Red Bull MotoGP Rookies – First test 2008 –
Jerez Spain, February 25th & 26th
24 young riders enjoyed the sun of southern Spain for the
first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies test of 2008, held at Jerez
on February 25th and 26th. For many it was their first track
time for months and they were just thrilled to be back in
action. Fastest was Britain's Matthew Hoyle ahead of the Spanish
pair of Luis Salom and Cristian Trabalon with Sturla Fagerhaug
of Norway fourth.
Starting its second year the Cup retains 10 riders from last
year plus 14 new teenagers making it a truly global event
with riders coming from as far afield as South Africa, Australia,
America and Japan as well as across Europe from Finland and
Norway to the Czech Republic and Spain.
Quickest of the newcomers was Mathew Scholtz. He shrugged
off a high speed fall on the first day to be 5th fastest overall.
“I really enjoyed that last session, I'm feeling a lot
better now. My favourite bit of the track is the last fast
left hander... the place where I crashed yesterday. I made
a mistake, I was too fast but now I have a much better line
and I am quicker but not crashing.”
For some of the newcomers the combination of a Grand Prix
125 and the Jerez Grand Prix circuit was a bit of a shock.
“It's the fast corners, they are really new to me,”
said 12 year old Alessio Cappella, the Nigerian Italian who
will only be able to start racing at the Mugello round once
he is 13. He likes to be known as 'Black Arrow' and was very
much enjoying his first outing on a 125 GP bike. “It
is a lovely bike and a lot of fun, when the tyres get worn
though, wow, you have to watch out.”
Fellow newcomer Kevin Calia, the 13 year old from Imola,
said that he had the same reaction. “Sure it is the
fast corners that are new for us, really something to learn.
But the bike and the track are great and I am having a lot
of fun. I know I need to do some more work on setting up the
front suspension, then I will be happier.”
Austrian Nico Thöni was having a good time. “The
best bit is the last corner, the tight left, I really enjoy
that. The fast corners are not so easy, I know I have a bit
to learn there.” It will be hard for him to have to
watch the Rookie race action until he turns 13 and can join
the others from the Assen round on June 28th.
Fin Niklas Ajo, another newcomer, had a positive reaction
to the fast corners. “Those last right handers are the
best part of the track, so much fun,” said the 13 year
old who had only seen the track as a spectator before. I am
also enjoying the KTM, the feeling is quite similar to the
RS125 I have ridden so it is not too difficult to get used
to and I am very happy with everything.”
For the old hands like 16 year old Matthew Hoyle from Bradford
England there was nothing new about the track or the bike.
“It is just great to be riding again, I have been waiting
all winter for this, it's just so great to be out on the track
again.” Hoyle ended the 2007 season 3rd in the Cup standings
and the highest place finisher to be in the series again for
2008. He was fastest over the two days and setting himself
up and the man to beat.
Luis Salom will be another of the second year Rookies worth
watching. The Assen 2007 winner was just glad to be back on
a bike. “At home in Mallorca there is just nowhere to
ride. It was so great to be back on the bike again and I just
felt right at home immediately, I wasn't pushing it, just
relaxed, it felt great from the start.” said the 16
year old who was second fastest overall.
Fellow Spaniard, 15 year old Cristian Trabalon was just as
happy to be riding again and third fastest. “I started
the off season with my right arm in plaster for about a month
after I broke my wrist testing in Valencia after the GP last
year. I just had a bit of a go on a supermotard bike in the
off season so it was great to be back on the KTM again.”
Fourth quickest, 16 year old Sturla Fagerhaug from Norway
knows what he need to do before the start of the season proper.
“I need to do some training and get more strength in
my arms. I guess it is the time off the bike during the winter
and I'm going to work on that. Otherwise it all went well,
great to be back on the bike.”
Another with high hopes for his second year in the Cup is
16 year old American JD Beach who started 2007 as a complete
road racing novice finding the switch from dirt track quite
a jump. A year on things are very different. “It's great,
I'm about 3 seconds faster than I was last year and I'm running
with Matt (Hoyle) and Deane (Brown). I couldn't do that last
year.”
Some of the newcomers had tried a 125 before but even for
them joining the Rookies Cup means new experiences. For 14
year old Czech Jakub Kornfeil it was interesting to compare
the KTM with the RS125 he has ridden before. “I am really
enjoying the KTM, it is much nicer to ride, the handling is
better and so I am having a lot of fun. It is a great track
and I don't think I am having any real problems, just learning.”
Of the two Japanese newcomers,14 year old Sasuke Shinozaki
settled in quickest and said he loved the track. “The
fast corners are so much fun, very exciting. I also like the
hairpins so I am having a great time. I am used to an RS125
but the handling of the KTM is better, the bike is not so
rigid.”
Daijiro Hiura was a little frustrated by a couple of bike
problems and not as fast as he wanted to be. “I think
I expected a lot of myself here and it just has not worked
out the way I wanted. I really wanted to do well and I tried
very hard.“ said the 13 year old who had shocked everyone
with his speed as a wild card rider at the Valencia Rookies
Cup race at the end of the 2007 season.
Daniel Kartheininger was one of the early fallers on the
first day, a spectacular highside that brought down Jakob
Kornfel and Adam Blacklock. He twisted his ankle and that
put a dent in his performance for the rest of the test. “It
is my left ankle, they X-rayed it and it's not broken but
it hurts and its stiff, not easy to change gear,” said
the 15 year old from Memmingen, Germany.
After a day's break the circus moves to Valencia for a further
two days of testing on the 28th and 29th of February. There
will then be a two day test at Estoril on March 22nd and 23rd
before the Cup season starts alongside the Spanish MotoGP
round at Jerez on March 29th and 30th with two Rookies Cup
races.
Combined times from Monday and Tuesday at Jerez.
1 Matthew Hoyle GBR 1:54,364
2 Luis Salom ESP 01:54,456
3 Cristian Trabalon ESP 01:54,544
4 Sturla Fagerhaug NOR 1:55,023
5 Mathew Scholtz RSA 1:55,154
6 JD Beach USA 1:55,281
7 Kevin Calia ITA 1:55,285
8 Deane Brown GBR 1:55,371
9 Daniel Kartheininger GER 1:55,761
10 Alessio Cappella NGR 1:55,814
11 Sasuke Shinozaki JPN 1:55,919
12 Nico Thöni AUT 1:56,049
13 Nelson Major FRA 1:56,226
14 Florian Marino FRA 1:56,486
15 Daniel Ruiz ESP 1:56,551
16 Markus Reiterberger GER 1:56,818
17 Niklas Ajo FIN 1:56,982
18 Jakub Kornfeil CZE 1:57,060
19 Daijiro Hiura JPN 1:57,213
20 Dylan Mavin AUS 1:57,290
21 Peter Sebestyén HUN 1:57,511
22 Joshua Elliott IRL 1:58,690
23 Harry Stafford GBR 1:58,730
24 Adam Blacklock GBR 1:59,069
|
