water, if you ran wide you were in trouble, the same on Corner 2. Also, it was windy. Tomorrow it will be cold but I think the race will be quicker. The bike felt great from the test and this weekend, so I don’t need to change anything for tomorrow.”

Valentin Perrone takes debut podium
“I didn’t expect to manage that in my first Rookies Cup race,” exclaimed the Argentinian 16-year-old. “I struggled a bit in the opening laps, it was difficult to overtake. But finally, I settled, I kept calm, managed to push later in the race and be in a position to go for it on the last lap.”

“I don’t know what happened in the last corner, just that I got through it well and took second.”

Màximo Quiles grabs close 3rd
“I wanted to win that one, I had a chance at the last corner but just missed,” explained the happy 16-year-old Spaniard.

“Early in the race I got to the front and opened a bit the gap but as I was pushing I could feel the bike moving around quite a lot so I said to myself to relax, save some tyres for the end.”

“Then in the last laps, I pushed but I then went wide on the wet and they overtook me and I had to catch up again. Going down to the last corner I was 4th, I braked so hard, I overtook everybody, then I saw Brian crash and I lost a bit my concentration. Also, I touched the wet a bit and slid but saved it and gave it gas to the finish.”

Alvaro Carpe makes good start to season with 4th
“It was a good race, I take the good things from the race, it adds to my experience and I can use that tomorrow,” explained the 16-year-old Spaniard, not thrilled with Race 1. “I am happy with my KTM and the feeling and the only problem was the wet patches on the track which made it a very difficult race.”

“So I am quite happy with the result, 4th is good for the points, important for the championship. It’s not my best result but it is positive and I hope to do better tomorrow, the bike is good I will not change anything.”

Rico Salmela was in front but finished 5th
“It was a bit difficult, you couldn’t always see the wet patches,” explained the 16-year-old Finn. “You had to work out lap by lap where the slippery patches were and try to ride as best you can in these conditions.”

“Finally the race was OK, I got to the front, on the last lap I led, at the last corner I led but…. I was waiting for the victory…. But still, I got points, Luckily I didn’t crash.”

“The bike is good I don’t plan to change it, just the result.”

Brian Uriarte took 6th after last corner fall
“I had to try, that’s how it is,” stated the Spanish 15-year-old. “Until the chequered flag anything can happen. I pushed a lot, I ran at the front and I am happy with the result.”

“I think I had a good pace, I felt comfortable overtaking, not struggling a lot.”

“In the last laps, the tyres started to slide but I still had a good feel for it. I still would like to improve the bike if we can as I have the rear wheel hopping on the brakes but through the corner and out of it the bike is great. We will see what we can do.”

Ruche Moodley out front but out of luck
“Early in the race I took it a bit easier, just to check the track and save it for the end,” stated the South African 17-year-old. “With 6 laps to go, I started pushing and I could be in the front quite easily and overtake quite comfortably.”

“Then with 2 laps to go Danish took me out completely and that was it, a shame, I had the pace to fight for the win. We need to fix the bike for tomorrow, it’s completely destroyed.”

Hakim Danish falls up front
“The race was good, in the beginning, I was a little bit back in the group but I just stayed calm,” explained the Malaysian 16-year-old. “Then in the middle of the race I tried to push a bit more and got to the front. Then in the last two laps at the last corner, I tried to overtake but made a mistake and crashed and hit another rider.”

“But It was a good race, I had the speed, I could fight at the front and I feel strong on this bike, I want to fight at the front again tomorrow and this time finish on the podium.”

Veda Pratama ran fast but fell twice
“Not a good race, bad luck for me I think,” explained the Indonesian 15-year-old. “Some corners were slippery and when I ran wide I crashed, bad luck for me.”

“I hope the track is completely dry tomorrow and I will improve my pace and my luck.”
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 8:45, 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/