Japanese 15-year-old stuns in Italy on maiden Rookies Cup weekend
Japanese 15-year-old Taiyo Furusato only rode a KTM for the first time on Friday, had never seen Mugello before and yet took an incredible debut Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory.
He got the best of a 17 rider battle that started in spitting rain and ended with a cavalry charge to the line where Furusato just clung on to win.
Diogo Moreira crossed the line second ahead of David Muñoz but had exceeded track limits on the final circuit so was demoted one position. So 15-year-old Spaniard Muñoz claimed the 2nd step on the podium ahead of the 17-year-old Brazilian.
Reb Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup: Race 1 in Mugello 29/05/2021
Get set for another bar-bashing encounter between the future stars of the MotoGP™ class
That fabulous battle wasn’t follow-the-leader, it was major position changes all the way. Noah Dettwiler, the 16-year-old Swiss, climbed from the back of the pack to lead a Rookies race for the first time. Pole man Marcos Uriarte dropped to the back and the 16-year-old Spaniard finished 12th. Collin Veijer was brilliant at the front in the tricky early laps but the 16-year-old Dutchman was 11th at the flag.
Amazing battles all the way but Furusato’s victory stood way out. The fact that he took the lead on lap 4 was sensation enough, riding the RC 250 R for the first time, he didn’t look on the edge either. He smoothly held the advantage for a few laps before the slipstreaming pack demoted him.
It was as though he took time to reassess because when he hit the front again in the final laps he was even more certain and composed, he eked out enough of an advantage so that he could not be passed on the slipstream run to the line.
After winning the first 4 Asia Talent Cup races of the season he had added a sensational Rookies Cup debut win.
Furusato fantastic
“I’m so so happy, as you say, first race, first victory, first time at Mugello and on the KTM, all first, but I could win the race.”
“In the race I could improve and everything felt perfect for me. Yesterday was the first time I had ridden a KTM but I found its positive points and the negative points, Today I could use the positive points and work with those.”
And what about tomorrow? He laughs, “Of course I will win the race, or I want to win the race, that’s all.”
David Muñoz much better
“The race was very very good because yesterday was difficult for me. The feeling with the bike was not so good. Today it’s much better the feeling with the bike is good and I’m very happy with it. The track was OK, even with a little rain I had a good feeling. Now we can focus on tomorrow and another good race.”
Moreira almost first, almost second
“The race was very good. In the last laps I tried to push very hard because in the first laps I felt the rain and I was careful. Then I tried lap by lap to fight back, tried to get positions each lap. Finally, on the last lap, I got to second and tried to win the race but I touched the green, that’s the race.
“But I’m happy for the race and tomorrow we have a second one and let’s see. I think the weather will be better, and I will try to win the race,” concluded the Brazilian who is now 1 point off the Cup lead, tied with David Alonso for 2nd.
Holgado holds points lead with 6th
“Today was an incredible race but more difficult than I expected. I did a good job through the race and the result is not bad but I am glad that we have another opportunity tomorrow. Tomorrow I will give more and get a better result.”
He crossed the line 5th only to lose a place for exceeding track limits on the last lap. “I have to say sorry to my fellow Rookie Mario Aji for the last corner,” added the Cup leader who upset the 17-year-old Indonesian on the last lap as they battled for position.
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After what he described as “the best lap” of his career, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) will start from pole for the fourth consecutive time in 2021 at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Coming up on Sunday should be a mouthwatering prospect in the premier class, so here’s 10 statistics to emerge from Saturday’s qualifying.
It’s back-to-back pole positions for the rookie as teammate Gardner is forced to start from the second row
Rookie Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) made it back-to-back Moto2™ pole positions after beating Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) by 0.267s in qualifying at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. MB Conveyors Speed Up’s Jorge Navarro completes the front row at Mugello, seeing World Championship leader Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) demoted to P4.
Raul Fernandez vs Lowes vs Gardner
It was a familiar trio at the top of the timesheets straight from the off in Moto2™ Q2 with Gardner leading the way in the early exchanges, before Lowes then took over at the top by two tenths. Rain was in the air but it – thankfully – wasn’t effecting the riders too much at Mugello, as we witnessed rookie sensation Raul Fernandez go three tenths faster than anyone else with six minutes to go.
