Difficult weekend for Aussie youngsters at Catalunya FIM JuniorGP

2024 FIM Junior GP Championships
Round Three – Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya

The FIM JuniorGP World Championship hit Barcelona for the third round of the season over the weekend, with competitors getting little dry track time until Sunday. That left plenty behind the eight-ball when the lights went out, including most of the Aussie contingent. A good weekend again though, for young Kiwi Cormac Buchanan.

Pole position in FIM JuniorGP went the way of Adrian Cruces, though the young Spaniard only recorded the second quickest time in qualifying. Initially, it seemed that Alessandro Morosi had done enough to earn a maiden P1 start, but the Italian was deemed to have broken technical regulations and was disqualified after the session.

Jorge Navarro headed the grid for the first time in the Moto2 European Championship.  Australian Harrison Voight qualified tenth.

In the European Talent Cup, Marco Morelli took pole for the second time this season. Young Aussie Marianos Nikolis had to start from the back of the grid in 28th, after qualifying 13th but copping a back of the grid penalty.

Lorenzo Dalla Porta claimed his second pole of the season in the Stock European Championship. Aussie competitor Declan Van Rosmalen lined up 21st.

JuniorGP Race One

Jesus Rios was the Championship leader coming into Barcelona and he extended his advantage after timing his attack to perfection in Catalunya during the opening race of the weekend.

The Spaniard was joined on the podium by Marcos Uriarte and pole-sitter Adrian Cruces, but only after late heartbreak denied Eddie O’Shea.

The Brit had led the action for much of the race, but a last lap Turn 10 scuffle saw him bunted wide, and that opened the door for Rios to go from P4 to P1 in the blink of an eye – a position he didn’t relinquish, while Uriarte and Cruces took top-three finishes.

Cormac Buchanan kicked off his weekend on a high note, claiming fifth in the opening race, in a contest where only a second covered the top ten.

It was 25th for Angus Grenfell after a poor start left him fighting to regain positions.

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JuniorGP Race One Results

JuniorGP Race Two

In Race 2, Alvaro Carpe stunned the CFMoto Aspar pair Uriarte and Morosi at the line as the Spaniard took a last-second victory. Carpe had started twelfth on the grid and bided his time as the lead changed hands on numerous occasions.

A large group vied for honours, with a last-lap crash for Eddie O’Shea denying the Brit once again. Then, a separate incident saw Race 1 winner Rios go down with Marcos Ruda and Rico Salmela, causing havoc for the chasing pack.

That allowed the front three to escape in the final sector, with Uriarte, and now the new Championship leader, leading around the final corner, but on the run to the line, Morosi poked his nose ahead of his team-mate for second, while Carpe pulled out wide to secure a maiden win by just 0.025s.

Cormac Buchanan finished in a strong fifth, making it two top fives for the weekend for the young Kiwi.

Cormac Buchanan

“Double top 5 for today! Two absolute dogfights out there today, it was important to see the chequered flag in such demanding racing. Two top fives is certainly a successful Sunday. First race was very difficult, I struggled to stay at the front of the group and struggled to stop the bike in the hard braking points which made it difficult to defend and attack. The last three laps I found a way to ride around my problems and moved forward, starting the last lap in 11th and crossing the line in 5th was a great way to start race day. Race 2 was an experience to say the least. It was crucial to keep out of trouble, with the hottest conditions of the weekend I focused on saving my tire for the last third of the race. With six laps to go I focused on moving forward to enable myself to be in the best position for the final two laps. I managed to get myself from 13th to 7th and then to 4th with about three laps to go. I felt extremely strong in the hard braking zones which enabled me to make clinical and calm overtakes. I stayed around the top 8 and in the last lap managed to move forward into 5th position which is where I finished. All things considered I’m very glad to be leaving Montmeló with two top 5s. Last season this was the track we struggled the most at and I’m very glad with how I managed myself during the races. Being consistent is the focus and we keep on adding crucial points for the championship. It’s important for me to keep the feet on the ground and keep focusing on moving forward. I’m always striving for more, a few days rest and then back to training to arrive to round 4 in the best possible way! Thanks to my amazing team for their incredible work this weekend, we move forward into Portimao in a months time!”

Aussie Angus Grenfell raced home to a 19th place finish after being caught up in another rider’s crash and ending up with a bent disc, batting through to finish on the damaged machine.

Angus Grenfell

“Firstly I would like to say a massive thank you to SeventyTwo Artbox Racing Team for all their tremendously hard work and to all the people who support me. Race 1 I didn’t get off the line well and messed up the first corner, got stuck there. Frustrating race. Race 2 I was determined and ready to be aggressive. Unfortunately, on the first lap in the 4th corner, another rider crashed, and their bike came back onto the track, hitting the front left side of mine. My front disc bent, leaving me with almost no front braking power. Despite this, I pushed on, using the rear brake for the next 14 laps. Finished the race knowing I gave it my all.”

