Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – Brno Race2 – August 16th

Jakub Kornfeil got the best on an intense 5 man battle to take his 3rd race victory of the season and the 2009 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup by 2 points. The 16 year old Czech had to fight all the way with arch rival Sturla Fagerhaug but when the 17 year old Norwegian came together with 15 year old Japanese Daijiro Hiura with three corners to go his chance of battling with Kornfeil across the line disappeared.

The 13 lap race closed out the Cardion AB Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Brno. Fagerhaug picked up second place both in the race and the Cup and Californian 15 year old Jake Gagne an excellent third in the race and 6th in the Cup. Hiura crossed the line 4th to hold on to his 3rd in the points table.

While the rest talked about what might have been Kornfeil enjoyed his win. “I knew that Sturla was behind me all the way, I looked back and saw it was four riders not 10 like yesterday so I was happy about that. I just rode as hard as I could and even at the last corner I expected Sturla to come past but I guess he wasn’t as close as I thought and I crossed the line on my own.”

“It was a hard weekend, there were so many interviews and things to do leading up to yesterdays race that I was feeling the pressure and I found yesterday’s race very tough. Today it seemed easier, less interviews, less friends pushing me and so less pressure. I could ride my race today and I am just so happy to take the Rookies Cup, so happy.”

An obviously terribly disappointed Fagerhaug summed it all up. “It was a great race and congratulations to Jakub, he rode very well. I was hit in the third to last corner so I didn’t have the chance to pass him at the line. I thought I was going to be able to win before that happened. I have to blame myself though I had such a big lead in the points half way through and made some mistakes. It’s been a great year though and I still have a couple of GP wild-card rides to look forward too.”

Gagne had done his share of leading during the race but admitted that the Cup battle played a part in his thinking on the final lap. “It was a great race, a lot of fun and I sure wanted to win it if I could but they were all going fast and there wasn’t the chance on the last lap. I knew those guys were battling for the Cup and I wasn’t going to do something stupid.”

The new lap record went to Hiura but he was 4th across the line. “I enjoyed the race but I’m disappointed not to be on the podium. It all happened on the last lap and I was so fixed on passing the riders in front I was a bit too aggressive and that wasn’t good. I have to congratulate Jakub on his great race today. He was ready to win it and so determined. When I passed him he would pass me straight back at the next corner he had the win in his heart.”

A fine ride to 5th by 16 year old South African Mathew Scholtz who had thoughts of a higher place finish. “I was on the back of the group, at times I was having to work hard to stay there but sometimes it was easier and I was looking after my tyres planning to make a move on the last lap. What spoilt was the tight chicane at the bottom of the final climb on the second to last lap. I lost the front and that really messed up my drive up the hill so I started the last lap just too far behind them to do anything about it.”

Saturday’s 16 year old winner Florian Marino was disappointed with his 7th place behind fellow Frenchman Nelson Major. I got a good start but after that I just couldn’t find the rhythm and the guys got away from me. I just wasn’t riding as well as yesterday, I could feel that my throttle control just wasn’t quite right and I wasn’t getting the drive off the corners.”

Nico Thöni and Alejandro Pardo had a nasty crash on lap one and while the 14 year old Austrian immediately walked away, Pardo, who had been a brilliant 3rd on Saturday took some time before he too emerged uninjured. Hayden Gillim’s bike was damaged in the incident and though he continued he was later forced to retire with broken seat. Alex Kristiansson fell unhurt and Taylor Mackenzie stopped with technical problems.

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – Brno Race1 – August 15th

Florian Marino won a sensational 10 man battle to the line to claim his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory. The 16 year old Frenchman fought off Briton Danny Kent and Italian Alejandro Pardo, both 15, with the first 10 all crossing the line within 2.3 seconds.

17 year old Norwegian Sturla Fagerhaug finished 5th and now has a 3 point advantage over arch rival Jakub Kornfeil, the 16 year old Czech who was 8th. With the final race tomorrow at the end of the Cardion AB Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Brno, the Cup battle is still open to the top 4 in the points table as Hiura finished 6th and is now 19 points behind Fagerhaug and Kent has 22 to make up from his 4th position in the table.

