™During the Gran Premio Oakley d'Italia, the Red Bull Rookies Cup returned to action for Round 3 of 2022. Across the weekend, there were two very different types of races to entertain the fans in attendance, with the drama and excitement delivered in spades.
Race 1
Max Quiles showed himself the master of the most treacherous conditions to take a superb wet Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup Race 1 victory in Mugello. The 14-year-old Spaniard kept his head while those around, and mostly in front of him, were losing theirs. Second was 21-year-old Thai Tatchakorn Buasri with Finnish 14-year-old Rico Salmela holding off Spanish 15-year-old Angel Piqueras for 3rd. It was a contest of attrition with Gabin Planques, Casey O'Gorman and Cormac Buchanan all leading but falling.
Quiles no rain specialist
“I come from Murcia and there it never rains, it's always hot,” he laughed. “It rained at the test in Portimão and I remembered some things from that. So actually I was quite comfortable in the wet. In the last few laps I slowed so that I would not crash or anything like that and I am really happy to win.”
“I wanted to win and I was pushing to win. When I was catching the leaders I was really determined and if they had not crashed I would have tried anyway. I knew that I could catch them, at least I was going to try.”
“Tomorrow it can be wet or dry I don't care, my objective is to be quick whatever the conditions.”
Buasri has prepared for this
“Yes I am so happy with that, great to get on the podium this year. I have a lot of experience in the rain, we have plenty of it at home. I use it to train, I train on slicks in the wet to get the feeling of the bike sliding so I am used to it.”
“When Max got ahead I managed to get in front again but I could feel the bike sliding and realised it was on the limit. My set-up didn't seem to be quite working as well as his in the conditions so I realised I should not take the risk of trying to race him. I told myself to calm down and I settled for 2nd.”
“For Race 2 I hope for a dry race, I will enjoy it.”
Salmela had it sorted, ending with the fastest lap
“The race was pretty good, at the beginning I didn't want to make any mistakes so I just tried to relax and not crash. Later, towards the end of the race I started pushing and catching up positions.”
“It was unlucky that Eddie crashed on the last lap and I got P3 but I was going so fast the last laps, catching so much. I am so happy with the podium, I want to thank everyone who supports me. For tomorrow I don't mind so much if it rains but I like more the dry, it is more comfortable.”
Points leader Rueda took 5 for 11th
“The conditions were very very difficult and it was hard to get a good feeling from the bike. It was important to get some points. I hope for a dry race and I will push for a lot more,” promised the 16-year-old Spaniard.
Race 2
Collin Veijer flicked out of the slipstream of Filippo Farioli's KTM and willed his identical RC 250 R alongside and ahead as the pair led a pack of 13 Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies across the Mugello finish line covered by just 2 seconds.
It was a masterly performance by the 16-year-old Dutchman who was never too far from the front along with pole man Farioli the 17-year-old Italian.
It had been one of the truly great Cup races and third went to Tatchakorn Buasri, the 21-year-old Thai by just 1 thousandth of a second over 15-year-old Briton Eddie O‘Shea.
The conditions were so different to Saturday's soaker and 15 laps in virtually perfect conditions allowed the youngsters to produce their best with no one coming close to breaking away and places swapping many times every corner.
Veijer had a plan
“I knew what I wanted to do on the last lap. I thought I could get far enough ahead that they would not be able to catch me before the line. I had tried it a few laps earlier and I thought it was possible.”
“So I went for it on the last lap to make a gap but then Filippo came past and I thought, 'well maybe that is not so bad,' and I got in behind him and concentrated on making a perfect run through the last corner and into his slipstream.”
“I had no idea how close the others were behind me I was just concentrating on Filippo. It is great to get the win. I had tried to break away but I was running long gearing and I couldn't do it, a great race.”
Farioli with a beautiful ride
“The start was not so bad, the first lap was good. After I saw that it was not possible to escape from the other riders, I stayed in the group, made a good management of the situation. In the end I finished 2nd, I was in front through the last corner but Collin did a very good job to exit fast and passed me.”
“Coming to the last lap I realised I had good pace in the second part of the track and I thought, OK I will pass Collin after the Arrabbiata. But after I did they stayed with me, he exited faster from the Bucine and he won. The Strategy was good but in the end I was 2nd. I am very happy, I must congratulate Collin and thank everyone who helps me.”
“It was a fantastic weekend. I was fast in practice and took Pole but yesterday was a difficult race because it started to rain just as we took off the tyre warmers. It was very difficult and I crashed first lap but after made a good comeback.”
Tatchakorn Buasri saved it until the end
“My plan today was really only to push on the last lap, because there was so much overtaking going on that I could try and lead but it was impossible to break away and I knew the race would only be decided on the last lap.”
“I tried to get in the right place on the last lap and I made it to 3rd place. Not bad for me,” he added with his broad grin, the only rider to be on the podium in both races.