Rain master Deniz Öncü took his second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup victory of the season as twin brother Can slid out of a handsome lead on lap 5 of 9 at a soaking wet Brno. The Turkish 14-year-old rode superbly to hold off German 17-year-old Kevin Orgis who had cut through from last place on the grid.
Ryusei Yamanaka, the 15-year-old Japanese, took a thrilling third as fellow countryman Ai Ogura slid off on the final corner trying to beat him to the line. That completed another fabulously unpredictable weekend of KTM RC 250 R action and closed the points battle with second place man Aleix Viu crossing the line seventh thus cutting Can Öncü’s points lead to 17.
First is a family affair
“Of course I’m happy for the win but I’m sorry for Can,” admitted Deniz Öncü. “I was a bit worried from the start because the first corner is fast and if another rider makes a mistake it could be a big problem but that went OK and I started to pass other riders.”
“I pushed and I got to second but Can was too far ahead. I think he pushed over the limit because he crashed and I had the lead. Kevin caught me and I was worried that the group was behind him but he was alone and when I saw that I relaxed a bit, he passed me but I could get ahead again and won.”
A second German second
“It was very different to the Sachsenring because I had to come through from the back of the grid,” explained Orgis. “For the first laps I couldn’t see anything because there was so much spray. I reached Deniz and I realised he was doing a good pace that would take us away from the others.”
“I passed him, he got back in front and on the last lap I had a bit of a slide, it wasn’t too dangerous but I saw that he was willing to push the limit more than me and I should take second. It is great to be on the podium again and I am looking forward to the Red Bull Ring as it’s a track I really enjoy.”
Third for the first time
“I am so happy to be on the podium for the first time,” enthused Yamanaka. “I really enjoyed the race, it was very difficult conditions and I saw Ogura try to take me at the last corner but I had the better line, a fast line and he was on the wrong line, going too fast.”
Matthias Meggle, the 17-year-old German, was a good fourth backing up his excellent second in Race 1. “I made a big step forward in the rain, at the Sachsenring I was a long way back so I am very happy with that and it is more good points for the championship.”
All about the points
Though only seventh, Spanish 16-year-old Aleix Viu was happy enough. “I am pleased that my performance in the wet has improved and after I saw Can fall and then Masaki who was just ahead also slid off I eased off to make sure I finished and picked up the points.”
Kazuki Masaki, the 16-year-old Japanese who was third in Race 1 and third in the points table picked his bike up to finish 13th. “I needed those three points and I need to do more training in the wet,” asserted Masaki.