Marino could even tie on points with Fagerhaug as there are 25 points for the race win but would loose the Cup on number of race wins. All he cares about now is his first win and was happy to talk about the way his plan worked so perfectly. “With about three laps to go I was sixth and I thought about where I could pass people and where they could pass me. So I was happy not to be leading and planned to pass everyone on the downhill half of the track. I did it; but breaking into that last right hander at the bottom I was so so late on the brakes, I thought, ‘I’m going to crash, ‘I’m going to crash.’ but I didn’t, I was in front, then on the gas and back up the hill to the finish.”

He gives full credit to Rider Coach Gustl Auinger for his first Rookies win after finishing 4th 3 times. “After Donington my head was not good and I said to Gustl, ‘what do I have to do to win?’ He told me that I have to think like a winner and concentrate on that and not the other riders behind. So I fixed on that this weekend.”

Kent also enjoyed his ride to second and just wished the finish-line was in a different place. “I was closing on him and if the line had been a bit further down the track I could have won it. Never mind, I’ll try again tomorrow. It was a great race though. Early on I had a look back and saw that we were about 10 guys. I thought then that if we had a big crash and the race got red flagged I needed to be in the front so any time someone passed me I just passed them straight back.”

Such a sensational race produced many great tales including the incredible ride to 3rd put in by Alejandro Pardo. He gave himself a lot of work to do. “I made a terrible start, the KTM is so different to my own bike and I just can’t seem to get used to it. After the first few laps I saw that the lead group was 2 or 3 seconds ahead but I soon realised that the gap wasn’t getting bigger and I just said to myself, ‘you can do it’. I just tried the maximum and caught them. I never thought that I would be able to get on the podium but when I caught the group I just passed everyone where I could and made it, incredible.”

His brilliant effort pushed Jake Gagne into 4th, a shame for the 15 year old Californian who had led the race for a good share of the distance even though he is new to the circuit. He looked like he might win it but in the end was unlucky. “I didn’t know it was the last lap. I looked at the lap counter and saw it was 6 laps to go, those 6 laps just went past quicker than I expected. On that last lap Marino came past then Danny surprised me as he went through and I got off line. That spoilt my drive up the hill a bit and that is how Pardo got by.”

Going onto that last lap it was Cup leader Fagerhaug who was in front of Marino, Gagne and Kent but it was never going to be a boring last lap as Fagerhaug explained. “Going into the first corner on the last lap Jake and Danny passed me and I tried to go back around Danny but couldn’t and lost their slipstream going away up the hill. The guys behind had my slipstream and another three of them went past. I knew that I was still ahead of Jakub on that last lap and though I wanted to win I was thinking a bit about the championship and didn’t want to make a mistake.”

Coming to the end of his third Cup season the Norwegian had put in a great performance even though he was not that quick off the line. “From the start I just concentrated on getting into a good rhythm and I was happy with the way that went. I was leading for a lot of the race but slipstreaming is so important here and the other guys just seemed to be able to come past on the straight and it wasn’t possible to break away.”

The impossibility of establishing any kind of lasting advantage was even more frustrating for his Cup rival Kornfeil. “The start was good but after that I wasn’t so happy with the race. We were in a big group and I just couldn’t break through to the front. In the first half of the race I had quite a lot of rear wheel slides so I couldn’t push but then it started to get better. Tomorrow I’ve just got to push harder, be stronger, it has got to come from me.”

The second race grid is the same as the first and you can see Sundays race, the final event of the season, live on the Rookies Cup website www.redbullrookiescup.com at 15.30 CET.

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – Brno Practice – August 14th

A brilliant final lap put Daijiro Hiura on pole position for the final two races of the 2009 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season, a race on Saturday and the final on Sunday of the Cardion AB Czech Grand Prix. The 15 year old Japanese just nudged aside 16 year old Frenchman Florian Marino leaving the two Rookies tied for the Cup lead, Sturla Fagerhaug and Jakub Kornfeil, to complete the front row.

