A third win in a row hides just how hard Angel Piqueras is battling for his advantage in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
The 16-year-old Spaniard was passed by Jacob Roulstone into the last corner but the 18-year-old Australian drifted wide, bumped KTMs with Álvaro Carpe and only just held off Màximo Quiles on the run to the line.
15-year-old Spaniard Carpe was furious about the coming together, lost concentration and lost a podium place as fellow countryman, 15-year-old Quiles flashed past having recovered from a late long lap penalty after battling for the lead for most of the race.
Angel Piqueras on 3 going for 4
“I felt really confident going into the race, I felt confident yesterday in Qualifying and I knew I could have a good race. We did change the front a little after Quali and that worked well.”
“It was a hard race, I’m tired now because it was hard work and I need to enjoy this moment because it is now 3 wins in a row.”
Can you make it 4 in a row? “Yes,” he nodded with a grin.
Màximo Quiles with the pace to win
“Yes I was pretty fast, I am happy with that. I am a bit angry because I had to make the long lap and I only realised it quite late. I did it just 2 laps before the finish but I still fought back, I expected that they might bump each other in the last corner so I opened my line a bit going in so I could cut back and get the good drive and slipstream to the line.”
“The bike was great and I plan to race just as hard tomorrow.”
Jacob Roulstone missed the gear and the win
“I am very happy that all the hard work is paying off and I was very confident going into Qualifying and the race. After 5 laps I was struggling a bit to stay with the lead group, I just decided to calm down to hit my marks and I managed to catch back up.”
“I felt really good, passed Carpe and went for it into the last turn inside Piqueras, I miss-shifted into 2nd when I thought I was in 1st. So I didn’t have the drive, Piqueras passed me and bumped with Carpe which he was not happy with, I’m not a dirt rider, I don’t know if he expected me just to let him through but I am not here to make him happy.”
“I’m just focussed on tomorrow, the bike is working well, I was having quite a lot of moments but they were controllable moments.”
Álvaro Carpe lost concentration and podium place
“It was a hot and very hard race. In the last corner, I had an accident with another rider, it cost one place in the classification, I’m not happy with what happened, but this is racing and tomorrow I will do better.”
“Tomorrow will be better, I have had a very good feeling with the bike all weekend and I want to thank the staff for their support and I want to fight for the win.”
Rico Salmela fought back
“The start of the race was quite difficult,” stated the 15-year-old Finn. “I started from P11, in the first corners I was struggling a bit and at the end of the first lap, I was P16. Then in the middle of the race, I started to make some progress and in the last laps I caught Casey and Ruche and in the last lap I was able to overtake Ruche for P5.”
“I’m quite happy with the comeback I made but tomorrow I want to work more on the first laps to get in the lead group as I have to fight for the podium. It’s good for the championship as I am now P3.
Ruche Moodley will better his 6th
“I pushed really hard to stay with the front group but I was really on the limit and when I lost them I struggled to keep my rhythm. I’m a little bit disappointed that I lost the front group but it’s my best position so far in the Rookies Cup and tomorrow I know what to do differently to stay with them.”
“I know two things that I can work on, in Sector 3 with my riding and I will talk to the guys about changing the bike because I had a lot of sliding on the rear,” explained the 16-year-old South African
Casey O’Gorman 10th after late error
“I was just dropping off the back of the lead group and I made a mistake, touched an inside kerb with my front, it tucked, I saved it but then the rear came round and I lost so much time.”
“I struggled a lot with the heat and the sliding but the bike is good and hopefully when it is a bit cooler tomorrow morning it will be better,” asserted the 15-year-old Irishman.
Marco Morelli 11th
“I made some mistakes in the race and that cost me a lot, this is why I didn’t stay in the front group but I will learn and do a better job tomorrow,” explained the 15-year-old Argentinian who had qualified 2nd.
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