Jorge Martin Wins Incident-filled Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Rd. 7
OutdoorHub 07.15.14
Spain’s Jorge Martín was an unexpected winner in Rd. 7 of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup at Germany’s Sachsenring on Sunday to consolidate his lead in the championship in a race that delivered a big slice of drama for this hard fought championship.
British rider Bradley Ray was second and Saturday’s winner Toprak Razgatlıoğlu of Turkey finished third.
Martin, riding with an injured ankle did not get away well at the start and managed to work his way into at least podium contention but two laps before the end of the race the potential winner lineup looked completely different.
Five other riders had been battling it out at the front and it looked like Italy’s Manuel Pagliani was the man to beat. Countryman Stefan Manzi was close behind and Oscar Gutierrez, the 13-yar-old Spaniard in his rookie year were also in the mix for podium places. Pagliani had established an impressive lead in Saturday’s Rd. 6 but crashed out of contention.
As riders were on the charge on their respective KTM RC 250R machines it all went wrong for the leading riders. With three laps to go a race incident saw Pagliana, Manzi and Gutierrez all hit the asphalt and the way was open for Martin, Ray and Razgatlıoğlu to take the prize.
Jorge Martin: “It was a tough race and I am so sorry that the other guys did not finish, I really don’t deserve this win because before the crash I wasn’t going to be standing here. After the others went out Ray was ahead and I pushed to catch him and managed to get past, it really was a shock to cross the line first.”
Ray, who was deemed by race officials to have played a part in the demise of the other riders was later given three caution points by the stewards.
With seven races completed the second half of the Rookies Cup season starts in Brno, Czech Republic on August 16th & 17th.
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Results of Rd. 7 at the Sachsenring, Germany
(All riders on KTM RC 250 R)
1, Jorge Martin, ESP, 28:35.815
2, Bradley Ray, GBR, at 0.062
3, Toprak Razgatlioglu, TUR, 18.620
4, Joan Mir, ESP, at 18.623
5, Fabio Di Giannantonio, ITA, at 19.220
6, Aris Michail, GER, at 23.339
7, Marc Garcia, ESP, at 43.953
8, Jaume Masia, ESP, at 53.811
9, Simon Danilo, FRA, at 54.087
10, Robert Schotman, NED, at 54.323
Standings after Rd. 7
1, Martin, 130
2, Soushi Mihara, JPN, 91
3, Mir, 89
4, Razgatlioglu, 75
5, Stefano Manzi, ITA, 72