Though he is 27 points behind, Hiura can still win the Cup as there are 50 points on offer this weekend and he knows that to do it he must win races even though this track is not his favourite. “I didn’t do well here last year so I was not expecting too much. I just worked hard through the practice and step by step went faster, the tires were well worn at the end and sliding around a lot but on that final lap I managed to get a good rhythm going and a fast time.”

It is a bigger stretch for Marino, 6th in the table, to win the Cup as he has to make up 40 points but a whole string of quick laps in the second session that gave him pole for the second half of the 30 minutes demonstrated that he could well take at least one race win. “I must do it now, the bike is really good and my mind is right. I did OK here last year, I was 5th with the 4th fastest lap time and I like this track. For tomorrow I know I have to make a good start, press hard and get away, that’s the way to win the race.” He has been furious with himself for failing to get on the podium so far, he has been 4th 3 times.

With eyes perhaps more on the Cup than the race Fagerhaug was quickest in the first session and not concerned with missing out on pole. “The first qualifying session was good and I managed to go faster and faster towards the end. I was quite happy with that. For the second session we decided to try a few different things, different lines and stuff. Then I decided it was time to go a bit quicker but then I made a big mistake and spoilt one lap, then some riders came out of the pits and got in the way. I just got going a bit, did some OK times and the bike stopped. I hope it can be fixed OK and then we’re on the front row so I just have to get away with the guys and see what happens.”

His arch rival Kornfeil was fastest for the first 15 minutes of the opening session and slid off half way through the final session but without damage to man or machine. “I was pushing too hard on the brakes and lost the front. I am happy with the bike set-up though and looking forward to the race, we made some changes after the free practice this morning and it’s good now. I think I can go quicker in the race, in practice I was either on my own or with riders following me, in a race battle I can be quicker.”

Even the first three riders on the second row, Danny Kent, Mathew Scholtz and Jake Gagne are in with a mathematical chance of the Cup win and with 2 third places already this year, fast improving Gagne, the 15 year old Californian, was very impressive as the fastest of the Brno first timers. “It’s a fun track. When you first go out it seems so wide and that takes a bit of getting used to but after a few laps I started to really enjoy it. I got onto second row in the first session and wanted to make sure I managed at least that if not the first row in the second session so I am happy with that.

Early fallers in the first qualifying session were Alex Kristiansson, on the first lap, followed by Fraser Rogers, Arthur Sissis and Josh Hook who was only just returning to action after breaking his left collarbone during practice for the German round a month ago. With no-one injured and the bikes repairable all riders took part in the second session. Falls in the second session were even lighter with Dylan Mavin, Robin Barbosa, Mathew Scholtz, Benny Solis and Deane Brown all escaping injury.

Saturday’s race can be seen live on the Rookies Cup website www.redbullrookiescup.com at 16.25 CET.

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – Brno Preview – August 15th & 16th

Two riders are tied on points and a total of 7 riders have a mathematical chance of winning the 2009 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup going into the final race weekend in Brno. With two races during the Cardion AB Grand Prix of the Czech Republic, one on Saturday August 15th and one on Sunday, the Cup is still wide open.

The six races run so far have seen fortunes swing wildly with 17 year old Norwegian Sturla Fagerhaug dominate the early months, through pre season testing and the first 4 races. High drama in the last 2 races, in Germany and Britain, saw his Cup lead decimated as he only scored 4 points while Jakub Kornfeil picked up the maximum 50.

Kornfeil’s solid start to the year received a great boost when he pushed Fagerhaug all the way to the line in race 3 at Mugello and gave more than a hint of his developing capabilities. The 16 year old Czech was off the podium in Assen after not getting the best of a 6 man battle for second behind another convincing Fagerhaug win.

At the next race though it all changed, rain had soaked the Sachsenring circuit and Kornfeil was the only one to have the a measure of the grip in the opening laps. He simply disappeared into the lead and Fagerhaug crashed as he escaped the slithering pack and tried to chase him down. Remounting a damaged bike gained him 4 points for a 12th place consolation finish.

