The French rider wins the two Moto3 races and sets a new fastest lap and circuit record. Jesko Raffin and Kenny Noyes achieved victories in Moto2 and Superbike, respectively.
The FIM CEV Repsol in Barcelona-Catalunya saw Fabio Quartararo arise as the star of the event. The French rider signed a faultless weekend where he was able to achieve two crushing victories in the two Moto3 races. Quartararo also set the fastest lap and the circuit record, beating the times set respectively by the World Championship riders Alex Marquez and John McPhee last weekend during the Catalunya Grand Prix.
Jesko Raffin achieved a new success at the Moto2 race that gave him the lead of the overall standings, two points ahead of Florian Alt. In Superbike, Kenny Noyes secured his third victory of the season and increased his advantage in the lead of the Championship to 14 points, thanks to his third win of the season.
Moto3
Fabio Quartararo shone again at the FIM CEV Repsol. In this new round of the series, the French rider left no doubts and won the two races that took place today. To his record pole set yesterday with a time of 1 minute, 50 seconds and 135 thousandths, Quartararo adds the circuit record he set today during the first race: 1 minute, 50 seconds and 932 thousandths.
Japan’s Hiroki Ono and Valencian Jorge Navarro completed the two podiums today –exchanging the second and third position–, in a double race where Maria Herrera had a crash in the first race and finished eighth in the second.
In the overall standings, Fabio Quartararo increased his advantage and after taking 5 of the 6 wins up for grabs, he is 52 points ahead of the second, Jorge Navarro, and 56 ahead of Hiroki Ono, third.
Moto2
The intermediate class saw the 17 laps of today’s race reduced due to an incident in the first corner that involved Miquel Pons, Russell Gomez and Bastien Chesaux, that forced the race to be stopped and restarted later, this time with only 9 laps.
During this brief second part, Switzerland’s Jesko Raffin, the German rider Florian Alt and South African Steven Odendaal reached the end of the race with chances to secure the win. Alt was the first to attack, but Raffin reacted quickly and, from the third position, he overtook first Odendaal and then Alt, who could do nothing to prevent the Swiss rider to achieve his third consecutive victory of the year.
With this success, Raffin took the overall lead from Germany’s Alt, who is now second only two points away. Third overall is Sebas Porto, who today finished in fourth place.
Superbike
In the biggest class, Kenny Noyes achieved his third consecutive win. A victory for which the American had to fight hard against Carmelo Morales, the two riders offered a beautiful duel up to the second to last lap. In that lap Morales had launched his final attack and led the race with Noyes at his wheel, but an unfortunate crash threw him out of the race –and causing him to fracture both feet– thus leaving a free way for the American. More than 12 seconds behind him, Dani Rivas and Ivan Silva crossed the Finish line in second and third.
With this result, Kenny Noyes increased his overall lead to 14 points ahead of Ivan Silva, second, and 21 ahead of Santi Barragan, third.
Fabio Quartararo >> Audio >> Audio french
Moto3 race 1 winner
“The race was difficult; I had a good start and was able to build some advantage already in the first lap after leaving Ono and Navarro behind. Then I rode for a while alone, setting my own pace until I won. If it had not been for the work of the team, I would not have won this race, so I want to thank them for their good job”.
Fabio Quartararo >> Audio >> Audio french
Moto3 race2 winner
“The race was very beautiful, I had a good start but the first laps were difficult. In the fifth lap I was able to build some advantage over the riders following me –Navarro and Ono–. I rode again alone, setting the pace of the race and I’m very happy with my performance. This weekend I took the pole position and two victories, so it was perfect”.
Jesko Raffin >> Audio
Moto2 race winner
“At the beginning of the race I tried to escape as I did in Aragon, but I soon had trouble with the tyre, which had nearly no grip and, when Alt and Odendaal passed me, I decided to stay in that position and wait for the last laps. When I saw that Alt was escaping, I overtook Odendaal and I had to take some risks to finally win the race. I was able to do it and I’m happy with this victory”.
Kenny Noyes >> Audio
Superbike race winner
“I am very happy with this result. I knew Carmelo [Morales] would be strong in the end, but I didn’t think he would set such a fast pace at the beginning of the race, but I was able to overtake him. I tried to escape but I couldn’t, so I let him pass to lead the race. It took a bit to recover the lost terrain, but he crashed just when I was about to catch him with only a lap left. I knew it would be difficult –I had thought to try and pass him at the end of the straight– but everything changed when he crashed. It was a gift at the end of the race, but I must thank the team their good work, because that was what allowed me to be fighting for victory”.
