Valencia delivers a thrilling day’s racing in CEV Repsol round 2

The second round of the FIM CEV Repsol this weekend at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia did not disappoint and provided some thrilling racing. Yuki Kunii (Asia Talent Team) and Ryusei Yamanaka (Junior Team Estrella Galicia 0.0) shared the victories in the FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship, with Edgar Pons (Baiko Racing Team) in Moto2™ achieving his first victory of the season, and Izan Guevara (Cuna de Campeones) taking a double win in the European Talent Cup.

Yuki Kunii took an almost unopposed victory in the first Moto3™ race. The Asia Talent Team rider started from the pole but was overtaken from the lights by Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo). The poleman retook first place in the early stages, while behind came a group of riders with Stefano Nepa (Fundación Andreas Perez 77), Jeremy Alcoba (Laglisse Academy), Daniel Holgado (Junior Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), Ryusei Yamanaka and Xavier Artigas (Leopard Impala Junior Team).

With five laps to go and holding on to second place, Öncü was forced to retire due to mechanical problems leaving Kunii to take his second victory in the FIM CEV Repsol. Alcoba passed Davide Pizzoli (Leopard Impala Junior Team) on the last corner to take second after joining the chasing group in a great comeback. The Repsol free fuel cheque went to Kunii as the winner of the race.

In the second Moto3™ race of the day, Ryusei Yamanaka earned his first victory in the FIM CEV Repsol after pulling clear with Kunii; Öncü, who was briefly part of the leading trio, fell on the second lap. Behind Kunii and Yamanaka came a group of riders formed by Alcoba, Artigas, Holgado, Stefano Nepa (Andreas Pérez 77 Foundation), Aleix Viu (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) and Barry Baltus (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team).

Kunii led for much of the race, but on the last corner Yamanaka passed him to take the flag, with Holgado finishing third ahead of Artigas, Viu and the other members of the group. Yamanaka took the Repsol free fuel cheque as race winner. Kunii is the new leader of the category by a single point over Artigas; third is Baltus tied on points with Alcoba, only four behind the leader.

Edgar Pons had a brilliant weekend in Valencia, dominating the qualifying practice sessions, setting the fastest lap time in the race, securing his first victory of the season and ending up as overall leader of the Moto2™ European Championship. The race was stopped after a multiple fall involving Niki Tuuli (Team Stylobike), Matteo Ferrari (Gresini Laglisse Academy) and Alessandro Zaccone (Promoracing), which was caused by a trail of oil left by Marcel Brenner’s machine on the first lap.

The Moto2™ race was restarted but without the injured Tuuli on the grid. Once again Pons took the lead followed by Héctor Garzó (CNS Motorsport). The two pulled away followed by the Team Ciatti Speed Up riders Tomasso Marcon and Yari Montella with Miquel Pons (H43 Nobby Talasur-Blumaq) behind. The race ended in this order. Joan Díaz (DCR Racing Team) was the best in Superstock 600 and is the leader of the category. Pons received the Repsol free fuel cheque.

In the ETC, Izan Guevara secured a double win. In the first race his victory was even more noteworthy because after setting the best time in the qualifying session he was penalized for riding slowly in five sectors, and ended up starting from the fifth row. Fermín Aldeguer (Bester Capital Dubai), who also started down the grid – in this case in the eighth row – finished second. Dirk Geiger (Kiefer Racing) was third.

From the start Geiger took first followed by Daijiro Sako (Cuna de Campeones), Lorenzo Fellon (ZF GP School), David Muñoz (Jerez Andalucía MT) and others. On the fifth lap Fellon was penalized with a ‘long lap’ for repeatedly exceeding the limits of the track and lost his chances of a podium finish. Guevara, Aldeguer, Sako, Geiger and Daniel Muñoz (Oneforex Cardoso School) formed the group that was going to fight for victory. Daniel Muñoz touched Aldeguer from behind in the closing stages of the race, left the track and was out of contention. In the end, Guevara won followed by Aldeguer and Geiger with Sako unable to grab a podium slot. The Cuna de Campeones rider was awarded the Repsol free fuel cheque.

In the second ETC race Guevara gave his rivals no chances. Starting this time from the pole, he pulled clear over the first few laps, leaving Geiger, Diogo Moreira (Talent Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), Fellon, José Antonio Rueda (Talent Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), David Muñoz and Daniel Muñoz to form a bitterly contested chasing group. On a thrilling final lap, David Muñoz managed to secure second position followed by Geiger. Adrián Cruces (Talent Team Estrella Galicia 0.0), Fellon, Rueda and Daniel Muñoz finished behind the podium trio. Guevara received the Repsol free fuel cheque. Guevara now leads the ETC, 10 points ahead of Iván Ortolá (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team), who started the day as leader, while David Muñoz is third, 14 points adrift of the leader. In the last race of the day, the ETC Series 2, David Alonso (Sama Qatar Angel Nieto Team) won ahead of Mario Mayor (Ikomo Laglisse Academy) and Mattia Volpi (SIC58 Squadra Corse).

The next round of the FIM CEV Repsol will take place at the Le Mans circuit on May 18, coinciding with the Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France, where only the Moto3™ race will be held. The fourth round of the FIM CEV Repsol on June 9 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya will return to its usual race format.