A three-way fight for victory between Spinelli, Garzo and Casadei brings the curtain down on a classic season.
Nicholas Spinelli (HP Pons Los40) rounded out the season in style in Race 2, making it a Pons team clean sweep of riders’ crown, double on Saturday and teams’ Championship as the squad prepare to bow out of World Championship competition. The Italian took his maiden win with the gloves off as he fought off both Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) and recently crowned Champion Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40), although the recently-crowned Champion still put a cherry on top of a dream weekend with another podium.
With the Championship decided it was time for all-out war as a showstopping MotoE™ finale was on it’s the way. The lights went out for the final time in 2023 and it was the Champion Casadei who held firm through the first sector to hold onto the lead, with Spinelli and Garzo glued to his rear wheel.
Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) was in the mix as well as the Spaniard now had nothing to lose, but everything to gain with his sights set on a solid result to cap off his 2023 season.
Right at the front though, Casadei dropped from 1st to 3rd in one fell swoop as Spinelli ducked under the Champion through the fastest sector on track, and Garzo quickly capitalised as well to barge his way through on the Italian.
Spinelli led Garzo as the duo broke away from the pack ever so slightly with the laps ticking away. The Spaniard had a few cheeky looks up the inside, but Spinelli held firm… until Turn 1 on the final lap. Garzo pushed his way through but Spinelli answered back with some poetry to leave the two side-by-side… and then Casadei appeared.
He shot past both, but Spinelli wasn’t accepting second in the final showdown of the season. He attacked again, Garzo took back over in second, and it was all down to the final sector. Spinelli kept it pinned to win in style, with Garzo holding off Casadei as the three staged another battle to remember.
With all that, Andrea Mantovani (RNF MotoE™ Team) and Torres both tagged right onto the podium fight, and a small freight train formed. They completed the top five, ahead of Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) after a tougher weekend on home turf. Tito Rabat (Prettl Pramac MotoE™), Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) and Alessandro Zaccone (Tech 3 E-Racing) completed the top ten. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) crashed out with Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse), riders ok.
That brings the 2023 MotoE™ season to a close after a stunning year of competition. A new name on top, an incredible winning run and more history made is only the half of it as the electric series delivered some of the closest racing on Earth. But that’s all for now – join us for more in 2024!
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