It was dry in Donington but Kornfeil was just as dominant and Fagerhaug repeated his error, this time unable to restart. Another 25 points for the win tied the points table at 99 each for Fagerhaug and Kornfeil with Daijiro Hiura, Danny Kent, Mathew Scholtz, Florian Marino and Jake Gagne all in a position still to claim the Cup as there are 25 points on offer for each of the 2 Brno races.

Two crashes in as many races have been a disaster and yet Fagerhaug is not at all a reckless rider and there are many who will bet on him to have a faultless weekend in Brno and take the Cup. He may have been distracted by his factory Red Bull KTM 125 GP wild card rides and the huge media attention he has received especially in Norway as this year’s Cup lead but in Brno he knows what he must do coming to one of his favourite tracks.

“At Brno, in 2007 it was my first year and I had my best result there, also last year, Brno was where I got my first win so it should be a good weekend, I like the track. I just hope to do a good practice and not make any silly mistakes and see what happens in the race. I think I have a pretty good shot at the Cup, of course Jakub is going to be good there, he’s at home but I think I have a good chance of winning the Cup.”

Fagerhaug also knows that it will be much more than races between the 2 of them. “There are a lot of guys who could win there, like Danny Kent, Brno is one of tracks he’s been to before, Mathew Scholtz did good there last year and also got his first win. Daijiro has already had lots of podiums this season and Jake Gagne has also been fast, especially the last few races, so he’s going to be up there.”

There is one key member of the Rookies Cup team for whom there are no favourites and who is not betting on anyone in the final weekend. Rider Coach Gustl Auinger will be helping them all and just hoping they all ride to their maximum abilities. “For us and the spectators this is the best possible end to the season. It is not just these 2 who are so close, of course the focus of many will be on Sturla and Jakub but the level is now so high in the Cup that there are 10 or more riders who can get on the podium. Sturla has made some mistakes but has a lot of experience now and knows what he has to do over the last 2 races. Jakub may have some extra pressure from his friends etc. as he comes to his home race but of course he knows and likes the track very well so it is very interesting.”

For Kornfeil the plan is clear as he pointed out. “I know I must get try and get on the podium in both races and my main intention is to beat Sturla. I have to do that because he has won 3 times and I 2 times so he is leading the Cup even if we are equal on points.”

For the second time in 8 days Jakub Kornfeil produced a perfect victory and with Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup rival Sturla Fagerhaug crashing out again the 16 year old Czech goes into his home race tied on points with the 17 year old Norwegian. Spanish 17 year old Daniel Ruiz rode a great race to second in Britain ahead of 14 year old Japanese Daijiro Hiura who also put himself into Cup contention. Hiura is 18 points behind Kornfeil and Fagerhaug with 50 points at stake for the double header that wraps up the season. The top 7 riders in the Cup can still win it.

While Kornfeil matched his German wet weather disappearing act with an almost identical performance in glorious sunshine at Donington the entertainment was provided by an incredible battle for second. As Pole man Danny Kent faded through the pack to finish an eventual 8th it was the two Frenchman Florian Marino and Nelson Major who bashed elbows in second allowing Jake Gagne, Mathew Scholtz, Hiura and Ruiz to close and make it a 6 man battle for second.

Just as he did at the Sachsenring, Kornfeil reeled off perfect laps and soon had a 3 second lead while those behind slowed each other with the line-steeling and out-braking. As things settled down slightly there were many laps when Kornfeil was not the quickest man on the track but as the pursuers swapped that advantage between them they lost ground as a group.

The situation was only reversed when Ruiz pushed his way into second and broke away. That was lap 12 of 17 though and by then the story was written. Kornfeil had more than 3 seconds in hand and though Ruiz took a few tenths out of him every lap the Czech just kept his head and enough of an advantage to cross the line 2.4 seconds ahead.

“It was almost a perfect race for me but not easy.” said Kornfeil. “From the start I was happy to see that once I got ahead my lead was getting bigger and bigger but I wasn’t happy in the middle of the race when they started closing again. I just couldn’t do the lap-time I wanted. There was nothing wrong with the tires or the bike it was just in my head I think. Still I am happy with the win and I am happy that the last races are in Brno.”

