Anzacs all score good points at Red Bull Rookies finale

2022 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Round Seven – Valencia

Luca Lunetta won a superb penultimate race of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season at Valencia, while points leader José Rueda extended his points lead to 15 with a fourth place finish that saw arch rival Collin Veijer seventh.

Harrison Voight was the leading Aussie in Race 1 in 10th, a spot behind New Zealand’s Cormac Buchanan, while countryman Jacob Roulstone finished 13th.

Max Quiles then put in a perfect final lap of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season to claim victory over arch rival and fellow Spaniard Angel Piqueras in Sunday’s Race 2, with Luca Lunetta third.

Voight claimed eighth in Race 2, well clear of the following riders, but not quite able to keep in touch with the leading group. Cormac Buchanan finished 10th, and Roulstone 15th.

The final standings see Rueda holding the title, 14-points clear of Veijer, while Quiles completed the podium.

Harrison Voight ends the season 10th overall, with Cormac Buchanan 17th and Jacob Roulstone in 21st.

Harrison Voight – P10 (Championship)

“A big thank you to the Red Bull Rookies Cup for these past two years together. It was a childhood dream to be given the opportunity and take part in the Red Bull Rookies Cup. Achieving a podium was something I can’t describe my emotions after all the injuries I’ve had in 12 months. Now it’s time to go home. Reflect and remember on the memories that were made this year because it sure was one to remember. Can’t wait for the new chapter to begin.”

Cormac Buchanan – P17 (Championship)

“Happy with how this Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season ended. We had a really tough period this season where nothing was clicking for us, but I’m glad that my potential showed through in the last few rounds. This was my best round of Rookies Cup this season and what better time to do it than at the last round here in Valencia. It wasn’t an easy race but I’m very happy with my pace which I improved to do this race 10 seconds quicker than yesterday’s. I had a good battle with my friend Arbi and finished in P10. A double top ten finish is a very good way to end this season. I’m also rapt to announce I have been given a third year in Rookies Cup – bring on 2023! I know the best is yet to come and the hard work continues. Thank you to all of the Rookies crew – especially my awesome mechanic Aleix and rider coach Dani Ribalta – it has been a super fun year with so much learning. Now it’s time to relax just a little then enjoy the New Zealand racing, train hard and focus for the 2023 season. New goals, bigger targets!”

Red Bull Rookies Race One

It was an intense struggle from first lap to last for the penultimate race of the Red Bull Rookies season, with the front row of Angel Piqueras, Casey O’Gorman and Màx Quiles swapping the lead between them just ahead of Veijer and Rueda.

Lunetta had been in the pack just behind the leading five along with Rico Salmela and Marcos Ruda as the top eight pulled away from the field. Only in the closing stages did Lunetta, the 16-year-old Italian, challenge for the lead but then he made it stick.

Luca Lunetta – P1

“I’ve wanted this win for a long time, I’ve worked very hard for it. It’s incredible that in my 3rd year of Rookies Cup I finally have my first win in the last race weekend. Coming to this weekend I said to myself that I have to get this win and I did it but it was a very difficult race fore me. The plan was to get into the lead and slow down the race a bit and manage things. But that was impossible, everyone was pushing so hard and I only got into front positions in the last two laps and then I said to myself, OK we stay here with the slipstream and then I will try on the last lap in Corner 11 where I was so strong on the brakes to take the lead. Then into the last corner I knew that I had to be crazy late on the brakes so that they couldn’t pass me and I was still thinking they would come. But they didn’t. It’s been a great weekend I haven’t changed the bike since the start of the weekend, it has been so good, I will try again tomorrow.”

Piqueras had to overcome a double long lap penalty to grab second, but that’s what he did, the 15-year-old starting the race knowing he had the penalty following practice transgressions.

Angel Piqueras – P2

“I had a strategy, I needed to be leading before I took the long lap so that is what I did, took one, then got back to the front and took the 2nd. I was confident on the bike, it has been good all weekend and it was just the last few corners and all the fighting that cost me the win. I will try to win tomorrow.”

