The HETC first outing was a stunning, action-packed encounter which saw drama from the start. Starting from pole, Alvaro Carpe (MT-Foundation 77) got a great start to the race, but it was Casey O’Gorman (Cuna de Campeones) who led into Turn 1. The Irishman’s lead only lasted until Turn 4, where he slid out of contention before remounting. The race continued and there was a battle between Roberto Garcia (Avatel – Cardoso Racing), Phillip Tonn (Liqui Moly Intact SIC Racing Team) and Alberto Ferrandez (MT-Foundation 77), before Tonn crashed at Turn 9, taking out Garcia and Ferrandez. This allowed the likes of Carpe and Australian Jacob Roulstone to come through to the front. Carpe was leading on the last lap but crashed at Turn 7, leaving Roulstone to charge home for a first victory, beating Adrian Cruces (Cuna de Campeones) and Joel Esteban Ruiz (IGAX Team).
The weekend saw the FIM CEV Repsol kick off 2021 at Circuito do Estoril for Round 1, with five races across three classes seeing a multitude of winners, including Australian Jacob Roulstone in the ETC.
2021 FIM CEV Repsol – Round 1, Estoril
All five races were final lap fights, as Daniel Holgado (Aspar Junior Team) took a career-first win in the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship. Australians Harrison Voight and Billy Van Eerde raced to P12 and P21 respectively.
In the Moto2 European Championship, the battle raged between Fermin Aldeguer (Boscoscuro Talent Team-Ciatti) and teammate Alonso Lopez, with Aldeguer taking both wins on the last lap.
Both Hawkers European Talent Cup (ETC) races went to first-time winners; Australian Jacob Roulstone (Leopard Impala Junior Team) winning Race 1, and David Garcia (Finetwork Hawkers Junior Team) taking out Race 2. In all, close racing setting the tone for the year ahead.
Moto3
The FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship battle was fierce with seven riders going into the final lap with a chance of victory. Having been leading for most of the race, Daniel Holgado gave GASGAS a first win in the class by resisting pressure from David Salvador (TM Factory Racing Team).
2021 FIM CEV Repsol – Round 1, Estoril – Scott Ogden
Both riders showcased strong pace throughout the race and demonstrated themselves worthy of Championship contention. One of the major stories of the day was that David Alonso (Aspar Junior Team) joined the podium from 12th on the grid on his Moto3 debut, one of the most impressive rides of Sunday.
Starting from pole, rookie Ivan Ortola (Team MTA) finished in eighth. The Championship standings read the same results as the race, with Holgado heading Salvador and Alonso. Harrison Voight finished 12th, collecting four-points, while Billy Van Eerde had a hard weekend racing to 21st.
Fellow Australian Joel Kelso had qualified in sixth for the main race, however crashed out on lap eight while competing in the top ten.
Daniel Holgado – P1
“I am very happy with this victory; it is a joy to end with victory a weekend in which we have worked so hard with the team. It has been impressive from start to finish. We have done a great job with the set-up of the bike and I can only thank my technical team, because without them it would not have been possible, and my family, for all the support.”
2021 FIM CEV Repsol – Round 1, Estoril – Daniel Holgado
David Alonso – P3
“I didn’t expect to get on the podium in my first Moto3 race. We knew that it was not going to be easy and in qualifying it did not go well for us, but we were able to solve the problems in the warm-up session. Lap by lap, with good rhythm, I was able to reduce the distance with the leading group until I caught up with them and placed myself second. I suffered a lot, on the last lap I was very tired and with worn tyres, but I am very satisfied.”
Harrison Voight – P12
“Wow what a great way to wrap up the weekend. Literally couldn’t of asked for a better weekend. I thought I was doing not too bad in the race. Trying to maintain 45s the whole time while in 10th position alone, by six laps to go I really struggled with the tyres. Having zero grip in the front and rear to eventually getting passed by two riders on the last lap who caught up to me… Slightly disappointed knowing there could of been the chance of top10. Thanks to everyone who makes this possible and also SIC58 Squadra Corse for a great first round.”
Billy Van Eerde – P21
“Today was a difficult day. I knew it would be hard after yesterday’s QP. Start of the race was not so bad but I made a crucial mistake and lost the group for the points. I want to thank the whole team for all the work and support throughout the weekend. Reset and be ready for Valencia!”
2021 FIM CEV Repsol – Round 1, Estoril – Billy Van Eerde
Ahead of the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the Mayor of Jerez, Mamen Sánchez, was joined by the vice president of the Junta de Andalucía, Juan Marín, and Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta at the presentation for the 2021 Gran Premio Red Bull de España.
What makes Martin’s crash one of the nastiest we’ve seen in some time is the repeated impacts of over 20G he suffered. In total, Martin suffered seven different spikes of impact recorded at over 20G with the heaviest impact being recorded at over 26G. Again, by comparison, the largest force recorded by Alpinestars was 29.9G in Loris Baz’s crash at Sepang Test in 2016. The largest in recent years was Marquez’s highside during Q2 at the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2019, with 26.27G recorded on that day.
Jorge Martín has undergone extensive surgery by specialists Dr. Xavier Mir, Dr. David Campillo and Dr. Joan Carles Monllau at the Traumatology Department (ICATME) of Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona.
The Spanish rider had suffered several fractures: to the scaphoid, the first metacarpal of the right hand and the right ankle, which were surgically reduced, while the fractures to the pyramidal bone of the right wrist and the fifth metacarpal of the left hand were reduced and immobilised, without the need for surgery. The fracture to the left tibial plateau was reduced by arthroscopy.
