CEV Repsol Moto2 European Championship and European Talent Cup:
Valencia thrills to the second round of the FIM CEV Repsol
The second round of the FIM CEV Repsol this weekend at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia did not disappoint and provided some thrilling racing.
Edgar Pons had a brilliant weekend in Valencia, dominating the qualifying practice sessions, setting the fastest lap time in the race, securing his first victory of the season and ending up as overall leader of the Moto2™ European Championship. The race was stopped after a multiple fall involving Niki Tuuli (Team Stylobike), Matteo Ferrari (Gresini Laglisse Academy) and Alessandro Zaccone (Promoracing), which was caused by a trail of oil left by Marcel Brenner’s machine on the first lap.
The Moto2™ race was restarted but without the injured Tuuli on the grid. Once again Pons took the lead followed by Héctor Garzó (CNS Motorsport). The two pulled away followed by the Team Ciatti Speed Up riders Tomasso Marcon and Yari Montella with Miquel Pons (H43 Nobby Talasur-Blumaq) behind. The race ended in this order.
In the ETC, Izan Guevara secured a double win. In the first race his victory was even more noteworthy because after setting the best time in the qualifying session he was penalized for riding slowly in five sectors, and ended up starting from the fifth row. Fermín Aldeguer (Bester Capital Dubai), who also started down the grid – in this case in the eighth row – finished second. Dirk Geiger (Kiefer Racing) was third.
From the start Geiger took first followed by Daijiro Sako (Cuna de Campeones), Lorenzo Fellon (ZF GP School), David Muñoz (Jerez Andalucía MT) and others. On the fifth lap Fellon was penalized with a ‘long lap’ for repeatedly exceeding the limits of the track and lost his chances of a podium finish. Guevara, Aldeguer, Sako, Geiger and Daniel Muñoz (Oneforex Cardoso School) formed the group that was going to fight for victory. Daniel Muñoz touched Aldeguer from behind in the closing stages of the race, left the track and was out of contention. In the end, Guevara won followed by Aldeguer and Geiger with Sako unable to grab a podium slot. The Cuna de Campeones rider was awarded the Repsol free fuel cheque.
In the second ETC race Guevara gave his rivals no chances. Starting this time from the pole, he pulled clear over the first few laps, leaving Geiger, Diogo Moreira (Talent Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), Fellon, José Antonio Rueda (Talent Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), David Muñoz and Daniel Muñoz to form a bitterly contested chasing group. On a thrilling final lap, David Muñoz managed to secure second position followed by Geiger. Adrián Cruces (Talent Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), Fellon, Rueda and Daniel Muñoz finished behind the podium trio. Guevara received the Repsol free fuel cheque. Guevara now leads the ETC, 10 points ahead of Iván Ortolá (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team), who started the day as leader, while David Muñoz is third, 14 points adrift of the leader. In the last race of the day, the ETC Series 2, David Alonso (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) won ahead of Mario Mayor (Ikomo Laglisse Academy) and Mattia Volpi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).
The next round of the FIM CEV Repsol Moto2 and ETC will be on June 9 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
