Unstoppable: Granado takes MotoE™ honours in Jerez

Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing) made sure it was a perfect opening FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, the Brazilian claiming a dominiant victory in Sunday morning’s six-lap dash. Joining Granado on the podium was 2019 Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) and rookie Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP).

Polesitter Granado got a good launch from pole position, but not as good as second place Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) as the rookie grabbed the holeshot into Turn 1, with the experienced Alex de Angelis (Octo Pramac MotoE) jumping the start and being handed two long lap penalties. At the front though, Granado soon found his way past Tulovic to lead the MotoE™ field over the line on Lap 1 and from there, the Brazilian immediately started gapping the gaggle of riders behind.

P2 to P10 were split by just 2.3 seconds on the opening three laps as an electric Energica Ego Corsa train formed behind second-place Tulovic, that’s not to say the German wasn’t looking comfortable though. Ferrari was the man pressurising Tulovic though and soon enough the Italian was soon through, taking P2 at Turn 1 with two laps to go.

Someone who didn’t get a great start from the front row was Aegerter. The Swiss rider dropped to P7 on lap one but with two laps remaining, the rookie dived underneath Alejandro Medina (Openbank Aspar Team) at Dani Pedrosa corner on the penultimate lap to move his way up to P4.

Heading onto the last lap, Granado’s lead was nearly three seconds – but the battle for P2 and P3 was between six riders. Ferrari was holding P2 but at Dani Pedrosa corner, Aegerter made his move up the inside of Tulovic – a clean pass up the inside of his fellow MotoE™ rookie. Aegerter then showed a wheel to Ferrari at Jorge Lorenzo corner, but the reigning Cup winner held P2 as Granado began his 2020 campaign in fine style – a three-second win over the six-lap dash was an impressive display, which was also his third win in a row if you count Valencia 2019.

Ferrari and Aegerter – who steps on a Grand Prix podium for the first time since 2014 – join the 2019 third-place Cup finisher on the Jerez rostrum, with Tulovic unlucky to miss out on a debut podium. Matteo Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) finished less than a second away from the podium in P5, as Jordi Torres brought his Pons Racing 40 Energica Ego Corsa home in P6 – a solid effort from the rookie. Medina lost out on the last lap as himself and Torres ran wide at Dani Pedrosa corner, with Xavier Simeon (LCR E-Team), Josh Hook (Octo Pramac MotoE) and Mike Di Meglio (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) completed the top 10 in Jerez.

Can anyone catch Granado when the MotoE™ riders return to Jerez next weekend at the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucia? We’ll shortly find out – but what a way to start 2020 in the electric class.

Top 10:
1. Eric Granado (Avintia Esponsorama Racing)
2. Matteo Ferrari (Trentino Gresini MotoE) + 3.044
3. Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Inact GP) + 3.299
4. Lukas Tulovic (Tech3 E-Racing) + 3.517
5. Matteo Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) + 4.082
6. Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) + 4.245
7. Alejandro Medina (Openbank Aspar Team) + 4.906
8. Xavier Simeon (LCR E-Team) + 5.475
9. Josh Hook (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 5.795
10. Mike Di Meglio (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) + 8.484

Click here for the full results!