2022 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies weekend wrap from Aragon

2022 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Round Six – Motorland Aragón

Images by Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

José Rueda stamped his authority on Motorland Aragón by six-tenths of a second in qualifying, which meant the 16-year-old Spaniard started the weekend as favourite to maintain his points lead in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

16-year-old Luca Lunetta and 17-year-old Filippo Farioli complete the front row for Italy. Rueda’s arch points rival Collin Veijer, the 17-year-old Dutchman, took the middle of the second row just behind 15-year-old Australian Harrison Voight, who was thrilled with the result.

Harrison Voight

“Yeah, compared to Austria that was five times better, we needed that turn around and I needed that boost. I felt it after Free Practice 2 when I was second, I knew I could do it in the Qualifying. My aim was the first two rows so that’s OK. I’m not so happy that I’m about a second off Rueda but it was difficult out there because so many riders were running slow so that cost us a bit of time. So I tried to not ride slow and remove myself from the group and ride around alone. I’m happy to start fourth and I think we’ll be in there tomorrow for the podium.”

New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan was sixth in qualifying, and Jacob Roulstone started the weekend from 16th on the grid.

Red Bull Rookies Race One

15 laps of Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup action at Aragón saw the top four split by six-one-hundredths of a second by the finish.

Cup leader José Rueda led fellow Spaniard Màx Quiles towards the line but both were passed in the final metres by 14-year-old Fin Rico Salmela who took the win. He had Dutchman Collin Veijer in his slipstream but the 17-year-old was not close enough to make the podium.

A single second covered the pack of KTM RC 250 Rs down to P9.

Rico Salmela – P1

“Today was just incredible. After I crashed in Qualifying yesterday I was angry with myself and that made me so determined in the race. I said to myself, ‘Today is the day.’ At the start of the race I made up a few positions and I was like, P8, P9. I stayed there. When I saw that there were 5 laps to go I started to push a bit more to the front. “Then on the last lap it was incredible, I made a beautiful overtake into turn 1. I was so happy about that. That set up the end of the race, gave me a good position and going into the last corner I thought, ‘well if I get a good exit I can still win’ and I did it. Today I felt very good on the bike and I will not change anything for tomorrow, I will fight as much as I can to win again tomorrow.”

Harrison Voight was close to the leading group, who were covered by just 0.492-seconds, at 1.05s off the lead in ninth.

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Harrison Voight – P9

“I made a bad start and of course when you lose positions like that it’s going to be tough, I really tried to fight and gain positions back. I struggled a lot in the last sector since I’m big compared to the little guys. This made a big difference down the straights. I was really trying to focus on improving the exit and setting it up to try and stay as close as I could but there was a lot of fighting. Maybe we’ll go for the shorter gearing tomorrow, I’ll think about it. That might help me a bit more on the exits.”

Jacob Roulstone finished in 13th, with New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan in 16th, after suffering bike issues and having to start from pit lane.

Cormac Buchanan – P16

“Can’t seem to find any luck at the moment. Just as we were about to start the warm up lap an issue with the battery on the bike caused the bike to shut off. I was pushed into pit lane where the mechanics changed the battery and I unfortunately had to start from pit lane. I did the best I could after being 14 seconds behind at the first lap, I was able to salvage P16 just two-seconds away from a point. It’s frustrating but it’s the fault of no one, just one of those things that happen. Thanks to everyone for the support, another chance tomorrow and I’m excited to get going again.”

Race One Results

Red Bull Rookies Race Two

It was a sensational victory for lanky Dutchman Collin Veijer in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Race 2 at Aragón. The 17-year-old crawled under the paintwork of his KTM and just managed to better spaniards Màx Quiles and Angel Piqueras through the final corner and on the run to the line.

Piqueras crossed the line second but the 15-year-old was penalised one place for exceeding track limits on the final lap so the place was gifted to 14-year-old Quiles.

Crucially, points leader José Rueda, the 16-year-old Spaniard, flashed across the line sixth, just 0.183 seconds behind Veijer. That narrow margin though represents 15 points.

Now Rueda is just 11 ahead going into the last two races in Valencia at the beginning of November where 50 points are still up for grabs.

It was another fabulous race, as half a second covered the top 9, 3 seconds the top 13. Saturday’s winner Rico Salmela, the 14-year-old Fin, slid off unhurt on the final lap and Veijer is now tied with Rueda on 3 wins for the season. Each has only been outside the top 6 once.

Colin Veijer – P1

“That was…. I don’t know….a difficult race again. I tried to manage to stay in front. Also I pushed to try and make a little bit more of a gap than I did yesterday so they couldn’t pass me on the straight. On the last lap Piqueras passed me. I tried to slow the group a bit so there would be a little gap and then planned to close it through turn 15 to pick up his slipstream down the back straight for the last time. Then I saw he went over track limits so realised that I didn’t have to finish in front of him to win the race. I tried to stay behind and then on the last corner Máximo tried to overtake me so I released the brakes a bit, went a bit wide. Then thought, ‘oh, so it’s also possible to go around the outside of Piqueras!’ So I went for it, I tried to keep on the throttle, a lot of sliding but managed to keep inside the track limit and wow! I won the race on my own even without a penalty on Piqueras. So I am really happy with this victory.”

Voight was the top Aussie rider in 11th, in the mix with the second group and ending the race 2.750s off leading pace.

Harrison Voight – P11

“A good start to the weekend yet not so satisfying end! Although I have a positive mindset knowing I had a crack and also what I need to work harder on. Big thank you to everyone who makes this possible! Next race is at Aragon in a couple of weeks. I would [also] like to thank all of Red Bull Rookies Cup staff and KTM for replacing my chassis for a new one before starting the weekend. My crash at Austria in FP2 had damaged the frame.”

A run in for Cormac Buchanan with another rider saw him having to make a comeback for last, ending the race in 12th.

Cormac Buchanan – P12

“No luck this weekend, unfortunately had a turn one incident with another rider, it happens as it was a racing incident and our lines collided, this meant I had to do a comeback from last to P12 and was able to set the third fastest lap of the race, this is positive and bodes well for JuniorGP weekend in two weeks time!
Our pace is evident, so I know it’s coming soon!”

Jacob Roulstone finished the weekend in 17th, fighting in the third group who ended the race 11-seconds off the lead.

Jose Rueda now leads the standings on 202-points to Collin Veijer on 191. Maximo Quiles is third on 148-points, with Angel Piqueras in close contention on 144-points.

Harrison Vought current holds 10th in the standings on 77-points, with Cormac Buchanan in 20th (21 points), and Jacob Roulstone 21st (13 points).

Race Two Results

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Standings