Red Bull MotoGP Rookies weekend wrap from Jerez

2022 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Round 2 – Jerez

Images by Gold & Goose/Red Bull Content Pool

Qualifying

José Rueda was the rider to chase in Jerez, as the 16-year-old Spaniard added pole position to his points lead going into the weekend’s Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races at Jerez.

He took a small advantage over Filippo Farioli of 0.054 to claim pole, however the 16-year-old Italian would start from three places back after being penalised for speeding in the pit lane.

In the middle of the front row of KTM RC 250 Rs instead was fellow Italian Luca Lunetta with Australian Harrison Voight alongside.

Harrison Voight

“My aim was to be first or second row so that’s OK,” said the 15-year-old Aussie before knowing he had been promoted to the front row by Lunetta’s penalty. “It’s good enough for the race, Hopefully I can just get a good start and see how it goes from there. I stopped in Qualifying because my setting from FP2 was not good enough I was on the limit but we improved the front and it’s good now.”

Portimão pole man Angel Piqueras, the 15-year-old Spaniard, broke two toes in this right foot when he fell while challenging Rueda for the lead in Race 1 in Portugal and had to settle for fifth on the time-sheets.

New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan qualified in 18th, while Aussie Jacob Roulstone was 21st.

Qualifying Results

Race 1

José Rueda crossed the finish line first for the third time running and extended his points lead in doing so in Race 1. But the 16-year-old Spaniard had to battle for every millimetre and took victory by just 0.018 seconds over countryman Angel Piqueras in a photo finish, where Collin Veijer was third and 1.653 seconds covered the top seven.

It had been that close all the way with the KTM RC 250 R’s swapping places at almost every turn. Rueda and Piqueras got away initially but could not hold the advantage at over a second. In the second half of the race it was a free for all with no one getting any kind of clear advantage.

José Rueda – P1

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“Not a perfect race. But is was a good race, a very hard race, difficult because I had a big battle with Piqueras and I am so happy with the result,” he admitted having managed to avoid the last lap track limits error that cost him the Race 2 in Portugal. I am going to talk to the guys about changing the bike a little bit for tomorrow.” 

Harrison Voight slid out of contention, the 15-year-old Australian well in the hunt at the front but falling early.

Harrison Voight – DNF

“I’ll learn from it and move on to tomorrow. I just turned in too soon as I made the pass, the front’s gone, tried to get on the gas a bit and get it back but couldn’t. Simple mistake. I’ll probably make it a bit stiffer in the front for tomorrow, we’ll see.”

New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan improved on his qualifying result to claim 12th in Race 1, with Jacob Roulstone finishing 20th.

Race 1 Results

Race 2

Max Quiles has no idea how he won Race 2 at Jerez, in one of the truly great Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup battles. The 14-year-old Spaniard jumped out of the 12 rider lead pack with a couple of laps to go, put in two sensational laps and led Luca Lunetta across the line in a photo finish.

Collin Veijer was third across the stripe but demoted a position giving José Rueda P3, a direct reversal of the last lap drama in Portugal that gave the 17-year-old Dutchman the win.

Max Quiles – P1

“I was at the back of the group because I wasn’t feeling good on the bike, the feeling of the bike and the brakes, I was feeling very bad. Then in the last two laps I don’t know what happened, I went crazy and I overtake in one lap 9 of them. The official lap board was wrong and when we all thought it was the last lap there was no flag and there was still one to go. I was a little bit confused but then I kept going. That is why I had attacked so hard because I thought it was the last lap. I went again and could still win at the flag. We’ll see if we can get more of this.”

Rueda did a lot of the leading and continued his faultless podium run, if not on the top step this time.

José Rueda – P3

“It was such a hard race, battling all the way. Again there was no chance to break away. The bike was great, I was thinking about it but finally I didn’t change anything after yesterday. But the track was hotter, the bike moved about more, it was the same for everyone. I am happy to be on the podium again, happy with the points and enjoyed the race so much.”

Once again 15-year-old Spaniard Angel Piqueras ran at the front with Rueda but couldn’t hold that in the closing laps. The Portimão pole man admitted that the two broken toes he sustained there in Race 1 took the edge off his performance this weekend.

Harrison Voight finished Race 2 in 10th, just under a second off the leading pace, adding six valuable championship points to his tally.

Harrison Voight – P10

“Overall, wasn’t the results I was chasing, yet still a positive weekend. Race 2 was competitive and 11 riders crossed the finish line in under 1 second! I made mistakes and I will keep learning and growing for the future. Thank you to all those who help and support me.”

Cormac Buchanan finished in P20, with Jacob Roulstone P24.

Cormac Buchanan – P20

“A tough one to process as I am so disappointed in my performance today. I struggled to find cohesion and it felt like a real battle from the start to retain my focus. It wasn’t good enough and I own it. I know it is important to move past this quickly and I will be seeking redemption the first chance I get. For now, I realise I need to continue my recovery and get back to the level of fitness I had at testing. There were some real positives to bank from this round – my first championship points and a new PB time for Jerez among them – and we will continue to chase the highs. Thanks for all the support team – it means a lot and adds fuel to my fire.”

It may have been the first time in four races that Rueda has not crossed the line first but the 16-year-old Spaniard still extended his points lead to 16 over Veijer with Casey O’Gorman a further 12 behind, although with 10 of 14 races to be contested, it’s still early days.

Voight sits sixth on 32-points, while Roulstone is 18th on nine, and Buchanan sits 20th on four-points.

Learn more about Harrison Voight in our profile here, or on Jacob Roulstone here.

Race 2 Results

Standings after Round 2 in Jerez