Senna Agius does the double at Portimao JuniorGP

2023 FIM JuniorGP World Championship
Round Four – Algarve International Circuit

JuniorGP was back in action on Sunday, as the Algarve International Circuit welcomed race day of round four of the campaign.

In the JuniorGP class, Xabier Zurutuza (MTA Junior Team) and Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) put in outstanding rides to take the wins on offer.

It was Portimao perfection for Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team) who did the double in the Moto2 European Championship.

Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) and Daniel Muñoz (SP57 Racing Team) clocked memorable victories, as they stood on the top step in the European Talent Cup and Stock European Championship races respectively.

JuniorGP Qualifying

Luca Lunetta set a 1:48.147 to take a second pole of the campaign to date, but faced stiff competition from the off, with Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) joining him on the front row.

The second row was Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team), Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Team), David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) all targeting a podium from a little deeper on the grid.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race One

The opening race of the day saw JuniorGP notch up a century of winners in fine fashion, with Xabier Zurutuza pulling off a miracle ride to take a last gasp victory by just 0.055s.

The MTA Junior Rider overcame a back of the grid penalty, which saw him launch 24th, and a Long Lap penalty, to edge out Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Racing Thailand) at the final corner.

Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team) also overcame pre-race problems to get himself among the podium places having had to start further down the grid despite qualifying on pole.

Jacob Roulstone had to settle for ninth.

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FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race One Results

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two

In the second race of the day, Joel Esteban put in a show stopping performance to take victory.

The Aspar Junior Team rider recovered from a Turn 1 error to reel in Angel Piqueras (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) who had a 1.5s advantage out front.

Having caught up with the two front runners, Esteban produced a sensational final lap to bat off the advance of Piqueras, who claimed second, while Almansa claimed his second podium of the campaign.

New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan finished the race in seventh.

Jacob Roulstone was 15th, with two-seconds covering fifth through 16th, although that was 8s off podium pace.

Jacob Roulstone

“Race day didn’t really go to plan especially after my best qualifying in this class. Race 1 P9. Good start but too many mistakes pushing me back to the back of the group. Race 2 P15. Fighting for P4 until the second last lap when dangerous riding took over smart riding! Being pushed wide as a result of one particular rider threw me back to 15th in one corner, so disappointed to say the least. Yes, racing is dangerous but we also must have respect for each other on the track. I can race elbow to elbow, wheel to wheel with most of my fellow riders knowing and predicting their moves. A small few take it upon themselves to do dumb moves with little respect for their fellow racers. Anyway, thanks to the team for all the incredible work over the weekend.”

Angus Grenfell finished in 22nd.

Angus Grenfell

“Race 1: DNF, Race 2: P22. First of all, I want to say a massive thanks to @artbox.team for all their hard work. About race 1, it ended much quicker than I wanted but we live and we learn. Race 2 went much better, a great start and having a awesome first lap getting up into p17, a mistake made me drop to the back, I pushed hard to gain positions again. This weekend has been a roller coaster of emotions but I have learnt a lot. Now to prepare for Montmelo!”

Piqueras holds the lead on 140-points, well clear of Carpe on 86 and Lunetta on 76. Roulstone sits fourth on 73-points, Buchanan 10th with 45.

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two Results

FIM JuniorGP World Championship Points

Moto2 ECh Qualifying

Moto2 ECh’s Senna Agius took pole position and an all-time lap record with a 1:43.347, the Australian facing main title rival Carlos Tatay (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Racing) and Xavier Cardelus (Promoracing) for company on the first row.

Just behind the top three was Unai Oradre (STV Laglisse Racing), who continues his upward trajectory with a career-best P4, fellow rookie Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) also claiming a first top five on the grid as Marco Tapia rounds out Row 2.

Moto2 European Championship Race One

In the opening Moto2 European Championship race, Senna Agius bounced back from his Jerez blip in style, taking a comfortable win in Portimao with an 11.788s advantage, extending the Australian’s lead atop the standing.

Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) conquered the Long Lap penalty loop to claim a maiden podium of the campaign in P2, holding off a hard charging Xavi Cardelus (Promoracing) on the line with the Andorran securing his second podium of the year.

There was also major disappointment for title contender Carlos Tatay (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Team) who crashed out of the contest in the opening stages, and after a visit to the medical centre, he was ruled out of Race 2.

Moto2 European Championship Race One Results

Moto2 European Championship Race Two

Tatay being out for the count left the door open for Agius to extend his title advantage – not that he seemed to need it – something he did emphatically with the perfect day in Portimao doing the double.