Ruiz has been frustrated so often this year but finally things worked out as he raced through from 20th place on the grid. “I think I was just so relaxed because I didn’t expect anything from this race. I really enjoyed it though and as I was passing the other guys I just felt comfortable. I was happy to get away from the group into a clear second but by then Jakub was just too far in front.”

Hiura remains frustrated even though he made the rostrum for the 4th time. “I am still not winning so I can’t be happy. I am going to have to do that in Brno.”

It was Jake Gagne who looked as though he was set for his third podium in as many races as the 15 year old Californian was the first to break free of that second place battle. That was mid race but the advantage only lasted a couple of corners. “I’d been a bit frustrated by all the crazy overtaking moves in the group so I was happy to get out front. Trouble was I then ran over the kerb and got a bit loose. That put me back and I think I then tried a bit too hard, made some mistakes and couldn’t get in front again.”

There were some pretty ‘interesting’ moves in that pack. Hiura and Marino tried for the same piece of track at the right-hand hairpin and both were lucky to remain upright. It was getting clear of that kind of action that gave Ruiz 2nd place.

For Fagerhaug, who seemed to already have one hand on the Cup, Donington was a race to forget as he crashed out on lap 3. “I went onto the back straight too tight, close to the kerb, the front wheel jumped up and I lost the front. It’s a shame because I didn’t go into the corner too fast, I just pulled a tight line to get a good drive out and I crashed as I hit the bump. In Brno… I’m not going to crash again. I love that track, hopefully it’s going to be a good one.”

Danny Kent secured his second pole in a row within the first 10 minutes of practice as rain then swept across the Donington circuit for most of the afternoon. The 15 year old Briton looks forward to his home race but knows that Sachsenring winner Jakub Kornfeil will be just one of the threats. The 16 year old Czech was second quickest to Kent in the ultra brief dry period and in a class of his own for most of the wet second qualifying period. Third on the grid and 4th fastest in the wet second session is 14 year old Japanese Daijiro Hiura.

“I’m happy to be on pole again,” said Kent. I’ve just got to make better use of it than I did at the Sachsenring. In the wet I was just concentrating on getting a good rhythm, sorting out braking points and stuff for the wet and not crashing. A dry race would be good but the wet is OK too. I think it’s going to be a great race, Jakub, Sturla, Florian Marino, there are a lot of guys who can be at the front.”

“I just felt really good all day today,” explained Kornfeil. “In the wet and the dry it didn’t matter. I was enjoying the bike and the track and it was all working well. I felt just as comfortable as I did at the Sachsenring last weekend and I am really looking forward to the race, I don’t care if it is wet or dry.”

Sturla Fagerhaug, the 17 year old Norwegian, still leads the Cup chase by a very handy 25 points after 5 of 8 races, but after falling early in the first 30 minute qualifying session is back on the 4th row of the grid, 13th fastest. Fagerhaug was 2nd here a year ago just ahead of 16 year old South African Mathew Scholtz who is also only 7th on the grid but was almost as fast as Kornfeil on the drying track late in the final session.

“I like the track for sure,” says Scholtz who actually crashed mid way through that drying second session. “I just ran off the dry line through the fast right hander onto the back straight and it highsided me. The bike wasn’t damaged much so I got on it again. The first part of the track is a lot of fun, I’m not so sure about the second half, the tight section. This morning I didn’t really get going when it was dry but I think it will be a good race tomorrow.”

Points leader Fagerhaug is looking forward to the race despite the frustrations of practice. “It all went well in the free practice this morning but on the second lap of the first qualifying I got a false neutral coming out of the chicane, then it jumped into 2nd and highsided me. That was the end of that session. Then in qualifying 2, in the wet it, was OK but I wasn’t pushing too hard even when it started to get a dry line because I knew that I no-one could improve on their lap time and it is too easy to get off the dry line and crash. I like the track though so wet or dry in the race I just want to get up to the front and race with the guys.”

