Jake Gagne made it a double victory weekend with another masterly display in the second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race of the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring. The 16-year-old Californian was again chased across the line by 14-year-old South African Brad Binder with 15-year-old Japanese Daijiro Hiura third, making up for his 15th place finish on Saturday.
Gagne stormed into the Cup points lead as nearest rivals Daniel Ruiz and Danny Kent both crashed. Kent remounted to finish 12th and now lies second in the table, 14 points behind Gagne with Ruiz third, another 10 points adrift but 4 clear of Hiura, who is fourth.
“I was pretty confident I could do it again,” said Gagne. “It was a good race yesterday and there was no reason why it should be different today. At one point Brad and I got away from the others a bit but I wasn't too surprised when they closed back up again. Then it was all one group and I pretty much played it like yesterday and managed to get away just before the end.
"I knew that Brad was with me again but he's a good guy and I didn't expect him to do anything crazy and take us both out. I knew he was a little bit frustrated that he couldn't get past me at the last corners yesterday but I was strong there and I braked even a bit deeper and held on.”
"I pretty much played it like yesterday and managed to get away just before the end." –Jake Gagne
Binder made a slightly easier race for himself than Saturday with a sensational start from his ninth place qualifying place on the third row of the grid. “The start was fantastic, I think I was about fourth going into the first corner. Then I got up with Jake and he and I went away a bit but we couldn't stay clear of the group. Later on I had a go at leading but also couldn't get away. On the last lap I really wanted to have a go at Jake but he was just too good today...”
Hiura's third made the Japanese smile for what seemed the first time in the weekend. “Yes, I wasn't happy with one point yesterday. But I knew that I had found quite a good rhythm and if I didn't have trouble I could make a good result. I didn't make a great start but we could close the gap on Jake and Brad so it was a great race. On the last lap I was going to try to win but I made a slight mistake and lost them so I will have to wait until Brno.”
Kent was philosophical about his meagre points tally after a great ride. “My start wasn't bad but I got squeezed from both sides going into the first corner; I was almost stopped and dead last going down the hill. I think made up 8 seconds to catch the leaders but I must have taken too much out of the tires because when I fell I wasn't doing anything different. At least I did get a few points out of it,” concluded the 16-year-old Briton who had charged brilliantly through the field and was up to 4th when he fell on the last lap. He remounted to take 4 points for 12th.
Similarly reflective was 18-year-old Spaniard Ruiz who was unhurt when he crashed out of the lead group on lap one, taking Kevin Calia with him. “Honestly I don't know what I did wrong, I lost the front and unfortunately took Kevin out as well. I have lost a lot of points but I just have to come back at the next race.”
The next Red Bull Rookies Cup races are on August 14-15 as part of the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic at Brno with a single race to conclude the season at Misano on September 4.
Race 2 Classification
1. Jacob Gagne (USA) 28 minutes 51.091 seconds (145.050 kph)
2. Brad Binder (RSA) +0.119
3. Daijiro Hiura (JPN) +0.667
4. Alejandro Pardo (ITA) +2.670
5. Tomas Vavrous (CZE) +2.687
6. Alexander Kristiansson (SWE) +2.777
7. Taylor Mackenzie (GBR) +3.810
8. Joshua Hook (AUS) +9.738
9. Arthur Sissis (AUS) +22.148
10. Florian Alt (GER) +22.627
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