JuniorGP™ prepared for a battle in Barcelona

A spectacular shoot-out for supremacy awaits the 2023 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship paddock as the subsequent chapter awaits on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain. Many magical reminiscences have been made this famed venue and 2023 shall be no completely different, with a superb billing of two JuniorGP™ races, two Moto2™ European Championship clashes and one encounter every for the European Expertise Cup and the Inventory™ European Championship. A busy schedule with loads of headlines, who’ll reign supreme in Catalonia?

With the one hundredth winner in JuniorGP™ for the reason that Championship first started now ticked off as being Xabi Zurutuza (MTA Junior Crew), the unpredictability continues to Montmelo, with Championship chief Angel Piqueras (Crew Estrella Galicia 0,0) sporting a 54-point lead, though he’s and not using a win within the final three races. Piqueras can mathematically wrap up the title in Barcelona, by leaving the spherical with a spot of greater than 75 factors over his rivals – though it may well solely be after Race 2. He’s already bagged the Purple Bull Rookies Cup for this 12 months, can he take the JuniorGP™ crown too? Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) actually has had a stellar season and with nothing however high 5 finishes in his final 5 races – together with three podiums and a better of two second locations – he’s now able to mount the highest step. He’s taken benefit in a dip in kind for Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Crew), however the Italian nonetheless holds third within the standings, ten factors adrift of Carpe forward of him. 

Three factors behind Lunetta within the standings is Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Crew), who struggled final time at Portimao and couldn’t break into the highest six. In Barcelona, he’ll hope to show it round and get again to podium methods like he was in Valencia. He’s forward of teammate Joel Esteban, with the Spaniard a race winner in the end in Race 2 at Portimao final outing. Now, he goals for back-to-back wins, the primary rookie to take action since Izan Guevara in 2020. Zurutuza’s Portimao triumph takes him to sixth total within the standings, forward of David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Crew) and early Championship chief Nico Carraro (Aspar Junior Crew). 

Transferring the eye to the Moto2™ ECh and all eyes are on Championship chief Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Crew), who, like Piqueras in JuniorGP™, can wrap up the title in Barcelona. He has a 61-point lead and the identical rule applies; he has to go away the spherical with a 75-point benefit. By no means off the rostrum and with 5 wins from six races, the Australian is getting ready to historical past. Andorran veteran Xavier Cardelus (Promoracing) is second and after matching a career-best results of second final outing at Portimao, can the #18 lastly go one step additional? Italian Mattia Rato (AGR Crew) solely has one podium to his identify in 2023 however has been very constant, and he is solely 5 factors adrift of Cardelus forward of him. As all the time, keep watch over the like of Yeraz Ruiz (FAU55 Tey Racing), Alberto Surra (Crew Ciatti-Boscoscuro) and Roberto Garci (Cardoso-Fantic Racing), of which the latter two took maiden podiums final outing at Portimao.

The ETC is all the time unpredictable and with the longest straight on the calendar ready for them, slipstreaming shall be key, so giant teams shall be assured. It’s not simply shut on-track both, but additionally within the Championship standings. One level splits Maximo Quiles (Aspar Junior Crew) from Brian Uriarte (Crew Estrella Galicia 0,0): 124 vs 123. Each have been winners and of the seven races up to now, they’ve shared the rostrum 4 instances. Final outing, Quiles was about to increase his lead within the standings to 26 factors, however he crashed on the final lap of the race, not profiting from an absent Uriarte who was injured. In Barcelona final 12 months, Uriarte gained with Quiles third, while the latter was second in 2021. Third in 2023’s standings up to now and shutting in after a primary win of the season, Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Crew).

Closing off the schedule on Sunday would be the Inventory™ ECh, with Daniel Muñoz (SP57 Racing Crew) main the best way. The Yamaha rider has three wins from 4 and a 30-point lead over his nearest rival, Eric Fernandez (FAU55 Tey Racing). That implies that if he leaves Barcelona with at the very least a 50-point benefit, he shall be untouchable going to the ultimate two rounds. After returning to the podium at Portimao, keep watch over Marco Garcia (Easyrace Crew), with the Spaniard solely seven factors shy of Fernandez in second. Second to seventh within the standings are lined by simply 28 factors, so it may well all change within the blink of an eye fixed behind Muñoz out entrance.