Agius tops Moto2 at Valencia – Roulstone on JuniorGP podium

2023 FIM JuniorGP World Championship
Round Two – Valencia

This year, the FIM JuniorGP World Championship, Moto2 European Championship, European Talent Cup and the new Stock European Championship are battling it out across seven rounds as each go in a bid for glory. Round two was held over the weekend at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia.

Unfortunately young Australian Carter Thompson was declared unfit in the lead up to the event after a shoulder injury sustained last time out at Jerez only came to light on the Thursday immediately preceding this event.

It was however a rewarding weekend for some of the Aussie contingent with Senna Agius taking another race win in Moto2. Jacob Roulstone running 4-2 in the JuniorGP clas and Archie McDonald inching closer to a podium in the Stock European Championship.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Qualifying

A frenetic Saturday in the JuniorGP class saw Joel Esteban take a first pole in the class in just his second round, 0.573s clear of the rest of the field, the biggest pole margin since Barcelona-Catalunya last year.

After taking pole at Estoril, it was back-to-back front rows for Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team), who just fended off Championship leader Nico Carraro (Aspar Junior Team) for the final front row slot.

Carraro headed the second row for his 21st birthday. The most recent winner at Valencia, David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) qualified in fifth, while the three Aspar Junior Team GASGAS bikes were inside the top six as Jacob Roulstone scored a personal best qualifying result for the final spot on the second row.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race One

The opening FIM JuniorGP contest saw a battle between the exuberance of rookie Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) and the more seasoned Angel Piqueras.

Championship leader Nico Carraro (Aspar Junior Team) was forced to take a Long Lap Penalty due to exceeding track limits, meaning that the battle for fourth soon became a battle for third.

On the last lap, Piqueras hit the front at turn one to get ahead of Esteban and Piqueras went on to take the first victory of his JuniorGP career.

Esteban was second taking a hard-earned podium. Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team) denied young Aussie Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Team) a podium spot by just 0.015.

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New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan was seventh, while Angus Grenfell had to settle for 23rd and struggle through the pain in his hand from a crash during practice.

On the last lap at Turn 8, a collision between David Almansa and Marcos Ruda saw both end up in the gravel.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race One Results

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two

After a short delay due to a technical fault, the action was back underway and for the majority of the second race, it was a five-rider fight between Piqueras, Esteban, Roulstone, Carraro and Elia Bartolini (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0).

A technical issue saw Esteban drop out in the second half of the race, with the four-rider group then engaged in close combat through to the last lap. Going onto the final lap a brave pass saw Piqueras go from third to first at turn 11, sitting up Roulstone and Carraro ahead of him.

Carraro was wide and Bartolini saw an opportunity, but collided with his fellow countryman and both crashed. Piqueras was left to double up claiming another win, Roulstone fighting through the drama for a first podium result with second.

Jacob Roulstone – P2

“First JuniorGP World Championship podium! Race 1 P4, Race 2 P2. Super happy with how today went. Race 1 missed out on the podium by 0.015 to finish 4th. Race 2 felt fast from the start and lead the race a lot of the time. But got barged out of the way on the final lap for 2nd. Super happy with all the hard work my team and I have been putting in. Thanks to all my sponsors, my family and friends, especially those who sit up till late in Australia to watch and those came along. Can’t wait for the next round at Jerez.”

Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) took third.

Cormac Buchanan was forced to retire from the second race after a big crash.

Cormac Buchanan

“Before I start this post I cannot express more greatly my gratitude towards @ogkkabuto and @mithos_sport for the gear they have provided me I am very lucky today because of them. Race 1 today was one of the best races I think I’ve ever done in my career. It was one of those instances where everything clicked for me. I found my flow and I was only focused on overtaking the rider ahead of me. To come back from P19 to finish in 7th isn’t what I had imagined how today would have gone after yesterday. A race full of lots of adrenaline and crazy overtakes. Including a double overtake in the last corner on the last lap to give me P7 an amazing moment! Into race two and the start was quite calm, I had settled into the front group happily and was looking to progress forward just like I did in race 1. On the second lap coming out of turn 4 I saw two riders had crashed ahead of me. Then a few moments later I was flying through the air. I hit the back of my head really hard and from there I knew that my race was finished just like that. I still have a headache after the big impact and a lot of pain in my hip. But I know it could of been a lot worse. Firstly thank you to the medical staff for their amazing attention and care towards me. A big thank you to the team. Today was a mega day and I couldn’t have done what I did in race one without the amazing job they have done. While I am disappointed as I missed a good opportunity to score some points. I need to understand that it’s only round 2. My time will come, I feel it…”

Angus Grenfell chose not to race as the pain in his hand from the practice crash on Saturday was too much for him to safely stay in control of the motorcycle.

Piqueras is the new Championship leader heading to Jerez. Jacob Roulstone moves into second on 44-points, just clear of Luca Lunetta (42) and Nico Carraro (40).

Cormac Buchanan sits 13th while Angus Grenfell is yet to bag points.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two Results

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Points

Moto2 European Championship Qualifying

On the Moto2 ECh grid Championship leader Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team) had his eye on a third consecutive victory, setting a 1’34.986 in the first qualifying session for pole.

Second on the grid is Carlos Tatay (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team). Making it two Australians on the front row for the first time in the history of the Moto2 ECh, rookie Harrison Voight (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team) clinched third also picked up a Long Lap Penalty for the race. Second in the standings, Niccolo Antonelli (MMR) took fifth after suffering a mechanical issue in Q1.

Moto2 European Championship Race

With just one race on the billing for the Moto2 ECh, Senna Agius never looked threatened as he once again powered away from the field to a strong victory, his third of the season.

