A third impressive victory in his debut Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season has shot Japanese 17-year-old Ryota Ogiwara into contention for the overall Cup victory.
Points leader Beñat Fernandez crashed out of mid-pack on lap 8 of the 19. Spanish 18-year-old Fernandez has led the Cup since winning the first race of the season in Jerez and arrived in Germany with a 42-point advantage over Ogiwara. That is now just 17 points with 5 races remaining.
Ogiwara had charged through from 12th on the grid to lead across the line at the end of Lap 3. A typical Rookies Cup KTM race ensued with innumerable lead changes, but when it counted, Ogiwara stole a lead of about 3 bike lengths on the last lap. Pole man and German hero Fynn Kratochwil had 2nd, but Spanish 18-year-old David González cut through to 2nd.
Ogiwara defended his lead through the final turns, González had to accept 2nd and 15-year-old Kratochwil was overtaken by Thai 20-year-old Kiattisak Singhapong for 3rd right at the end.
Fernandez escaped unhurt from the fall that resulted from three riders coming together through the sweeping left-hander before the waterfall, so he will be out to defend his Cup lead in Race 2 on Sunday afternoon.
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1st – Ryota Ogiwara (Japan)
“Honestly, before the race, I’m thinking ‘this is gonna be tough’. But then, from the start of the race, my feeling was so good. I could lead the race, I dropped back a bit mid-race, but then pushed again and could manage to win. I saw on the big screen that Beñat was out so that changes the points a lot.”
2nd – David González (Spain)
“The race was difficult. I started P11. I fought into the lead positions. I then lost some places, at the end, it was crazy. On the last lap, I passed Fynn (Kratochwil) for 2nd. I pushed so hard to catch Ogiwara, going down the hill on the final lap, I was closer, just not close enough to try at the last corner.”
3rd – Kiattisak Singhapong (Thailand)
“With the grid penalty, I had to come from the back. I was careful, I didn’t want to use up the rear tyre. I just started to push in the second half, and I pushed really hard over the last two laps. Tomorrow should be a bit easier, starting from the front row. I will keep calm, keep control and see what I can do.”
4th – Fynn Kratochwil (Germany)
“It was a hard race, but I managed to do my work and work my plan until the last lap. I wanted at least a podium; I was P3 up to the last 2 corners. I felt good to attack, then David González went super tight inside, I decided to go to the right, which was the mistake of the race, I think. The guys came from the inside, and that ruined my exit, so I was 4th.”
5th – Kiandra Ramadhipa (Indonesia)
“A good race for me. I tried to attack at the front, but unfortunately, the group stayed right behind. I made some mistakes when I was leading, but I tried my best to pull the group. In the last 5 laps, I felt my tyre was finished because I pushed every lap from the 1st. Finishing P5 is not very bad for the points. Tomorrow I will do my best, of course.”
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