Piqueras wins last corner battle with Roulstone and Quiles to take Jerez Rookies Race 1

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.

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/