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 opene