Senna Agius

“We worked really hard this weekend to be solid over race distance. Therefore I was super happy with my pace over the 2 races. A true thank you goes to my @intactgpjuniorteam for there work this weekend. Leaving Portimao with 50 points towards the championship is important going into the back half of the year! Barcelona in 2 weeks…”

Xavi Cardelus went one better in the afternoon for his second rostrum of the day, coming home in second while Roberto Garcia (Cardoso – Fantic Racing) debuted on the box, with no one able to match Agius’s pace and the rest of the top 10 well off the podium pace.

It was a weekend to forget for Harrison Voight, with front brake issues ending his race two charger, after highsiding out of race one avoiding debris.

Harrison Voight

“Round 4 of JuniorGP at Portimao. Much better feeling and understanding this weekend. Race 1, I got a great start going from 10th to fifth on the first lap. A shame to highside out of the race avoiding debris from another riders crash, I hope Carlos Tatay is ok. Race 2, I was having issues with the front brake causing me to stop during the race. I’m far from being happy about these results, it has been a steep learning curve adapting to the moto2 and improving my style for every circuit we go to. Next round is at Montmelo before the summer break. We’ll keep digging and hopefully find something positive out of it.”

Carlos Tatay was transferred to the hospital in Faro, where he underwent surgery which was successfully completed, and remains under observation, with no further information about the seriousness of his injuries released.

Moto2 European Championship Race Two Results

Moto2 European Championship Points

European Talent Cup Qualifying

Maximo Quiles launched from pole position for the third time this season in Portugal, the Cup leader’s 1:50.140, a new all-time lap record, besting his rivals in both qualifying groups. Second on the grid was reigning Champion Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), Finn Rico Salmela completing the front row.

Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) fronted the second row, followed by South African Ruche Moodley (Finetwork Mir Junior Team) and Hakim Danish (Monlau Motul).

Carter Thompson was back leading row seven, having qualified 19th.

European Talent Cup Race One

Portimao held just the one European Talent Cup race on Sunday, but there was more than enough drama to keep fans happy.

Dodo Boggio took the win in sensational fashion, profiting from Aspar teammate Maximo Quiles’ last lap crash to steal the win on the final corner.

Having experienced a barren podium run in 2023 to date, including for P4 finishes in a row, the Italian was back on the top step, while Casey O’Gorman (SuperHugo44 Team), who started from 30th on the grid, and reigning Champion Guido Pini (AC Racing Team) joined him on the box.

Carter Thompson finished in the same place he qualified, 19th.

Carter Thompson

“Wasn’t the race we wanted today, made a few positions in the first few corners but half way through the lap one another rider nearly crashed in front of me and I had to go off track to avoid hitting them, this caused me to drop many positions. I pushed as hard as possible to the end finished in P19 but now we just look to the next race in a few weeks. Thanks to all my supporters I really do appreciate it. Huge thanks to the team, onto the next one.”

The late drama also ensured the absent Brian Uriarte didn’t lose any ground in the title race, with the Spaniard still trailing Quiles by a solitary point 124-123.

European Talent Cup Race One Results

European Talent Cup Points

Stock ECh Qualifying

The Stock ECh saw Daniel Muñoz start on pole for the fourth time (out of four) with a time of 1:45.445 that couldn’t be matched by nearest championship challenger.

Archie MacDonald rounded out the second row, starting sixth.

Stock European Championship Race

Rounding out the day’s action was a Muñoz masterclass. The Championship leader romped home without any other rider managing to lay a glove on him, 17-seconds clear of the next fastest rider, and almost 30s clear of the rest of the field.

Eric Fernandez (FAU55 TEY Racing), was Muñoz’s main opposition in the title fight, started at the back of the grid but wasted little to no time in scything his way through the pack, and he came home second in what proved a successful exercise in damage control.

The fight for the final podium place went down to the wire, but Marco Garcia (EasyRace Team) held off the threat of Archie McDonald (MRE Talent) and Alex Millan (Fifty Motorsport) on the line to take his second top three of the year.

Munoz now leads the class on 95-points, to Fernandez on 65, Garcia on 58 and McDonald in fourth on 46-points.

That’s a wrap then from the Algarve, and the next installment of the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP Championship isn’t far away, with Catalunya calling on July 16th.

Stock European Race Results

Stock European Championship Points

Algarve International Circuit Full Race Coverage

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)