Certainly, last weekend in Estoril in Portugal, it was not him who created the sensation by winning the first Moto2 race with a Yamaha Stock 600 (see here).
More Jesko Raffin then put things back in order by taking victory in the second round on the Portuguese circuit.
Suddenly, his explanations take on another dimension and tell us something about why the Moto2s remained behind during the first meeting.
Jesko Raffin (Swiss Innovative Investors Junior): “First of all, I would like to thank the team. They all did an excellent job throughout the weekend. I also thank everyone who surrounds me and supports me like my sponsors, my management, my friends and my family. We encountered some difficulties on the first day, because this route was new to me and the conditions were not ideal. We managed to progress during qualifying and, step by step, we finally found a good feeling. We finished first in the warm-up despite the rain. We were already very happy to finish on the third step of the podium in the first race, because the track was not completely wet. It was therefore risky to push too much and I preferred to secure the 16 points in the general classification.
The conditions in the second race were much better and I was able to quickly open the gap from the start and maintain it until the finish. Finishing two seconds ahead is positive. I am now looking forward to the next meeting in Valencia. We know what to work on and where to improve. »
Ivo Lopez, the unexpected winner of the first race, expressed himself thus: “It was a weekend with alternating dry and wet weather, I attacked as always but we knew it would be difficult because I was competing with my Yamaha 600 SuperStock against the Moto 2, in addition to some 600 in my category. During all the training sessions, the team's objective was to prepare for the races to try to get ahead of the Moto2s and win my category and, if possible, also the Moto2s! In the first race we knew we could attack. I tried to take the lead of the race as quickly as possible and I even got the victory, which had never happened, and I was the first to win with a Stock 600!
In the second race we knew it would be more difficult because the track was completely dry, and I could notice the difference with the Moto2s. I started well, I tried to come back but it was not possible to reach first position, even though I was in second position several times. But the Moto2 pace increased and I was with my Stock 600, breaking the track record again and having spectacular pace. I finished 6th overall and first in my category! »
