Piqueras dominates Red Bull Rookies opener | Roulstone P11

2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Round One – Portimao

Qualifying

South African Ruche Moodley thought he had his name on pole position until the last minutes of Qualifying for the first round of the 2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Angel Piqueras stole the fastest lap though after he managed to tuck his KTM RC 250 R into the right slipstream and cheat the Portimão headwind. Casey O’Gorman was third fastest, followed by Lorenz Luciano and Alberto Ferrandez.

Australia’s Carter Thompson qualified in 13th, Cormac Buchanan 15th and Jacob Roulstone 20th.

Race 1

It was Álvaro Carpe’s first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race but the 15-year-old Spaniard fought his more experienced fellow countryman Angel Piqueras for the win all the way to the last lap.

16-year-old Piqueras just found a touch extra to win the first race of season 17 by 0.673 second over Carpe with Rico Salmela, the 15-year-old Finn taking an excellent third less than two-seconds further back at the Portimão finish line.

It was much more than a two KTM race with a host of early leaders including South African 16-year-old Ruché Moodley and Malaysian 15-year-old Hakim Danish enjoying his first Rookies Cup race.

Angel Piqueras – P1

“I am happy that finally, I could win but it was not an easy race, I had to fight all the way. I planned to make a good start and try to break away but I didn’t get the start I needed and could not get a gap. We were battling all the way and I thought about the last lap. I realised that I could not leave it to the last corners, I had to get ahead and get clear for the last lap. I was able to take another step with the pace and get away just enough on the last lap.”

Top Aussie was Jacob Roulstone in 13th, with Cormac Buchanan close behind in 14th.

Cormac Buchanan – P14

“A difficult race at the Autodromodo Algarve in Portugal today. Managed a strong start and was with the front group but another rider made a silly move which pushed me wide and I lost touch. It was difficult to catch the group in front due to the big headwind slamming the track. I tried my best but unfortunately I couldn’t gain anymore ground. I’m happy to score a couple of points and we have another chance tomorrow. I am excited to try and make a better result.”

Carter Thompson had to settle for 20th, after an off-track excursion into the gravel before rejoining the race.

Carter Thompson – P20

“My first Red Bull Rookies Cup race didn’t quite go to plan, starting 12th got a good start and then let my nerves get the better of me and made a couple mistakes in the opening laps and lost a couple positions then got tangled up with another rider and came off second best ending up in the gravel trap. I managed to rejoin and make up a few places but not quite the result I wanted but that racing. Bring on Race 2.”

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Race 1 Results

Race 2

Angel Piqueras took an incredible second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup win by just 0.002 seconds over fellow Spaniard Marcos Ruda in a blanket Portimão finish. Malaysian Hakim Danish was 0.015 seconds back in third 0.001 ahead of Ireland’s Casey O’Gorman.

Saturday’s winner Piqueras was only fourth through the final flat-out downhill left-hander but pulled out of the three KTM slipstream to flash across the line a tyre’s width ahead.

Ruda led through that final turn but the 18-year-old had 15-year-old O’Gorman on his tail and looking the likely winner after a fabulous 14 laps.

By half distance, Màximo Quiles had broken away into a one-second lead that no one could close. The 15-year-old Spaniard then slid off with just 4 laps to go and could only remount and finish 11th. He had been pushed out of Race 1 on Saturday.

Angel Piqueras – P1

“I don’t know how I won that,” he grinned. “I’ll have to look at the replay. On the last lap, I was 4th and didn’t think it was possible. The track is cold this morning, less grip and that changed things, the lap times were faster than yesterday but that is because we had no wind today. Maximo was pushing a lot, he got away and it was not easy to catch him, I don’t know, I was trying, perhaps we could have caught him over the last laps, I don’t know, we were all trying.”

Jacob Roulstone was the top Aussie in ninth, keeping in mind the top seven were covered by 0.358s and Lorenz Luciano was a lonely eighth almost six-seconds off pace.

Jacob Roulstone – P9

“Quite happy with how I raced this weekend. The things we have been working on have been paying off. Super happy with P9 in race 2 from P20 on the grid. I have the race pace, Just need to sort out qualifying to be right up the front . Thanks to all the Red Bull Rookies Cup staff and my helper Santi Aparicio.”

Avoiding a crashed rider added to the challenges for Thompson in Race 2, and he was able to finish 15th for a championship point.

Carter Thompson – P15

“That’s a wrap on my first weekend at Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Race 2 today, had to avoid a crashed rider in front of me which caused me to go wide and basically stop, managed to finish 15th and take away one point. It definitely wasn’t where I would have liked to finish but I’m going to take away the positives from the weekend and keep learning looking forward to the next round in Jerez. Thanks to all the Rookies team for everything they do.”

Cormac Buchanan had looked in good form for Race 2 before a rider stood up going into turn one, leaving him nowhere to go and collecting him, meaning a DNF result.

Cormac Buchanan – DNF

“An extremely frustrating result. I made the best start of my career. P15-P9 in the first 8 corners, I felt the best I have all weekend. As we started the second lap I was right behind the front group, feeling good and relaxed. As we went into turn one another rider stood up, running into my line leaving me with nowhere to go causing me to crash and just like that my race was finished. It was the best 16 corners of my Rookies Cup career and one of the best launches off the line I have ever had. As frustrating as it is I must take the positives from this. It only motivates me to do even better and push more next round. Now we have a few weeks till the first test of @juniorgp in Estoril and straight after round 2 of Rookies Cup in Jerez. I will train as hard as possible to be as ready as can be. Thank you all for the support. Moments like these is what makes us stronger and we will come back harder and better!”

Race 2 Results

Standings