The 2022 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship got off to an interesting start in Estoril, with five action-packed races: the first page is written and sets an exciting outlook ahead for the remainder of the 2022 season.
The Finetwork FIM World Championship category JuniorGP welcomed a new race winner and a new country to the top, Thai hopeful Tatchakorn Buasri (Honda Racing Thailand) having snatched the first victory of his career. Lukas Tulovic completed a dominant double in what was an eventful day for the Moto2 European Championship™, the German winning the first victories of his career in this category, while Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) achieved two victories in the Hawkers European Talent Cup.
In the only race JuniorGP™, as usual we witnessed a close race, like previous seasons. Once the peloton has stabilized, Harrison Voight (SIC 58) was one of the first leaders of the race, with David Alonso (Aspar Junior Team) and the pole holder Jose Antonio Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0). However, following a highside, a fall by Voight at the exit of the chicane won Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) to the ground, ending both drivers' respective races. In the last phase of the race, after being in the lead sporadically, Tatchakorn Buasri stood out by crossing the finish line in 2nd position, behind Jose Antonio Rueda.
However, the Spaniard was deprived of the first victory of his career when he was demoted one place for exceeding the track limits on the final lap, handing victory to Buasri. david savior (Laglisse Academy) completes the podium, ahead of David Alonso (Aspar Junior Team) by 0.005s. The rookies Adrian Cruces (Cuna de Campeones) and Facundo Llambias (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0), who were in the leading group, complete the top six.
French side, Alex Gourdon (Leopard Impala Junior Team) was forced to retire following a fall after one lap.
It was a busy day for the Moto2™ ECh, with both races disrupted by red flags. In race 1, the red flag was waved for Tommaso Marcon (MMR), which collided with Roberto Garcia (SKX Cardoso Racing) entering turn 1 on the first lap. On reboot, Lukas Tulovic broke away from Senna Agius (Promoracing), before the red flag was waved again when the 12 laps resumed. This time, for a fall involving Piotr Biesiekirski (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Euvic Racing Team) and Xavi Cardelus (Promotion). The podium therefore saw Lukas Tulovic win his first victory Senna Agius et Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team), the latter two achieving their first podium in the category.
Race 2 was marked by a red flag at the start of the race, following a fall of Sam Wilford (AGR Team), while at the start, Lukas Tulovic dominated again, ahead Senna Agius et Mattia Rato (MMR), who was delighted with his first podium after a close finish with Alex Toledo (Pertamina Mandalika SAG Euvic Racing Team). In the Stock category, Alex Ruiz (FAU55 Tey Racing) won both races.
In the Hawkers European Talent Cup, the reigning champion Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse) fell in both races following spectacular highsides; Fortunately, he escaped without injury. Race 1 had no shortage of intense action, Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Mir Junior Team) having hooked up with Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) into turn 1 with three laps to go, ending their races. On your mind, Joel Esteban was in a category of his own, breaking away very early to score his very first victory with more than 13 seconds ahead of his teammate Dodo Boggio and the Italian Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), both scoring their first podium.
Joel Esteban once again dominated race 2, while Casey O'Gorman (MLav VisionTrack Academy) fell while occupying second position even though he had obtained a fourth place in race 1. Joel Esteban doubles the lead in front of the Malaysian Hakim Danish (SIC Racing) and the Finnish hope Rico Salmela (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) who both climbed onto the first podium, since Rico Salmela was promoted to the podium in Race 2 after a late penalty for Guido Pini, who exceeded the limits of the track.
On the French side, Estoril has taken on the air of Bérézina, with Guillem Planques (First Bike Academy & Illusion Team), the only survivor of qualifying forced to retire after one lap in race 1 and five in race 2.
Next meeting on May 22 in Valencia.