Jorge Martín will remain in hospital under observation for the next 72 hours, and will then have to observe a few days of rest before starting rehabilitation, with the aim of returning to the track for the Italian GP at Mugello.
Tito Rabat will be taking Martin’s place for the Spanish GP in Jerez de la Frontera, which is scheduled to be from the 30th of April to the 2nd of May at the Angel Nieto circuit. The Catalan rider, who will turn 32 on the 25th of May, was the Moto2 World Champion in 2014. He has also been racing in the last 3 years for MotoGP Team Esponsorama Avintia. He therefore knows both the Ducati bike and the Michelin tyres very well.
This year Tito Rabat is racing in the Superbike World Championship for Barni Racing Team on the Panigale V4 R.
The first seven series to be included in the new Road to MotoGP programme have been revealed
The FIM MiniGP World Series begins in 2021 and is designed to unify and standardise MiniGP competitions from around the world under the same umbrella. The newest path on the Road to MotoGP, the series aims to create an equal platform for young riders worldwide and increase their skill and opportunity.
Federations and CONUs (continental unions) from around the world have been applying to be part of the new Series, and the first seven competitions have been revealed: France, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, North America, Spain and the UK.
The seven are the first to have their applications approved and published and Australia misses out for now but there is already a very active scene, particularly in Melbourne, around the Ohvale machinery that will be used in the FIM MiniGP World Series where all riders will race Ohvale GP-0 160cc, the official and sole motorcycle of the FIM MiniGP World Series project.
The good news is that plans are afoot for Australia to be a participant next year. Issues around the supply of machinery and tyres to get here in time for a series to be put in place for 2021 has just not proven feasible in this COVID-19 affected world otherwise we might already be on the list, but it does look almost certain that we will be up and running here in 2022.
2020 Australian Superbike Champion Wayne Maxwell has been a driving force behind the use of the Ohvale machines in Victoria and after he retires from top level competition at the end of 2021 he will be putting a lot of his energy behind the establishment of an FIM MiniGP World Series here in Australia next year.
FIM MiniGP World Series
In France, the FIM MiniGP France Series will be called Mini GP France. Racing begins at the end of May at Le Castellet, and the calendar comprises four rounds. From Le Castellet, the Cup will race in Aigues Vives, Fontenay le Comte and Alès.
The FIM MiniGP Italy Series is the CIV Junior and will be the first to start competition on the 25th of April. Five rounds are planned for the Italian series, including two visits to Modena, and the calendar begins in Magione for the 18 riders on the 2021 entry list.
In Malaysia, the FIM MiniGP Malaysia Series will begin at Sepang International Circuit in June and race until September. A four-round calendar is planned with races at four different circuits and 15 riders are already confirmed to take part.
The FIM MiniGP Netherlands Series will begin in Veldhoven at the end of May. A round at Assen prefaces visits to Lelystad and the legendary Spa-Francorchamps, just over the border.
North America will have a continental series named the FIM MiniGP North America Series. Beginning in June, the Cup will race at Road America, Ridge Motorsports Park, Pittsburg International Race Complex and Barber Motorsports Park in the USA, but the Cup is the first CONU application to be approved and is open to the continent.
In Spain, the FIM MiniGP Spain Series starts at the Circuito Internacional Kotarr, Burgos, from the 5th to the 6th of June. More than 20 riders will fight it out at four rounds in 2021.
In the UK, the FIM MiniGP UK Series calendar takes in five rounds across the UK, with more than 15 riders on the Entry List set to compete on kart or short circuit layouts at Thruxton, Donington, Cadwell, Snetterton and Silverstone beginning at the end of July.
The FIM and Dorna Sports have received further applications from other federations and CONUs, with the inclusion of more Cups to be announced by the 30th of April.
The final deadline for federations and CONUs to submit applications to be part of the new FIM MiniGP World Series is the 23rd of April.
The Spanish rider had suffered several fractures: to the scaphoid, the first metacarpal of the right hand and the right ankle, which were surgically reduced, while the fractures to the pyramidal bone of the right wrist and the fifth metacarpal of the left hand were reduced and immobilised, without the need for surgery. The fracture to the left tibial plateau was reduced by arthroscopy.
Federations and CONUs (continental unions) from around the world have been applying to be part of the new Series, and the first seven competitions to be included can now be revealed: France, Italy, Malaysia, Netherlands, North America, Spain and the UK. The seven are the first to have their applications approved and published.
Stefan Bradl is set to return to the track at the Spanish GP, with HRC announcing he will take a wildcard spot at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. The German has already ridden in the opening two rounds of the Championship, as well as for the majority of 2020 in the place of the absent Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), but the Spaniard’s return meant he reverted back to his role as Test Rider.
Kattia Juárez, FIM Sustainability Commission Director: “All economic activity generates impacts, positive and negative. Sport is no exception to this, but it is also a great ally for sustainable development. Each FIM event is governed by the Environmental Code which was adopted in 1994. This Code contains regulations and recommendations that each organiser must comply with. Thus, in 2011, together with the MotoGP communications department, the FIM Sustainability Commission implemented an Action Plan for the press rooms with the aim of optimising resources, mainly paper consumption, which generated one of the greatest impacts on this area. In this era, in which a resilient and sustainable attitude is required for a return adapted to current needs, significant changes like this make a difference. Today we can say that the MotoGP press rooms are paperless and all the documentation and results are communicated electronically. Congratulations on this Earth Day 2021.”