The Californian who is developing so well as a road racer, Jake Gagne, will also be a man to watch. “It’s a fun track, it’s just the last 2 tight corners that are causing me problems, I love the first part, all fast and flowing,” enthused the 15 year old who has now been on the podium at both the last two races.

The dramatic Sachsenring result reminded everyone just how precarious points advantages can be. A slippery track, a tiny mistake and Sturla Fagerhaug’s points lead is cut to 25 with 3 races remaining and 75 points still to be won. Two of those races will be at Brno, the double-header final event of the season and Jakub Kornfeil’s home track, he lies 2nd in the Cup chase going into this weekend’s Donington round.

It is not a 2 man battle either with Daijiro Hiura, Danny Kent, Mathew Scholtz, Florian Marino and Jake Gagne all very much in the picture. 15 year old Californian Gagne is particularly worth watching if you like an outsider hitting form. Still learning the road racing craft he has now been on the podium twice in as many races and could well win a race or 2 before the end of the season.

Hiura and Scholtz have yet to add to their single wins from last year but 16 year old South African Scholtz raced wheel to wheel with Fagerhaug in England last year and was second last weekend in Germany. Hiura, the 14 year old Japanese, is always a real threat and just needs to get going from the start of a race to be in with a good chance of victory.

15 year old Kent would have been pressuring Fagerhaug much harder in the points table but for falls at the last 2 races and is very likely to be a hot property at home in Donington. Like Kent, 16 year old Frenchman Marino could still challenge for the Cup if he hits form in the way that Kornfeil has done.

Kornfeil does remain the man to watch, Fagerhaug must shake off the confidence hit that he sustained in Germany, he still does that 25 point cushion though and without any more mistakes will be hard to beat. The Donington race can be seen live on www.redbullrookiescup.com at 17.25 CET on Saturday July 25th.

A flag to flag win for Czech 16 year old Jakub Kornfeil in treacherous conditions at the Sachsenring boosted him to second place in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Points leader Sturla Fagerhaug crashed chasing him on the wet and slippery track but the 17 year old Norwegian still has a 25 point advantage after recovering to cross the line 12th and pick up 4 points.

In a drama-packed race, pole man Danny Kent crashed out of 2nd place exiting the final corner having just passed 16 year old South African Mathew Scholtz. That gave Scholtz 2nd and 3rd to 15 year old Californian Jake Gagne. Kent remounted and the 15 year old Englishman crossed the line 6th.

Kornfeil’s race story was simple. “I got in front at the start and I just felt great, the bike and the tires were perfect. It rained all day but stopped before the race so we started to get a dry line and I could just go quicker and quicker. I watched my pit board and saw that my gap was just getting bigger and bigger so I didn’t worry and for me it was an easy race.”

For everyone else the story was completely different and Hayden Gillim was just one of those who had a fantastic ‘if only’ tale. He was the fastest man on the track mid race, lapping quicker than Kornfeil as he charged through from 15th at the end of lap one. “I was enjoying it, it was hard but great fun. I felt good and I was passing the guys and watching my pit board where Danny (Walker) was telling me where I was and how far ahead or behind. Then it got to where he was showing me in 4th and I could see the group right in front so I knew I could get a good result.”

“I got past Danny (Kent) but then just pushed it too hard, got on the gas to much in turn 4, the tight right hander where you start to climb back. It snapped around and threw me off. I got to the bike pretty fast but they had to empty the stones out of the fairing so that cost some time. I got going again and worked my way back to 7th or 8th and was battling with Pardo but then got a bit anxious again, the back came round and there was no saving it. That was the end of the race, I’m OK but for some sore knuckles and I’ve got a bit of something in my eye…. but that was fun,” concluded the 14 year old American who finished 2nd in last year’s AMA U.S. Rookies Cup.

Gillim had set such a pace in his charge that he might conceivably have worried Kornfeil. Another ‘might have’ was Fagerhaug’s effort. “Jakub made such a great started and raced away while everyone else was so slow in the opening laps,” explained Fagerhaug. “I had to work my way through and by the time I got to second (lap 2) he had a big lead (3.5 seconds). I pushed hard to catch him and I guess I pushed too hard because I was catching him and I had plenty of laps to do it in. I highsided (lap 5) and just got back to the bike as quick as I could. I lost a lot of time and it took me a few laps to get back to riding OK. The right hand side of the bike was quite damaged, the footrest broken and the exhaust bent, lucky there are not too many right handers but it was hard going.”

