2022 FIM MiniGP Australia Series Final | Reports/Results

2022 FIM MiniGP Australia Series

By Mark Bracks – Images by RBMotoLens

The final two rounds of the inaugural FIM MiniGP Australia Series at the Oakleigh Go-Kart track in Clayton South (Vic) were a fitting finale to what has been a season of excitement, drama, and sensational displays of riding by the talented youngsters who age from 10-14-years-old.

The Oakleigh track is a tremendous facility dating back to the early ‘60s. The circuit and the club have produced a myriad of national and international kart champions. Situated in a semi-rural and industrial area surrounded by a tip, a massive market garden with a pistol club and trials bike facility is also right next door, thus it doesnt appear that it will be threatened with noise complaints anytime soon. 

The sound of gunfire combined with the rap of racing bikes over the weekend was something very different, and on the Sunday there were about 10 riders practicing their trials skills.

However, at the start of every race, all the trials rider rode to the top of the practice knoll for a perfect view to watch the opening stanza and quite often sat watching for the entire race. Maybe the action may attract a few more trials riders as recruits. After all, that’s where Steve Martin started! 

For the most part, the 12-turn track is pretty tight with subtle undulations and heaps of camber in the corners, but the last section is very fast with two almost flat out, right handers with a fast lap around the one-kilometres circuit taking around 45-seconds around the 1km track.

When contemplating an overtake, the execution of the attempt needed to commence a few corners before. Precision, timing and commitment were the keys for a successful overtake. It was very easy to overcook it.  A perfect environment to instil race-craft.

As for the FIM MiniGP title, it went right down to the wire. Heading into Sunday’s final round of the year only 13 points separated the top three; Harrison Watts (Qld) Teerin Fleming (Vic) and Levi Russo (NSW).

FIM MiniGP Round Four Race One

The opening 19-lap race on Saturday afternoon set the scene for what was to come, with the competition throughout the class as competitive as you will see anywhere in the world. Every onlooker was extremely impressed with the level of riding ability and talent demonstrated by those of such tender years.

Ten-year-old, Judd “Rocket Ronnie” Plaisted blasted into the lead from third on the grid and led for four laps before Watts and Russo muscled past, with Fleming trying his hardest to stay in touch.

Plaisted didn’t drop off and managed to relegate Russo to third halfway through the 19 lap bout, only to hassle Watts for a further three laps before Russo regained the place and chased Watts down. 

Watts rebuffed all the attempts until the penultimate corner, when 14-year-old Russo pulled off a remarkably breath-taking move with a courageous inside line that saw them both fighting to keep the front from folding, holding their bikes up on their knees as they slid through the turn. Simply spectacular.

Russo won the drag to the line in a jaw dropping finish to claim his first win of the year from Watts. Plaisted third and Fleming a disappointing fourth due to a tyre issue that saw his deficit to Watts increase to 27 points.

FIM MiniGP Round Four Race One Results

FIM MiniGP Round Four Race Two

Racing can change in the blink of an eye and the title battle took on a completely different complexion a few seconds before the lights went out for race two. Watts was forced off the grid and out of the race when a brake line split, due to an unbeknown wear point of the hose. While it was a blow for Watts, thankfully it was discovered before the start of the race.

Plaisted again claimed the holeshot but was passed by Russo on lap two with Fleming determined to make the most of the opportunity of Watts’ absence to relegate the young South Australian soon after.

Fleming then took the lead on lap five and slowly gapped the field to take the win in dominant fashion by over four-seconds from Russo, with Plaisted a further 10 seconds adrift.

Russo won round four with his win and a second place, from Fleming with his 4-1 result, and Plaisted third overall with his brace of third places.

On the eve of the final round the points had really closed up, with just 13 points now separating the top three. 

In an interesting titbit to the day, after four laps in race one and three laps in race two, 13-year-old Ella McCausland recorded the fastest lap of the race. Impressive.

FIM MiniGP Round Four Race Two Results

FIM MiniGP Round Five Race One

There was plenty of anticipation as the field lined up on Sunday for the opening bout of round five. Watts again on pole position, with Fleming and Russo both right back in the title hunt.

For Fleming the threat of a race long battle for the lead evaporated in the opening couple of laps when an issue with tyre fitment saw him drop off the intense battle between Russo and Watts and struggling for speed.

