After a typically intense 15 laps in 31-degree heat, Spanish 15-year-old Carlos Cano is the 5th winner in the first half of the 20th Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season.
Points leader and fellow countryman Beñat Fernandez crossed the Assen finish line 2nd but had exceeded track limits on the run to the final chicane. The penalty is dropping one position, so American 17-year-old Kristian Daniel Jr. gained that second place, and 18-year-old Fernandez stood in 3rd on the Dutch TT podium.
Mugello double winner Ryota Ogiwara, the 17-year-old Japanese, led the pack of KTMs from the start, but never got away. 19-year-old Englishman Sullivan Mounsey took the lead at the end of lap one, having started on Pole. Mounsey was one of probably 10 different leaders and unfortunately a faller from the lead group with just a lap to go.
Kiandra Ramadhipa and Travis Borg fell with Mounsey; none were hurt, but they had lost the chance of a podium. 0.777 seconds covered the remaining top 7 at the flag. The second half of the season starts on Sunday morning with Beñat Fernandez still leading the points as he has since Race 1 in Jerez.
1st – Carlos Cano (Spain)
“I was confident because yesterday, I was feeling super good with the bike. We worked a lot on the setting for the race. We didn’t qualify very well because I couldn’t make a great lap. But I knew that we had the pace for the race. To win here in Assen is amazing.”
2nd – Kristian Daniel Jr. (USA)
“What made the difference here was being more aggressive, to be honest. I started mid-pack, and I used my elbows. I enjoyed it. I knew I had the pace to lead, like, all the weekend, I’ve been going alone and feeling comfortable. I was super close to the win; I was right there; it’s probably the closest I’ve been so far.”
3rd – Beñat Fernandez (Spain)
“It was a difficult race; the pace was quite slow, and the group was quite big, but I felt comfortable all the time on the front. Just overtaking at all the places I could, and trying to be at the front, as always. It will be cooler tomorrow, and maybe tomorrow it will feel a bit better. So we can try to break away.”
4th – Ryota Ogiwara (Japan)
“I’m happy with this. I missed the podium because of a small mistake changing direction through the chicane, but I was fighting for the win, and I have confidence for tomorrow,” explained the 17-year-old Japanese. “The bike was perfect; I just need to get in a better position at the end.”
5th – Fernando Bujosa (Spain)
“My shoulder is dead,” winced the 16-year-old Spaniard who fell in FP2. “It was a tricky race, difficult because of the heat. I made a good comeback from P14 after the grid penalty. I was confident, I pushed. I am happy with the result. From the front row, Race 2 will be better, for sure.”
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