2021 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Round 5 – Styrian GP, Spielberg
Over the weekend the Red Bull Rookies joined MotoGP at Spielberg, with Daniel Munoz claiming his first race win, while David Alonso claimed the Race 2 victory to further extend his standings lead.
For New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan there was extra challenges, having to retire from Race 1 due to injuries from an earlier crash, with an MRI later revealing a fracture in one of the bones in the triquetrum, as well as two hematomas in the wrist and upper hand.
He returned for Race 2 to claim 20th, despite the injuries and was even able to set a new PB.
Cormac Buchanan – P20
“All things considered, I’m pretty rapt with that one! Managed to have some intense battles out on track amongst the rear group with nothing in it across the finish line. New PB lap time of 1.41.21 – a massive improvement on my qualifying time of 1.42.87. Shout out to my mechanic Aleix and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup coaches and crew for their support and making adjustments to my handlebars to help ease the pressure on my wrist. Now the focus switches to recovery as I have a few days to rest my injury before the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup rematch right here at Red Bull Ring 🇦🇹 next weekend. I’m excited to have a second chance at a European circuit to see what gains can be made. Thanks everyone for the messages of support – it really does fuel my determination.”
Qualifying
An intense Spielberg Qualifying session saw David Muñoz fastest by just 0.026 seconds over Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup points leader David Alonso. Alonso, the 15-year-old Colombian sat on Pole for Saturday’s race because Muñoz had a penalty carried over from Sachsenring Race 2.
Boosted by his win in that Race 2 in Germany, Matteo Bertelle, the 17-year-old Italian, was third fastest. Spanish 16-year-old Marcos Uriarte completed the front row of the grid as Muñoz started at the back and also had a long lap penalty to contend with.
Race 1
Daniel Muñoz won his first Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race in fabulous style after an incredible race long lead battle of eight KTMs. The 15-year-old Spaniard put in a perfect last lap of Spielberg to hold off 17-year-old Spaniard Ivan Ortolá and Colombia’s 15-year-old David Alonso – the Cup points leader.
David Muñoz qualified fastest but a penalty put him at the back of the grid. The 15-year-old Spaniard’s opening laps were sensational however and he quickly cut through to the lead group while arch-rival Alonso did most of the leading.
David Muñoz also had a long lap penalty to serve though and that dropped him out of the lead group. Then Alonso got a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits and that pushed him back to Muñoz.
As the laps wound down the pair fought back into the lead group for the most intense struggle over the last two laps, with David Muñoz finally taking fourth.
Daniel Muñoz – P1
“It is an incredible race for me, my first victory. The race was crazy, all the riders were passing at every turn. I am very happy with that and tomorrow I will push more, I want to win again but I know it will be very difficult.”
Ivan Ortolá – P2
“The race was really crazy, I made a very good start. I pushed a lot to overtake many riders. In two or three laps I was up into third position. I stayed at the front of the group and in the end was thinking what to do. I really like what I managed to do in the last laps to get second and thanks to my mechanic and all the staff. I’m looking forward to race tomorrow, we’ll see what the weather does but wet or dry it doesn’t matter I will push a lot.”
David Alonso – P3
“An incredible and crazy race. I made a good start and was running fast laps at the front. Then later I got a long lap penalty, I didn’t think I had been on the green so much but OK, then I caught back up to the lead group again. Then the last two laps were difficult because the riders were fighting hard and we had some contact. But I managed to come through the group and finally get third position on the podium. That’s so good for the championship, little by little we are getting podiums and tomorrow it’s another race and I will try for as many points as possible. I learnt a lot in this race, the bike is so good and I’m getting better. It was a great battle with David Muñoz, on the limit but good and I managed to get the position. For tomorrow I prefer it to be dry as I am fast on this track, if it rains I am not the fastest but I am fast.”
Cormac Buchanan – DNF
“Absolutely gutted. Under the physical intensity of Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup racing, the impact of yesterday’s crash became more apparent and my wrist just couldn’t hold up today. I struggled from the outset and just had no strength for braking. The risk of something going wrong if I continued was too great and I was forced to pull out of the race. Medical have scheduled an MRI in the morning to investigate further. I will keep everyone updated once I know more. Thanks for all the support – through good times and bad.”
Race 2
David Alonso executed a perfect Race 2 to take his fifth Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup win of 2021 and extend his points lead. The 15-year-old Colombian took Spielberg victory by 4.7 seconds ahead of a battle of eight KTMs with Tatchakorn Buasri, the 20-year-old Thai, grabbing second over David Muñoz
None of the chasing pack had an answer to Alonso and all the front runners including the leader were in danger of long lap penalties for exceeding track limits. Daniel Holgado was given a three-second post race penalty as he had in Race 1 and dropped to seventh after being ninth on Saturday, severely damaging his Cup points haul.
Mugello winner Taiyo Furusato was another with a three-second penalty and fell to eighth leaving Ivan Ortola fourth. Saturday’s winner Daniel Muñoz had already served a long lap penalty and finished fifth.
David Alonso – P1
“That was amazing, better than yesterday, I could go alone because of the good work I did on Friday. The feeling with the bike is amazing. The strategy was different from yesterday, in the first laps I let them push, then in the third or fourth lap I started trying to push hard. It wasn’t easy and two or three came with me but I kept pushing. I was in a good way and eventually I had a one-second gap. Once I had the one second it was much more easy and I am very happy with the way the race went, this gives me power for next weekend and 2 more races. I had enough gap to enjoy the win but it was hard over the last three laps to concentrate because I was thinking of the victory but you also have to ride the bike and keep off the green.”
Tatchakorn Buasri – P2
“Today I am very very happy, it was such a difficult race, a big battle in the group and many riders are very fast, especially David Alonso and we could not follow him. We were fighting in the group until the last lap, I was fourth and in the last two corners I could overtake and finish second. I feel stronger every race, I think that in Germany where I was on the podium and here in Austria I have really improved more and more, 100 per cent better and I hope again next weekend.”
David Muñoz – P3
“The race was very good for me but I had a mechanical problem with the bike. It’s good to be third but next weekend we need more. David Alonso was too far today and it was difficult to fight in the big group and I am happy to get some good points this weekend but we still need more for the championship.”
Red Bull Rookies Sachsenring Results
Source: MCNews.com.au