Senna Agius – P1

“I think the race was the perfect end to a perfect weekend. I felt super comfortable with the bike, as I expected in these temperatures. Everything worked out perfectly from the start to the line, I hardly felt any drop with the bike. In addition, I was able to set my lap times over the entire distance. We did a great job this weekend, which was rewarded with this victory. A big thank you to the entire LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team for their dedication and work, a thank you to my parents and my coach, and of course to everyone back home in Australia who followed me and cheered me on. Hopefully I can take this form to Jerez and keep it for the rest of the season.”

In second place after a strong ride and resisting a late challenge from was a career-best result for Italian star Mattia Rato (AGR Team), who returned his team to the podium and likewise moved up in the Championship standings to second.

Completing the podium after a scary start, where he got away much slower than his rivals, Carlos Tatay (Pertamina SAG Racing Team) fought back to finish third, denying Roberto Garcia what would have been a first podium in the category.

Harrison Voight’s (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team) front row start wasn’t converted as he had a Long Lap Penalty to serve, then out-braked himself at turn 8 before crashing out at turn six.

Harrison Voight

“Positive although challenging weekend to say the least. Thank you to everyone in the team for their continuous hard work, we keep moving forward.”

Agius remains the Championship leader with a perfect 75 points. Mattia Rato is second on 44 and Carlos Tatay third with 36. Voight is now 11th on 16-points.

Moto2 European Championship Race Results

Moto2 European Championship Points

European Talent Cup Qualifying

In the European Talent Cup, pole position went to Maximo Quiles, a fourth pole position of his career and the first of his 2023 campaign. A post-qualifying penalty means that for Race 1, he’ll start from the back of grid and serve a Long Lap Penalty.

Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) lines up on pole for Race 1 as a result, after qualifying second and topping the times in Group B.

Qualifying third is 2022 race winner from Jerez, Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team), who takes second on the grid for Race 1. Defending titleholder Guido Pini (AC Racing Team) will go from third.

European Talent Cup Race One

In Race 1, one of the greatest comebacks was accomplished, Maximo Quiles going from 25th on the grid on row nine with a Long Lap Penalty to serve, all the way to victory.

In the early laps, defending title winner Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Mir Racing Team), standings leader Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) battled it out in classic ETC fashion.

Before half-race distance, Quiles came through and hit the front at Turn 1, before clearing off into the distance for a stunning first win of 2023, almost nine-seconds clear of the chasing pack.

Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Racing Team) was in the mix behind, along with Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), but the latter crashed with Ferrandez and O’Gorman at the final corner on the last lap.

Pini took second, Rico Salmela (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) third.

Aussie Marianos Nikolis was one of many DNF’ers, with a third of riders failing to finish.

European Talent Cup Race One Results

European Talent Cup Race Two

Quiles was unrivalled at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit as he made it two wins from two, and three podiums from the first four races of 2023, this time settling for a 3.695s lead.

The battle was fierce behind the leader however, coming down to a final lap showdown. After looking for P2, Pini had to serve a Long Lap Penalty in the closing stages for exceeding track limits, which saw Uriarte and Ferrandez capitalise to complete the podium. Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) took fourth.

Marianos Nikolis finished the second bout in 22nd.

Quiles now leads the ETC standings on 83-points, Brian Uriarte second on 78 and Rico Salmela a distant third on 55-points.

European Talent Cup Race Two Results

European Talent Cup Points

Stock European Championship Qualifying

Daniel Muñoz was the rider to beat in the Stock European Championship over the weekend as the Spaniard continued to shine on his way to claiming pole.

Fellow Spaniard Eric Fernandez (FAU55 Tey Racing) was 0.857s behind Muñoz at the head of the field, with both riders relying on their morning times. Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) took third to complete the front row of the grid, his first front of the year.

Stock European Championship Race

Stock concluded the day’s racing, but it wasn’t without drama, as Daniel Brooks’ (Yamaha GV Stratos) bike expired on lap two, taking out team-mate Mihail Florov and Eric Fernandez (FAU55 TEY Racing).

After a delay as the track was cleared, a new 12-lap race distance was set and it was a tense stand-off from Estoril winner and polesitter Daniel Muñoz and Fernandez, who remounted his bike and made the restart.

Fernandez was quicker in the second half of the lap but Muñoz proved dominant in the first half, proving a crucial advantage with choice the overtaking hotspots, and limiting his vulnerability to attack.

Muñoz took the win, Fernandez second with 0.266s separating the top duo, while Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) was a strong third, 10s off leading pace, but a couple of seconds clear of Archie McDonald in fourth.

Archie McDonald – P4

“That podium is so close, I can taste it! P4 in the 2nd round of the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP held Circuit Ricardo Tormo. It was a 2-part race after oil on the track saw a number of riders fall in the opening few laps. Part 1, with a strong start I was a solid 3rd place by the second corner and held that for the opening few laps. Then one of the lead boys fell and I had a moment in 2nd place, before the red flag. The restart saw another strong start, I put myself into a solid 4th, and had a cat and mouse game for the rest of the race with Dino Iozzo. It puts me 4th overall in the championship after 2 rounds. Not bad start, something solid to build on.”

Muñoz remains unbeaten for 2023, leading the standings on 50-points, Garcia second (29) and Millan third (26). Archie McDonald is just outside the top three on 23-points.

Stock European Race Results

Stock European Championship Points

JuniorGP Calendar 2023

1. 06/07 May: Circuito do Estoril (Estoril, Portugal)
2. 20/21 May: Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana (Valencia, Spain)
3. 03/04 June: Circuito de Jerez – Ángel Nieto (Jerez de la Frontera, Spain)
4. 01/02 July: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Portimao, Portugal)
5. 15/16 July: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Montmeló, Spain)
6. 07/08 October: MotorLand Aragón (Alcaniz, Spain)
7. 04/05 November: Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana (Valencia, Spain)