Double win for Openbank Aspar Team Junior with David Alonso in Portugal at CEV Repsol

The Openbank Aspar Team Junior opened the season with a double victory in Estoril (Portugal) thanks to David Alonso, who begins the year as leader of the smaller FIM CEV Repsol category. The young rider has also been followed on the first race by his teammate Iván Ortolá, second. The Openbank Aspar Team Junior is now heading to the south of Portugal, to Portimao, where next Monday they will race the second round of the season.

David Alonso has completed a perfect weekend, achieving pole in qualifying practices and a double victory that allows him to lead the category with an 18-point difference. In the first race, he managed to escape from the first moments, without opposition, while behind him up to ten riders fought for second place, which was finally for Openbank Aspar Team Junior rider Iván Ortolá.

After that first victory, the second race has been more complicated for Alonso, who has had a tough rival, his own teammate. However, a double long lap penalty for Ortolá himself after a jump start has meant that Alonso was left without a rival and that his teammate fell down to ninth place. These results leave David Alonso as the European Talent Cup leader, with Iván Ortolá third at 23 points.

The Openbank Aspar Team Junior has also started on form the Moto3 Junior World Championship season, placing two of its riders in the top 10 in this first race. Dani Holgado, who started from ninth place, has quickly recovered positions to be in the front group. Only in the last few laps has he been left slightly off the leaders to finish in fifth position. His teammate Izan Guevara started eighth, but has remained at all times in the second group of the race, within which he was the fastest rider and has finished eighth. Along with them, Ondrej Vostatek has finished close to the points, in eighteenth position, in his debut with the Openbank Aspar Team.

European Talent Cup:

1st / 1st David Alonso:
“I am happy and excited for this double victory. In the first race I did not expect to get away from the others from the beginning, and when I saw the difference on the board, I focused on setting a good pace, lap by lap, and keep increasing the distances until the chequered flag. Then, in the second race it took me a little more, my rivals were faster. In the final part of the race I was able to slow down a bit and increase my pace to reach the finish line on my own. In addition, we had a little problem on the bike before the start of the race, but the team worked hard to fix it and, in the end, I was able to offer them this victory.”

2nd / 9th Iván Ortolá:
“We have completed a good first race, in which I have done a poor start, because several rivals have overtaken me in the first corner. I have not given up and I have been able to get to second place, but the leader was already gone. Even so, I have remained in the group and on the last lap, already riding alone after an incident, I was able to finish second. Later, the second race was going very well until the penalty for the jump start. I had barely gained distance, but in the first corner I managed to get second and fought in the lead for several laps. However, when I have completed the penalty, I have dropped to ninth place. This helps me to learn, but next week we arrive in Portimao with more strength.”

Moto3 Junior World Championship:

5th Daniel Holgado:
“It has been a great weekend, since the tests we have been setting a good pace. The qualifying practice was complicated, because we could not take advantage of the new tyre well, although in the end we were able to save it by entering the third row of the grid. The race was beautiful, hard fought as it always is in Moto3, and I hope that in Portimao we can get to the podium because we have worked very well throughout the weekend: my team has done a great job and I want to thank them, just like my sponsors and my family.”

8th Izan Guevara:
“The beginning of the race went very well, because I was competing with the leading group, but in the third or fourth lap I lost contact with the group due to a fight with another rider. I am satisfied for now with eighth position, because I have been the best rookie of the day, but in Portimao we will seek to continue improving.”

18th Ondrej Vostatek:
“I had a bad start and four riders overtook me. However, during the race I was able to recover positions until almost the end. In free practice I crashed and in the last few laps my hand started to be painful and I’ve been overtaken by a couple of riders. I think we still have work to do, but I am happy with my progression and with the work that the team is doing.”