Image: Supplied.

Youthful Australian Billy van Eerde earned his maiden race victory in the 2019 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at the Aragon grand prix, backing up the win with a podium result in race two.

Qualifying 11th, the New South Welshman put on an excellent display of riding in the opening encounter, positioning himself at the front of the field before making an incredible last-corner pass for the win.

Van Eerde has come into strong form in the back half of the series, finishing third in the race two – the final race of the championship – to make it four podiums in the last five races.

“I was looking to be racing in the front group,” said van Eerde. “Then mid-race I was feeling good on the bike and realised that I could push a bit harder. I kept going and the bike was working a lot better than it did in practice.

“On the last lap I concentrated on putting myself in the right place down the back straight to pick up the slipstream and it worked.

“That was a great way to end the year, I’m very happy. Perhaps I went a bit early at the end [of race two], didn’t quite work it the same way as yesterday. The group was a lot bigger today, more finishers, but being on the podium is really good.”

Van Eerde wound up sixth in the championship standings despite record four DNFs in the first four races of the season.