A new FIM CEV Repsol season begins this weekend at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. The competition promises to be tighter than ever in Moto3™, Moto2™ and the European Talent Cup with a calendar of eight meetings which begins in Estoril and ends on November 10 at the Ricardo Tormo circuit near Valencia.
Le FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship will once again be at the center of attention, due to the access it offers to the World Championship. With the 2018 champion, Raúl Fernández, who already participates in the Moto3™ World Championship with riders like Sergio García, Ai Ogura, Can Öncü et Celestine Vietti, among others, it is now the turn ofAlex Viu (Sama Global Angel Nieto Team), Yuki Kunii (Asia Talent Team), Jeremy Alcove (Laglisse Academy), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and company to fight for the title, in a category where the 2018 ETC champion Xavier Artigas (Leopard Impala Junior Team) will make their debut, along with other ETC drivers like Victor Rodriguez (Laglisse Academy), second, and runners from other international competitions like Bill van Eerde (Asia Talent Team), champion of the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup 2018.
Unfortunately, no French appear in this category where the French-speaking world will however be represented by the Belgian Barry Baltus (KTM, Sama Global Angel Nieto Team) and the Swiss Jason Duspaquier (KTM, H43 CarXpert Blumaq KTM).
Likewise, five riders moved from the Moto2™ European Championship to the Moto2™ World Championship this season: Lukas Tulovic (Kiefer Racing), Xavier Cardelús
(Angel Nieto Team), Dimas Ekky Patrama (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Augusto Fernandez (Pons HP40).
Edgar Pons (Baiko Racing Team), 2015 champion and runner-up last season in Moto2™, could be the man to beat alongsideHéctor Garzó (CNS Motorsport) in a grid which will include riders fresh from Moto3™, such as Gerry Salim (Astra Honda Racing Team) and Alex Ruiz (Fundación Andreas Pérez), as well as other champions like Keminth Kubo ou Anupab Sarmo from the VR46 Master Camp Team. The Superstock 600 is also full of riders from lower categories like
Leon and Kevin Orgis (Pinamotos RS) and
Peetu Paavilainen (Pinamotos RS), which arrives from the ETC.
Cedric Tangre (Mistral, Yohann Moto Sport) in Moto2, as well as Lyvann Luchel (Yamaha, EasyRace Team) and Philippe Le Gallo (Yamaha, Yamaha Laglisse) in Superstock 600, will defend the national colors.
Within theEuropean Talent Cup, one of the innovations of this season is the organization of the ETC Series 2 race. It will be a race for drivers who failed to qualify during official qualifying. Additionally, ETC qualifying will be split into two groups given the large number of riders (66) who have registered for the entire season.
7 French drivers are registered in this one-make formula using almost stock Honda Moto3s: Charles Aubrie (Team RDL Racing), Marceau Lapierre (French team – GP sector), Vincent Falcone (TFC Racing), Clement Rougé (French team – GP sector), Marius Henry (Select Machines), Gabin Planques (Larresport Bradol) and Ilan Peron (Select Machines).
This Sunday, the first round of the FIM CEV Repsol season features six races, the schedule of which is as follows:
ETC Race 1 (16 laps) 11.00
Moto2™ Race 1 (18 laps) 12.00
Moto3™ (17 laps) 13.00:XNUMX p.m.
ETC Race 2 (16 laps) 14.00
Moto2™ Race 2 (18 laps) 15.00
ETC Serie2 (16 rounds) 16.00:XNUMX p.m.
All races will be broadcast live on Canal+ Sport.