JuniorGP Race Two Results

JuniorGP Championship Points

Moto2 European Championship Race One

The Moto2 European Championship class saw a fourth different winner in just four races in 2024 as rookie Dani Muñoz blasted his way to a sensational victory.

The Spaniard started fifth on the grid, but got the dream launch to tuck in behind polesitter Jorge Navarro on the opening lap with Roberto Garcia running in third.

That trio broke away from the rest of the pack and exchanged blows in a brilliant race. Eventually, Muñoz found the pace to move clear from Navarro and Garcia, who claimed second and third, respectively.

Mattia Casadei was the Championship leader coming into Round 3, but a shocking start saw him tumble down the timing screens before he launched an impressive fightback, though he was denied fourth place by Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro stablemate Alberto Surra, which saw him cede the title initiative to Garcia.

Harrison Voight started from tenth place on the grid but went down at turn four on lap three.

Moto2 European Championship Race One Result

Moto2 European Championship Race Two

Later in the afternoon, Moto2 ECh were back on track as another Muñoz masterclass saw him do the double. The second race of the day followed a similar script, with Casadei struggling at the start and Muñoz, Navarro and Garcia breaking away, however, this time they were joined by Eric Fernandez and Surra.

All five led the race at some point before Muñoz assumed control ahead of Navarro, and the two left the rest of the field in their wake and, in a repeat of Race 1, that’s how they finished.

The battle for the final podium position wasn’t over yet as Garcia held third ahead of a hard-charging Unai Orradre but on the penultimate lap it all changed as the #31 went from P3 to P5 and then out of the race as Orradre and Casadei, who had mounted another comeback, came steaming through.

Garcia encountered technical difficulties and it was Orradre who claimed P3, with Casadei taking back the Championship lead ahead of Portimao.

Harrison Voight again made an early exit and was gutted to leave Catalunya with no points after retiring from the race with bike problems on the Kalex Triumph.

Moto2 European Championship Race Two Result

Moto2 European Championship Points

Stock European Championship Race

As per usual, the Stock ECh rounded out the day’s proceedings as Lorenzo Dalla Porta sealed his second win of the campaign in scintillating style.

Mario Mayor and Demis Mihaila joined the championship leader on the podium. Victory was yet again decided on the final lap.

Mayor took the lead at Turn 1, and it looked like the Spaniard was set for a maiden win in the class, but a stunning Turn 12 move from polesitter Dalla Porta saw him fire it up the inside of the #82 for victory.

Archie McDonald continued to suffer from arm-pump despite recent pre-season surgery and was able to slot into the group of riders in 13th through 16th, claiming 15th at the flag. Declan Van Rosmalen ended the race just inside the top twenty.

Archie McDonald

“I’m devastated to say I did not move forward in the race and ended up 15th, I can type a bunch of excuses but what’s the point, a result is a result, me, the team people outside of the track have been working trying to put a good bike setup together for the race but with the minor practice with had due to weather I’m not 100% comfortable yet. I had more than enough people ask me “Archie, what’s wrong?” But there is plenty of different things to be accounted for that are different this year, all and all whether it be me or the bike I promise every single person reading this, I WILL NOT GIVE UP. I am very very grateful to my amazing team and everyone that is helping and behind me, let’s keeping working!”

Stock European Championship Race Result

Stock European Championship Points

European Talent Cup Race One

In the European Talent Cup, Marco Morelli showed off his class to romp home to his second win of the campaign by 2.9s, with David Gonzalez and Giulio Pugliese joining him on the podium.

Morelli started from pole, and the Argentinian pulled the pin early to clear off into the distance to avoid a dramatic podium battle behind him.

Carlos Cano came from the back of the grid and dragged a freight train of riders with him to catch Gonzalez and Pugliese in the podium places, and just as the Spaniard looked to make his move on the last lap, he was clipped by Valentin Perrone and sent flying into the gravel to record a Barcelona blank.

As a result, Morelli once again takes control of the Championship chase with two races coming up in Portimao.

Marianos Nikolis claimed a championship point from his 15th-place finish, another rider’s stalled bike on the grid slowing down his early charge.

Marianos Nikolis

“Challenging weekend here in Barcelona a lot of obstacles were thrown at me that I managed to overcome. Qualifying I managed a decent qualifying which put me 13th overall on the grid but unfortunately I received a back of the grid penalty which left me starting P28 on the grid. [In the] race, the start didn’t go to plan as I had a near miss with a stalled bike on the grid, although I managed to reset and continue my fight forward making 15 overtakes to finish in P15. Overall mixed feelings as I took away a lot of positives and dealt with the negatives that continue on this journey of growing and progressing as a rider. I would like to show gratitude to my amazing team Team Estrella Galicia 0,0 and all my supporters as the saying goes ‘step by step’ we will grow to achieve our goal.”

European Talent Cup Race One Results

European Talent Cup Points

The FIM JuniorGP World Championship heads to Portugal and the sunny Algarve on June 23.