Alvaro Carpe won the Cup by holding off Brian Uriarte at the final corner of the Red Bull Moto Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for 2024. 0.061 seconds ahead of them, Valentine Perrone won the race but 2nd was good enough to give Carpe the title over 3rd placed Uriarte.
Thanks to the one-year dispensation for finishing in the top 3 of the Rookies Cup, both Carpe and Perrone have the possibility to move up to Moto3 next season as 17-year-olds. Màximo Quiles, who avoided serious injury in his last lap crash yesterday but didn’t ride today, can also move up as he finished 3rd in the Cup last year.
Carpe kept cool
“Even after the disappointment of yesterday I was planning to be sitting here as Cup champion today,” stated a very sweaty 17-year-old Spaniard after the podium ceremony. “Last night I was going through all the last-lap possibilities in my mind. It was a difficult final lap because with three laps to go, I went wide and it was difficult to manage. I told myself to stay calm, there was time to get back to the front.”
“In the last lap, I got into a good position, I went past Pini down the back straight behind Perrone. I was looking at the TV screens to see where Brian was and I saw he was third. I knew this would be difficult because I knew that he would try, he is a very good rider.”
“It is always a pleasure to fight with him because I know how good he is but also we are correct. One of the last-lap possibilities I was thinking about last night was Brian coming inside me at the last corner and that is what he did. I held my line, I closed and held on to second.”
“It is fantastic for me to win the Red Bull Rookies Cup, the team have done an incredible job, supporting me through two years in the Cup. This Cup gives us all a wonderful opportunity and I am so happy to have won.”
Perrone perfect
“It’s an amazing way to finish the season,” enthused the 16-year-old Argentine. “I was leading all the race, a good pace, a good rhythm, running first, second. It is incredible to finish the season with a victory after second yesterday.”
“It’s been a fantastic first year in the Rookies Cup. I have enjoyed it so much, improving little by little since the first races. To get six podiums, two victories is incredible. The Rookies Cup was a big step up for me and at the preseason test I was looking around at all the good riders and knowing what a high level the Cup is I was hoping to be in the top ten.”
“I have always looked up to the Rookies Cup and to be fighting at the front and winning races has been totally amazing.”
Uriarte did everything
“It was a good race today, I enjoyed it,” stated a slightly subdued 16-year-old Spaniard. “I did all I could, to do more would have been to crash. I wanted to do it clean and finish my race. If you cannot win you have to accept it.”
“I put everything into this weekend and that kept the challenge going into today. I have enjoyed the weekend so much and the whole season tremendously. I am really proud of the season I have done and give huge thanks to everyone who is part of this for a fantastic year.”
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