The pair quickly distanced themselves but the intensity of battle was outstanding. Anther commendable feature was that on such a tight and technical track, that was difficult to pass, all riders showed a remarkable amount of respect in giving each other racing room. Admittedly, in some cases there was contact between bikes and riders, but it was all done in a clean way, the track is a great learning tool for race craft. 

Watts hung on for the win by half-a-second after a great battle with Russo.

15-seconds further back a struggling Fleming fought hard for his third place to keep his slim title chances flickering, but after the race he was now 10 points behind Watts, with Russo a further seven points adrift.

FIM MiniGP Round Five Race One Results

FIM MiniGP Round Five Race Two

Fleming had one sole intention in the final race of the year and that was  to get into the lead early and clear off in an attempt to force the others to make an error in their attempts to stay in contact with the extremely talented 12-year-old. 

It was fitting that the trio fighting out for the title set up a gap over the field in the opening laps to fight out the title. 

Plaisted and Jake Paige closed the gap as the intensity of the fight between the leading trio saw them tripping over themselves. 

At half race distance Fleming pulled off a brilliant move on Watts to take the lead and from there he was never headed and within a lap had gapped the field by two-seconds as he steered through the slower riders a little easier than his chasers.

After 19 laps, Fleming greeted the chequered flag almost five-seconds ahead of Watts with Russo a tenth of a second away in third.

Watts won the round with his 1-2 results from Fleming second after his 4-1 results with Russo third thanks to his second and third placings.

As the top two finishers in the series, Harrison Watts and Teerin Fleming will head to Valencia (Spain) at the beginning of November to contest the FIM MiniGP World Series Final. A supporting act in the lead up to the MotoGP World Championship finale being held that same week.

The overall international winner of the World Cup gets to climb the next step on Dorna’s Road To MotoGP program, with a guaranteed ride in the FIM Junior World Championship in 2023. While many others will also raise their profile in their hopes to secure rides in series such as the Asia Talent Cup and Red Bull Rookies.

FIM MiniGP Round Five Race Two Results

2022 FIM MiniGP Australia Final Series Points

FIM MiniGP Summary

While the focus in the race reports was primarily on the front runners, there were plenty of other eye-catching performances throughout the field.  

The 2022 season has given the organisers and promoters of the FIM MiniGP Australia series a solid foundation to build on with all concerned confident that the series will have more competitors next year. Many uttered the same sentiment that it is so impressive to see the skills the kids demonstrate for ones so young.

The talent of the 10-year-olds like Plaisted and Jed Fyffe, Jackson McDonald and Ethan Ayad is astounding.

And the difference in their speed and confidence from the beginning of the year to now is extremely impressive as they are all a lot closer to the front more consistently.

Add in 11-year old road racing novices like Jake Paige who is a gun on the dirt like his older brother Bodie, and then there is Nixon Frost, the son of a multiple NZ Superbike Champion. Nixon hadn’t ridden a motorbike until just before the first round.

Next year they will no doubt be in thick of the battles for wins, along with older kids like 12-year-olds Darius Hamod, Ethan Johnson, Isaac Ayad and William Hunt.

Keep note of the name Ella McCausland. She is one very rapid young lady who finished seventh overall and could’ve been further up the points table except for a couple of get off that are all part of the learning curve.

Additionally the support classes for the older kids and grown men have produced some extremely intense racing. 

One of the chiefs of the series is multiple ASBK Champion Wayne Maxwell and he was extremely happy, and proud of what has been achieved.

Wayne Maxwell

“There has been some difficult times getting all this up and running but we now have a great little series and everyone involved should be extremely proud of their efforts from the riders and their parents and supporters to all the officials and sponsors that have been of an assistance in the running of the series. The racing in all classes has been spectacular. It has shown that the Ohvale is a brilliant little tool to learn on, 

“Also on behalf of my partners, Dim and Nick, I’d like to thank Motorcycling Australia, the FIM and Dorna for providing this pathway for youngsters to chase their dreams. Maybe one day in the future we can look back at an Aussie MotoGP world champion and say, ‘we had a small part in their success’.”

2022 FIM MiniGP Australia Series Support Classes

Alex Phillis made another appearance in the supports and walked away with another lap record. This time a 44.193 on his first ride of the more powerful GP-2 190cc machine.  He was in a class of his own over the weekend but there were plenty trying to keep him in check, including 14-year-old Marcus Hamod.

OHVALE GP-0 Series Points

OHVALE GP-2 Series Points

Veterans Series Points

MiniGP Australia