After the red-hot Race 1 on Saturday, the Dutch clouds cooled the Assen track surface for Sunday afternoon and perhaps that helped Marco Morelli inspire a record pace and a superb victory.
The Argentine can celebrate his 17th birthday on Wednesday in great style after his second win of the season.
A wonderful turn-around from his first lap crash yesterday and a superb demonstration of skill and consistency over 15 laps, 13.695 seconds quicker than Saturday’s race. Álvaro Carpe, the 17-year-old Spaniard chased him across the line (2nd) with 16-year-old Finn Rico Salmela (3rd).
6 KTMs had broken away from the field, towed by Morelli at a pace faster than Qualifying. At the finish, the rest of the field was 15 seconds behind, the same riders who had all finished in the lead pack on Saturday.
That 6 put on a thrilling, on-the-limit-at-every-corner, display. On the final lap, Saturday’s winner Brian Uriarte and 3rd place man Valentin Perrone both almost crashed as they tried to better Morelli.
Morelli’s perfect race
“Super good, I knew that I could do it, I feel that at all the tracks I am fast, I can be fast alone or with a group. So when I had the crash yesterday I was thinking, yes I am sad but tomorrow is another opportunity.”
“The group was much smaller, less overtaking less battles, less crazy people. All the race I pushed, and on the last lap I pushed more, I almost touched the green twice on the final lap and I was thinking, ‘oh, oh, oh.”
“At the last chicane, I braked absolutely as late as possible and I took victory. I think this is better than the win at the start of the year in Jerez. I dedicate it to my Dad and his birthday plus the little boss of my Junior Team Macauley Webb and also for me,” he grinned.
Carpe right there
“The race was so fast with Marco leading. Not too many overtakes, the group was smaller, the race was faster. The bike was more on the limit, tyres, bike, everything.”
“I was studying Marco to see if I could pass him on the last lap but had a small problem in Turn 5 coming out onto the straight and they all passed me. I pushed and coming back to the final corners I got to 3rd. Then Valentine made a save and I overtook for 2nd. I was trying to catch Marco and brake later in the last chicane but he was a bit too far.”.
Salmela on the limit
“It was a really difficult race, Marco was fast, I was struggling a lot, pushing hard and on the limit, more than yesterday, I could follow but I didn’t feel super confident with the front to try and overtake.”
“In the last lap, the plan was to pass a few riders but I had some chatter and ran wide. Then in the final fast left something happened and they gave me the opportunity, I took it.”
Uriarte went for it
“I got back with the group for the final lap,” explained the Spanish 15-year-old Cup points leader. “But in the fast chicane just before the final fast left I hit the rev limiter and couldn’t overtake. Then I went super hard into that last left and I tucked the front a little bit, also I saw Valentine tucking the front and I had to release the gas, everyone passed on the inside. I had calculated to pass Valentine and in the last corner Marco but it didn’t turn out, sometimes you learn and P4 has to be enough.
Perrone went even harder
“Marco made an amazing race, every lap, pushing and pushing like crazy. I have to give him congrats,” smiled the Argentine 16-year-old. “In the last lap, I overtook Carpe and Brian and was P2. In the last fast left, I tried to overtake Marco and win but lost the front. I did a massive save and P5 is not so bad, good points for the championship and we’ll continue like this.”
Ruche Moodley hung on for 6th
“The pace was really fast today,” said the South African 17-year-old. “I think today I made a better race than yesterday because today I think I did everything I could have done. I was battling with Brian, I made a block pass and we lost the group. I couldn’t catch the group after that, the pace was quicker than Qualifying.”
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