Octo Pramac MotoE's Alessandro Zaccone clinched a dramatic debut victory at the Red Bull Spanish Grand Prix, as the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup picked up where it left off in 2020. The Italian swooped through on pre-race favourite Eric Granado (One Energy Racing) at half-race distance after the Brazilian crashed out at Turn 6, before then holding off both Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) and Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) in the tense final laps.
Tech3 E-Racing's Lukas Tulovic took the holeshot from the middle of the front row as the lights went out for the first time in 2021 for the electric class. The German rolled around the outside of poleman Granado but his lead didn't last for long, however, with the Brazilian steaming through on the run down to Turn 6. Meanwhile, both Corentin Perolari (Tech E-Racing) and Kevin Zannoni (LCR E-Team) were caught in a tangle through Turn 5, bringing an early end to their afternoons.
Tulovic was stated tongetting bullied at the front with Zaccone and Aergerter also finding a way through in the final sector as the first lap was completed. Following a stunning debut E-Pole performance 24 hours earlier, much was expected from 16-year-old Fermin Aldeguer. However, his first race ended in real disappointment after a coming together with Tulovic at Turn 6 that saw the pair crash out.
Back to the front! ????
— MotoGP™???? (@MotoGP) May 2, 2021
And @ericgranado has thrown it away! ????
The leader is out of the race! ????#MotoE ⚡️ | #SpanishGP ???????? pic.twitter.com/R2Esfrugrm
Back at the front and Granado was starting to pull clear thanks to the fastest lap of the race. Zaccone was digging in, trying to stay with the number 51 but his pace was just too much for the European Moto2™ rider to live with. But then with five laps remaining, disaster struck for Granado. Victory was surely his for the taking but a mistake at Turn 6 cost him dearly as he crashed out of the lead.
Aegerter closed in on the rear wheel of Zaccone and began applying pressure. He threw the kitchen sink at the Italian but the Pramac man stood firm throughout the closing stages to take a debut victory in MotoE™. Aegerter was pleased afterwards to have started the season with a podium finish and to have taken four more points than his 2020 title rival Torres. Last year World Cup winner began his defence with a solid third place finish.
Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse's Mattia Casadei clinched fourth, before LCR E-Team's Miquel Pons took the final spot inside the top five - the best performance from a 2021 rookie. One of the rides of the day came courtesy of 2019 World Cup winner Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE), who managed to rise through from the back of the grid to take sixth. Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) was seventh, before Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE), Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) and Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) rounded out the top ten.
Top ten:
1. Alessandro Zaccone (Octo Pramac MotoE)
2. Dominique Aegerter (Dynavolt Intact GP) + 0.419
3. Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) + 0.614
4. Mattia Casadei (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) + 4.273
5. Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) + 6.105
6. Matteo Ferrari (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) + 6.704
7. Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE) + 8.574
8. Andrea Mantovani (Indonesian E-Racing Gresini MotoE) + 10.734
9. Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) + 11.322
10. Yonny Hernandez (Octo Pramac MotoE) + 11.438
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESULTS!