Recapping all the Red Bull Rookies action from Mugello

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup 2024
Round Three – Mugello, Italy

Qualifying

The sun was out at Mugello when Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup qualifying kicked off and it was Alvaro Carpe who took that extra boost to its full potential. The Spaniard is not 17 until Wednesday but showed plenty of skill as he made the best use of the slipstream and his KTM to be the only rider under 2 minutes around the 5.245 km circuit.

Rico Salmela was just 0.394 seconds slower and, in turn, 0.040 better than Spaniard and Cup leader Màximo Quiles. Brian Uriarte and Valentin Perrone rounded out the top five, followed by Danish, Pratama, Pugliese, Moodley and Zanni. Australian youngster Carter Thompson qualified in P13.

Alvaro Carpe

“So far I have a perfect weekend, P1, P1, P1. It’s my first pole position ever, my feeling with the KTM was incredible, just a little chatter but very good. The Pirelli tyres were working very good, I like the track so much, all the fast corners, the hard braking. I hope I can continue the perfect weekend tomorrow. I was running behind the group, I would drop back about 2 seconds then catch them in the last sector because the slipstream there is so important. It worked. I hardly changed the bike setting, in FP2 I tried the shorter sprocket and I had P1 but it didn’t feel right and I went back to the longer sprocket for Qualifying.”

Qualifying Results

Race One

A 13-KTM lead battle saw points leader Màximo Quiles flash across the line just 0.004 seconds ahead of Brian Uriarte for the opening race win. Álvaro Carpe grabbed third, 0.044 off the top step, with the race featuring less wind and more sun, raising the track temperature and slightly affecting settings, with the teenage aces left to adjust.

Moodley and Pratama rounded out the top five, followed by Perrone, Danish, Pugliese and Carter Thompson in ninth, who was hit by another rider and sent into the gravel trap, but still managed a top 10. Plangues completed that top-10.

Maximo Quiles – P1

“The bike didn’t feel the same today as it did in Qualifying. I didn’t feel comfortable from the start and when I pushed I felt I was nearly crashing and saving it. I said, ‘Right, it’s going to be a hard race.’ I couldn’t break the group, I pushed as hard as I could but couldn’t get away. Then going onto the last lap it was very close, I was in front, I was overtaken, when we braked, Perrone hit me, I hit Veda and we almost went down. Then I pushed on, I overtook Brian, it was like a replay of last year’s I got in front, I closed the door in the last corner and managed to hold the lead to the line. I want to thank everyone, I enjoyed that race so much.”

Brian Uriarte – P2

“Second is the first loser, I’d rather be third. I could win today… but I didn’t. But still a good race, a hard race, I was a bit tired at the end, couldn’t grip the bar so well, I had a big blister. I was pretty confident through the race, I got a bit of chatter in the last few laps but nothing too bad, I have to talk to Aitor (Lafoz, suspension engineer) and see if we should change anything for tomorrow, the track was hotter than Qualifying but it will be cool again tomorrow morning. I think that I learnt from yesterday, I think I put it all together today but we didn’t show it. I gave it everything, I tried to pass on the last straight but Maximo made something strange, I couldn’t follow the slipstream and I couldn’t quite get past. It was good points, a good result but tomorrow must be better. I was a bit lost yesterday, I saw today that the guys in front had some different lines and I learnt from that and will use it in Race 2.”

Alvaro Carpe – P3

“It was an incredible race, so much fun, a big group with everyone pushing so hard all the way. I stayed towards the front of the group almost all race and I’m happy with the way I have been riding here, fastest in all sessions yesterday and 3rd today. I was looking to win this but a rider hit me in the first corner of the last lap and I had to battle back to the front in the next corners. P3 is a good result for the championship but tomorrow I have to do better. Today was hotter than yesterday, that made the bike move around more but my feeling with the KTM was good, the Pirelli tyres also felt good so I don’t think I will change anything for tomorrow.”

Carter Thompson – P9

“I felt really good,” stated the 16-year-old Australian. “In the first few laps, I didn’t get as far up as I wanted to off the start. But I kept chipping away every lap, and by the end, I got up with the front group. It’s unfortunate that in the last lap, I got hit and had to go in the gravel trap, but overall, it was a positive race, a big improvement over last year and the last couple of races, so I am really happy with the progress.”

Race One Results

Race Two

It was a disappointing race two for Carter Thompson, who crashed out on the first lap and was unable to continue after a promising start to the weekend with his top-10 result in race one.

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Just two-seconds covered the top 16 KTMs across the line at the end of Mugello Race 2 as Argentina’s Valentin Perrone took his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory.

Brian Uriarte and Álvaro Carpe matched their second and third places from race one just ahead of Rico Salmela, Maximo Quiles rounding out the top five.

Danish led the rest of the top-10 in sixth, followed by Zanni, Pratama, Boggio and Pugliese.

Valentin Perrone – P1

“I’m really happy with this first win. What can I say about the race, it was really crazy, so many overtakes. Then in the last corner, I don’t know exactly what happened, I think Maximo touched Ruche, I don’t know. I took a little of the slipstream, then got the victory. The plan for the last lap? No, just push like crazy and see what happens. It worked!”

Brian Uriarte – P2

“Second position again, that’s sort of OK, we still get some points in front of Maximo. But still first loser. Really I’m happy, I enjoyed the race, the last lap I didn’t do so well, I was almost the last of the group, the snake they made on the straight didn’t allow me to pass so it was quite tough but I still managed to make some passes. The last lap was the most exciting for me and the one I most enjoyed, I got up to the front. I don’t know what happened at the end, it all got a bit crazy, that stopped me a little bit otherwise I think I could have got the win. But still a nice weekend, good results and good for the championship, I have to do just a little bit more and get the win next time.”

Alvaro Carpe – P3

“I am very happy as I enjoyed this race so much. All the battling, all the overtaking, it was great to be running at the front all the way. The race was fast and aggressive, I think I did a good job through the weekend and I got two podiums. Now I am 3rd in the championship, 13 points behind Maximo. I say thanks to my Family, Friends and everyone who supports me.”

Carter Thompson – DNF

“Round 3 all done now here in Mugello. Race 2 didn’t end the way I wanted it to, crashing out of the race on the first lap and not being able to finish. I can’t thank the Rookies Cup staff enough for all there help of the whole weekend, Now i will get back into training and come to the next round at Assen even stronger.”

Race Two Results

Red Bull Rookies Cup Standings

2024 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Calendar

1. April 27-28 Jerez – Spain
2. May 11-12 Le Mans – France
3. June 1-2 Mugello – Italy
4. June 29-30 Assen – Netherlands
5. August 17-18 Spielberg – Austria
6. Aug 31-Sep 1 Aragon – Spain
7. September 7-8 Misano – Italy