Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Preview of Race 3, Estoril, Portugal – Saturday
April 12th
The excitement created by the double header opening weekend
in Jerez continues on Saturday in Estoril, Portugal. Race
3 of the 10 that make up this year's Red Bull MotoGP Rookies
Cup will see everyone else out to revenge Luis Salom's double
victory in Spain.
The 16 year old had it all his own way at home but is unlikely
to repeat those comfortable wins even in Estoril though he
was second fastest there in pre-season testing on March 22nd
and 23rd. It was Norwegian 16 year old Sturla Fagerhaug who
dominated a typically blustery two day test on the Atlantic
coast and he only needs to do one thing right to take the
fight to the Spaniard, “I have to get my start right.
That's what let me down both times in Jerez.”
Salom is not expecting it to be easy but he is quite confident.
“I am not sure that everything can be as perfect as
it was at Jerez, racing isn't like that but I was happy with
the test in Estoril last month. I was a bit careful because
the conditions were tricky and a lot of guys were crashing
but the lap time and position was still OK.”
Also on the favoured list for Portugal is Deane Brown as
the Scot, who turned 15 on April 4th, was 3rd fastest in the
test and scored two 3rd places in Spain despite making the
same bad starts as Fagerhaug.
On lap times Cristian Trabalon should be close behind Brown
but he needs to find the consistency that eluded him in Jerez
otherwise he may well again lose out to the likes of Nelson
Major and Daijiro Hiura the two first time Rookies who were
5th and 6th fastest at the test and more impressive in the
opening races in Spain.
Even as newcomers, 15 year old Frenchman Major and 13 year
old Japanese Hiura have more road race experience than American
JD Beach who scored two superb second places in Jerez to conclude
his first 12 months on tarmac. The 16 year old improves with
every outing and though a little off the pace at the Estoril
test in 8th place behind 13 year old Italian Kevin Calia,
Beach should do much better in this weekend's race.
The dark horse is certainly the home town hero; 13 year old
Miguel Oliveira. He races as Wild Card and was extremely quick
at the Estoril test even though he missed several sessions
after a string of crashes and slipped to 10th as others went
quicker in his absence. If the Portuguese teenager can temper
his enthusiasm just a little he could be well to the front,
cheered on by the crowd.
Missing from the event will be 13 year old Fin Niklas Ajo
who sustained a broken left collarbone when he crashed in
the second timed session in Jerez.
Cup standings
Luis Salom (ESP) 50 points
JD Beach (USA) 40
Deane Brown (GBR) 32
Nelson Major (FRA) 23
Sturla Fagerhaug (NOR) 22
Daijiro Hiura (JPN) 22
Daniel Ruiz (ESP) 19
Markus Reiterberger (GER) 15
Jakub Kornfeil (CZE) 15
Florian Marino (FRA) 8
Adam Blacklock (GBR) 8
Mathew Scholtz (RSA) 6
Joshua Elliot (IRL) 6
Cristian Trabalon (ESP) 5
Kevin Calia (ITA) 3
Matthew Hoyle (GBR) 2
Daniel Kartheininger (GER) 2
Peter Sebestyen (HUN) 2
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