Maximo Quiles meanwhile took third on the brakes, with a last second swoop onto the podium rewarding the manoeuvre, and regulating Rueda and O’Gorman to fourth and fifth by 0.01s.

Maximo Quiles – P3

“I’m quite happy with that because on the last lap I didn’t think I was going to manage the podium, I was really in the back of the group because Casey was fighting a lot and stopped me from overtaking but then in the last corner I just braked so late and so hard and overtook 3 guys I think and could make the podium. The bike is perfect, I am very comfortable with it and I want to fight for the win again in the last race.”

Cup leader Rueda was happy with the result, knowing Veijer had fared worse.

Jose Rueda – P4

“I’m happy with that, I was with Collin all the race I knew that I wanted to keep the points advantage and then in the last few laps I pushed a bit harder. Then on the last lap, in the last corners Màximo overtook me and I couldn’t make it to the podium. 4th is OK, that’s good for the Cup, a bigger gap than at the start of the race. The bike is good, tomorrow we will maybe change things a little, think about it anyway.”

It was disappointment for Veijer however.

Collin Veijer – P7

“Especially at the start I didn’t feel great but then got on the pace. The goal for this race was to minimise the points but it wasn’t possible. So I just tried to stay out of trouble and get as many points as I could and carry the championship fight on to tomorrow. I’ve secured second in the championship so I’ve got no pressure from behind and I can just concentrate on trying my best tomorrow to take the championship if that is possible.”

Race One Results

Red Bull Rookies Race Two

It was an eight-KTM RC 250 R battle for the win all the way to the line for the season finale, but for José Rueda a safe seventh was plenty to secure the Cup.

His only challenger, Dutch 17-year-old Collin Veijer, finished just ahead and left the 17-year-old Spaniard with a 14 point advantage after the pair had struggled over the title throughout the 14 race season.

Maximo Quiles was however thrilled with his third win, with O’Gorman knocked out of contention with seven laps to go while battling for that lead.

Maximo Quiles – P1

“I think it is one of the best races of my career. I think I made a very intelligent race. I studied and thought a lot about it and I had a lot of confidence going into the last corner. I was a bit better than them there so in the last lap I told myself what I had to do to get ahead of the others and I braked later and harder than them. I had a good line going in, good on the brakes and also a good drive so it worked out, it was a good strategy and I had tried to do that yesterday but then Casey (O’Gorman) was just fighting to hard and I couldn’t get in the right place on the last lap.”

Piqueras not thrilled with his third second place, the 15-year-old losing the battle for third in the Cup standings to Quiles, with just 0.036s separating the duo.

Lunetta was on the podium again, marking a strong weekend, this time in third.

Luca Lunetta – P3

“It is great to be on the podium again. I really tried to win again but today it was harder, the pace seemed quicker. I tried every lap I was more on the limit, I tried everything but was losing a bit in Turn 6 and Turn 8 but making it up in other places so the gap would close and grow. It’s been an incredible 3 years in Rookies Cup I just wish I could do it all again.”

Rueda followed the plan, riding a safe race to ensure he retained the points advantage.

Jose Rueda – P7

“I had the points lead and a strategy this weekend and it worked. I knew that as long as I ran behind Collin I would take the Cup. Especially today it made sense just to follow that. It’s been an incredible year and result for my family and all those who support me. It is very special, to be the first rider to win the Junior World Championship and the Rookies Cup, I could not wish for a better season.”

Veijer had nothing more to give, claiming sixth, but unable to close down the large points gap to Rueda.

Collin Veijer – P6

“I tried my best, in this race I didn’t have anything to lose. I didn’t want to crash for sure but if I crashed it wouldn’t matter a lot but still I wanted to finish. I tried everything but I am tall and I just could’t get enough of a slipstream to get with the guys and though I rode hard everywhere it just wasn’t possible to get to the front. Some passed me and I tried to slipstream them but even with a better corner exit I couldn’t do it. I’m a bit disappointed but it is what it is, you have to deal with it. At one point I braked so late I had some trouble with the front and I knew I was on the limit. I did what I could and I just knew Jose was there. Brilliant for him, he did an incredible season and I am happy with mine as well.”

Race Two Results

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Standings