There were others who knew they were a touch lucky as there were 8 fallers, some twice, all without injury. 2nd placed Mathew Scholtz was among those who benefited. “There were a lot of guys crashing and that helped me,’ said Scholtz. “I got in front of Danny going onto the last lap but he passed me again right at the end. I couldn’t believe it when his bike went sideways at the last corner and there was the flag, I was second.”

“It was pretty slippery out there,” said 3rd placed Gagne. “I just kept riding it as hard as I could and staying out of trouble. Then I started seeing the guys crashing and without me doing too much I was getting higher up the places, I didn’t expect to get on the podium but I’ll take it.”

Even though he has never seen the track before apart from on a video game Danny Kent gave a lesson to the other 26 riders of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup by dominating practice. The 15 year old Englishman kept pole with his time from the first 30 minute session even though Czech 16 year old Jakub Kornfeil jumped to second with a brilliant last lap. He was chasing 14 year old Japanese Daijiro Hiura who was 3rd fastest, also with his time from the 2nd session.

“That was great fun,” said Kent. “It’s a really good track and I wanted to go quicker in the second session but by then the rear tyre was well worn and nearly caught me out. I’d just passed Sturla (Fagerhaug) and the rear let go, it tried to highside me, my feet were in the air but I got away with it. I came into the pits and the Dunlop engineer had a look, we decided not to try and do anything more in the last 5 minutes.”

Kent is the only rider to have beaten Fagerhaug in the first half of the 8 race season. He is well placed to replicate his win in the second Jerez race especially as Fagerhaug starts from the 3rd row having qualified 9th. “I don’t know what it is I just don’t seem to be able to go fast at this track,” said Fagerhaug. “I think I’m not even as fast as I was here last year. It doesn’t help that I’ve had a pretty bad cold this week. I’m getting over it though.”

Kornfeil was thrilled to be second even though he was frustrated not to be faster. “The bike is moving around quite a lot. I can’t get on the gas. I am sure I should be a second a lap faster,” said the Czech who admitted that it was another rider who made the difference on that final lap. “I chased Daijiro and that must have made the difference. Up to then I was trying, trying, trying but the rear was sliding so much I couldn’t improve the lap time.”

Third fastest Hiura was pleased with the 8 10ths of a second improvement he made from the first session. “I was not happy after the first qualifying. I had to try very hard and we changed the bike a bit so both the bike and myself improved. Now I am looking forward to a good race.”

Florian Marino, the 16 year old Frenchman, was 4th fastest but that time came from the first session as he crashed early in the second. “I caught up with Daniel Ruiz but he was going much slower, I had to grab the front brake and I crashed. It’s a shame as we were making some improvements to the front suspension, I had a lot of trouble with chattering.”

Marino qualified just over a 10th of a second ahead of fellow Frenchman Nelson Major. “I really like the track,” said 16 year old Major. “It’s the fast corners, I love all of the last section and that is where I am fastest.”

The drama of having Fagerhaug’s dominance threatened is great to see but a far better sight was Harry Stafford making his racing return. The 15 year old Englishman had not ridden since crashing in the first race in Jerez on May 2nd and being seriously concussed.

He was encouraged not to hurry his comeback and after a full medical recovery spent a few days in Austria with Rider Coach Gustl Auinger to ease his return. “It’s great to be back on the bike, I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” said Stafford after the first session. “It feels great and I have to thank Gustl for helping me get ready. I went to his place in Austria and we did physical training, supermotard and went to the Pannoniaring for some laps on the Metrakit so I could be ready for this.” He qualified 15th.

There were a number of fallers during practice, most without injury but Nico Thöni broke his left thumb and Joshua Hook his left collarbone, neither will race. The race action can be seen live on www.redbullrookiescup.com and starts at 16.25 CET on Saturday July 18th.