Lowes cut Fernandez’s gap to 0.267s on his fifth lap, but as the clock ticked down, the field were finding it tricky to improve their times. One rider who was able to find some pace in the closing stages was Navarro though, his last flying lap saw the Spaniard rise onto the front row for the first time this season. Bad news for Gardner, this pushed the Australian down to Row 2.
How the top 10 shapes up after Q2
Home hero Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) joins fourth place Gardner on the second row in P5, P6 goes the way of rookie Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP), that’s the Italian’s best Moto2™ qualifying result. His compatriot Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) spearheads Row 3 in P7, it looks as though the chatter problems are still causing Bezzecchi some issues, he’ll line up alongside Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP). Italtrans Racing Team’s Joe Roberts rounded out a top 10 split by 0.8s in Q2.
Make sure you don’t miss the Moto2™ race from the Italian GP at 12:20 local time (GMT+2) on Sunday.
Top 10: 1. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:50.723 2. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.267 3. Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) + 0.374 4. Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.583 5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) + 0.632 6. Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.725 7. Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46) + 0.739 8. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.774 9. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.781 10. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.818
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Marc Marquez, in the slipstream of Viñales, went P1 as the latter placed P2, before Aleix Espargaro then climbed to P2. This meant Viñales needed to find time on his final lap, and he was through the third sector as the quickest man, but a mistake at the final corner cost the Spaniard. Marc Marquez and Aleix Espargaro headed into Q2, Viñales will start P13.
After an incident occurred on the exit of Turn 9 involving Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PrüstelGP), Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) towards the end of the session, the red flags were shown, signalling the end of Moto3™ qualifying. Dupasquier has been transferred to Florence hospital for further examinations, with Tech3 confirming Sasaki is ok.
It’s a Red Bull KTM Ajo 1-2 heading into Moto2™ qualifying at the Italian GP as the fastest trio sit half a second clear of the chasers
It’s a new Mugello Moto2™ lap record for Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Spanish rookie set a 1:50.616 to head teammate Remy Gardner in FP3 at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) is third quickest as the leading trio are in a league of their own ahead of qualifying.
Raul Fernandez, Gardner, Lowes: half a second clear of the rest
It was Lowes who slammed in the fastest lap of the weekend straight out the blocks in FP3 and for pretty much the whole session, the Briton sat over half a second clear of anyone else. Raul Fernandez clawed Lowes’ advantage down to just under a tenth though with seven minutes to go as both were under lap record pace, with Raul Fernandez then going top by 0.177s. Gardner then joined teammate Fernandez and Lowes in the ballpark to split the two, these three riders are looking in formidable form at Mugello.
The Q2 qualifiers
Despite a late crash at Turn 12, Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) sits P4 ahead of Italy’s Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) in fifth. Marcel Schrötter is sixth at the end of Free Practice and leads rookie teammate Tony Arbolino by just 0.004s, the latter is seventh ahead of Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team), Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) and Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) – that’s your top 10.
The other four riders heading straight into the second part of qualifying are Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up), Marco Bezzecchi (SKY Racing Team VR46), rookie Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Italtrans Racing Team).
Tune into Moto2™ qualifying at 15:10 local time (GMT+2).
Top 10 combined: 1. Raul Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 1:50.616 2. Remy Gardner (Red Bull KTM Ajo) + 0.154 3. Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 0.177 4. Aron Canet (Kipin Energy Aspar Team) + 0.728 5. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) + 0.808 6. Marcel Schrotter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.873 7. Tony Arbolino (Liqui Moly Intact GP) + 0.877 8. Joe Roberts (Italtrans Racing Team) + 0.882 9. Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) + 0.948 10. Augusto Fernandez (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) + 1.035
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It wouldn’t be the Saturday of an Italian Grand Prix without Valentino Rossi (Petronas Yamaha SRT) unveiling another of his special-edition Mugello helmets. The Doctor took the wraps off of his 2021 version ahead of Free Practice 3 at the Oakley Italian Grand Prix, and you can check it out with our gallery below. Plus, make sure you check it out on track around Mugello in qualifying later on Saturday – 14:10 local time – and, of course, in Sunday’s race – starting at 14:00 local time.
