News 23 Jul 2009

MotoGP: Rookies Cup down to 25 points with three races left

RED BULL:

The dramatic Sachsenring result reminded everyone just how precarious points advantages can be. A slippery track, a tiny mistake and Sturla Fagerhaug’s points lead is cut to 25 with 3 races remaining and 75 points still to be won. Two of those races will be at Brno, the double-header final event of the season and Jakub Kornfeil’s home track, he lies 2nd in the Cup chase going into this weekend’s Donington round.

It is not a 2 man battle either with Daijiro Hiura, Danny Kent, Mathew Scholtz, Florian Marino and Jake Gagne all very much in the picture. 15 year old Californian Gagne is particularly worth watching if you like an outsider hitting form. Still learning the road racing craft he has now been on the podium twice in as many races and could well win a race or 2 before the end of the season.

Hiura and Scholtz have yet to add to their single wins from last year but 16 year old South African Scholtz raced wheel to wheel with Fagerhaug in England last year and was second last weekend in Germany. Hiura, the 14 year old Japanese, is always a real threat and just needs to get going from the start of a race to be in with a good chance of victory.

15 year old Kent would have been pressuring Fagerhaug much harder in the points table but for falls at the last 2 races and is very likely to be a hot property at home in Donington. Like Kent, 16 year old Frenchman Marino could still challenge for the Cup if he hits form in the way that Kornfeil has done.

Kornfeil does remain the man to watch, Fagerhaug must shake off the confidence hit that he sustained in Germany, he still does that 25 point cushion though and without any more mistakes will be hard to beat. The Donington race can be seen live on www.redbullrookiescup.com at 17.25 CET on Saturday July 25th.

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