The 2023 season of the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship ended in style at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, with a new winner in the JuniorGP™ category and a title for Maximo Quiles (Aspar Junior Team) in the European Talent Cup.
In JuniorGP, Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) who won Race 1, while Race 2 honors saw Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) triumph after a twist at the end of the race. The Moto2™ European Championship saw Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact Junior GP Team) scored a great victory from 17th place on the grid, while the honors of the European Talent Cup went to Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), even if it is Maximo Quiles (Aspar Junior Team) who won the crown.
Moto3:
The JuniorGP™ action kicked off in Race 1 to start the day and it was a battle from the start. Adrian Cruces led the majority of the race but was always attacked by Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team),
Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) and
Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0),
Alvaro Carpe and Piqueras being from the third line. However, by resisting an attack from #83 of
Alvaro Carpe in the last turn,
Adrian Cruces flew to take the first victory of his career in the category, while
Angel Piqueras took third place. An error of Luca Lunetta in the last lap left him in P5, behind the pole sitter Xabi Zurutuza (MTA Junior Team).
French side, Alex Gourdon (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Gabin Planques (First Bike Academy) finished outside the points.
Race 2 was an epic fight and Adrian Cruces tried to set up a fast pace like in Race 1, but this could not be replicated to the same level as the battle intensified. Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Team) was his main rival this time, but the Australian was quickly pushed aside by drivers like Luca Lunetta, Angel Piqueras et Alvaro Carpe, the latter and Luca Lunetta both being in the fight for second place in the general classification. Joel Esteban was also in contention in the closing stages and, although he was close, he was unable to make a pass in the final sector of the final lap. Adrian Cruces crossed the finish line first in front Joel Esteban et Luca Lunetta, but the #11 was forced to lose a place for exceeding the track limits on the final lap, giving the #7 Joel Esteban his second victory of the year 2023. Third place in Luca Lunetta allows him to secure second place in the championship, which was won by Angel Piqueras in Aragon.
French side, Gabin Planques (First Bike Academy) and Alex Gourdon (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) finished outside the points.
Moto2:
During the last Moto2™ ECh race of 2023, the title had already been secured by Senna Agius in Aragon, but he faced a different challenge. A penalty after qualifying pushed him back to P17 on the grid. In the top 10 at the end of the first lap, Agius propelled himself into contact with the head whileAlberto Surra (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) took the advantage at the start of the race. Agius is quickly ahead Roberto Garcia (Cardoso-Fantic Racing), Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing) and
Yeray Ruiz (FAU55 Tey Racing) being all left behind by #81. The Australian was quick to close a gap of 2,6 seconds with Alberto Surra, but although he caught the Italian, he had to try three times at turn 4 to succeed. However, once he succeeded,
Senna Agius took his tenth career victory and his eighth in 2023, becoming the third driver to win ten races in this category. Alberto Surra finished second, while Unai Orradre took third place. In the championship,
Senna Agius finished 67 points ahead of
Xavier Cardelus (Promoracing), while
Alberto Surra took third place.
Moto3 Stock:
The only title on the line heading into the final round of 2023 was that ofEuropean Talent Cup, with the rivalry between Maximo Quiles
et Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0). The race started with #28 Maximo Quiles who went all out from the start before a group of seven formed, including
Brian Uriarte and his teammate Rico Salmela were part. Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) was on pole position for the first time and exchanged paint with Maximo Quiles
before a tragedy occurs behind. At turn 2, around halfway, Rico Salmela tried to overtake
Brian Uriarte, but in doing so he stepped aside; when he cut, Brian Uriarte was already inside and the two collided and crashed, ending the #51's title hopes in a teammate clash.
Maximo Quiles was now champion, no matter what, but he fought hard against Guido Pini, Valentin Perrone (Frando VHC Racing Team) and Jesus Rios. In the last round, Guido Pini rode perfectly for one last victory with plate #1. Valentin Perrone gets on his first podium, the first for Argentina in this category, while Jesus Rios climbs onto the third step of the podium in a row. Maximo Quiles (P4) became the first double ETC champion; Guido Pini finished second overall, overtaking Brian Uriarte.
On the French side, we salute the beautiful 5th place of Guillem Planques (First Bike Academy) and the first points of Enzo Bellon (MB38 by Mecasport), two members of the 2023 French Team.