Factory Ducati’s Italian continues to set the pace as under a second splits the fastest 19 riders – it’s tight at Mugello
Friday pacesetter Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) will lead his competitors into qualifying at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley after setting a new all-time lap record in FP3 at Mugello. The Italian’s 1:45.456 topped Fabio Quartararo’s (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) effort by 0.157s on Saturday morning, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder also under two tenths away from Bagnaia in third, as we witness the South African equal the top speed record.
The battle for automatic Q2 promotion
Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) was the first rider to make a big leap up the timing screens on Saturday morning, the Frenchman propelling himself from P11 to P2 on his fifth lap of the day. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) were other early improvers, but there was plenty of swapping and changing to come in the final 15 minutes of FP3.
Quartararo came out all guns blazing and set two consecutive fastest laps of the weekend to move the goalposts, with Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) – despite being 20 km/h down on top speed to the fastest bikes – sitting P2 with five minutes left. Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) then made it a Yamaha 1-2-3 heading into the closing stages, with Bagnaia at that stage the fastest Ducati in P7.
However, with two minutes to go, it was all change. Pecco shot to P1 with a new lap record, teammate Jack Miller placed himself P3 with Binder then displacing Miller for that third spot. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was a late mover into the top 10, as was Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) as a late crash from Viñales at Turn 12 – rider ok – saw the Spaniard slip to P11.
Who’s in the all-important top 10?
The man searching for a 2021 hat-trick of wins is fourth behind Bagnaia, Quartararo and Binder, his name is of course Miller as the Aussie and Zarco complete the top five. Rins, Oliveira, Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Pol Espargaro and Morbidelli were able to sail into Q2, as just 0.409s covers the leading 10 riders ahead of qualifying at Mugello.
Big names heading for Q1
Aforementioned, Viñales sits 11th after FP3 and will have to contest in the opening part of qualifying. Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), Aleix Espargaro and Nakagami are also outside the all-important top 10, as just under a second splits the top 19.
This means one thing: the fight for the final two Q2 places will be intense in Q1, and the pole position battle is shaping up to be a belter. Tune in for MotoGP™ qualifying at 14:10 local time (GMT+2) to see if anyone can topple Bagnaia in Italy.
Top 10 combined: 1. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1:45.456 2. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) + 0.157 3. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.196 4. Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) + 0.245 5. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) + 0.269 6. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.298 7. Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) + 0.335 8. Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) + 0.369 9. Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) + 0.402 10. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) + 0.409
Every practice session, qualifying battle and race, exclusive interviews, historic races and so much more fantastic content: this is VideoPass!
A late flurry of times sees the Italian lead the way on home soil after Moto3™ Free Practice, Championship leader Acosta finishes P16
Andrea Migno (Rivacold Snipers Team) left it until his final flying lap to secure top spot in Moto3™ FP3 at the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley, the Italian’s 1:56.234 was enough to beat Jaume Masia (Red Bull KTM Ajo) by 0.124s. Gabriel Rodrigo (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) is safely into Q2 after a P3 finish in FP3, but World Championship leader Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) will have to contest Q1 this afternoon.
The Q2 qualifiers
Most of the riders were able to find some time on Saturday morning, including fourth fastest Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team). The rider second in the overall standings was outside the top 14 heading into FP3, but sails into Q2 ahead of fifth place Jason Dupasquer (CarXpert PrüstelGP). Jeremy Alcoba (Indonesian Racing Gresini Moto3) is four tenths away from Migno in P6 as FP2 pacesetter Darryn Binder (Petronas Sprinta Racing) slips to P7 on the combined times after failing to improve his Friday effort.
Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Stefano Nepa (BOE Owlride) and John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) complete the top 10, with Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing), Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Filip Salac (Rivacold Snipers Team) the other automatic Q2 qualifiers.
Acosta and Antonelli in Q1
Joining Acosta in Q1 will be fifth in the Championship Niccolo Antonelli (Avinita Esponsorama Moto3), as well as Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse). All three riders will be expecting to come through the opening qualifying session later this afternoon.
Tune into Moto3™ qualifying at 12:35 local time (GMT+2).
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