Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Mugello, Italy June 5, 2010 Race Results (all on KTM RC125s and Dunlop tires): 1. Daijiro HIURA, Japan, 15 laps, 31:22.777 2. Mathew SCHOLTZ, South Africa, -0.277 second 3. Brad BINDER, South Africa, -0.280 4. Danny KENT, Great Britain, -0.288 5. Kevin CALIA, Italy, -0.302 6. Daniel RUIZ, Spain, -0.309 7. Niccolo ANTONELLI, Italy, -0.384 8. Jacob GAGNE, USA, -11.499 9. Alessio CAPPELLA, Italy, -24.906 10. Phillip OETTL, Germany, -24.953 Championship Point Standings (After 3 of 9 events): 1. Hiura, 61 points 2. Kent, 58 3. Ruiz, 51 4. Scholtz, 41 5. TIE, Binder/Gagne, 29 7. Antonelli, 27 8. TIE, Calia/Florian Alt, 17 10. Cappella, 12 More, from a press release issued by Red Bull: Hiura wins slipstream battle Daijiro Hiura got the best of an 8 man lead battle on the desperate run in to the line to win the Mugello round of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. The 15 year old Japanese bumped elbows with 17 year old South African Mathew Scholtz rushing for the last corner but got the better of the clash to win while Scholtz recovered to take 2nd ahead of fellow countryman 14 year old Brad Binder. Any one of the leading 8 could have won the 15 lap classic and Cup leader Danny Kent was frustrated to lose his points advantage to Hiura as he crossed the line 4th with the other Jerez winner, 18 year old Daniel Ruiz, 6th from pole position. Kevin Calia, the 15 year old Italian was 5th with fellow countryman 14 year old Niccolo Antonelli 7th. Jake Gagne, the 16 year old Californian was 8th having dropped off the back of the lead pack in the closing stages. Hiura won his first Rookies race in Portugal back in 2008 and was glad to be once more on the top step of the podium. “It has been a long wait, I am so happy to have made it. We had a great race and it was impossible to break away. Mathew and I bumped going to the last corner but I braked so so late and still managed to get round OK and in the lead. Then I just went for the line.” Scholtz wasn’t too unhappy with 2nd. “It was a great race. I wanted to be in front on the last lap not to get mixed up with the guys all trying to pass and get in the way. I got in front but then Daijiro got alongside coming to the last corner and we touched. I got round OK but he was too far ahead to pick up the slipstream and we were all in a pack so the result is OK.” Binder’s 3rd came after an incredible ride that saw him the only one of the pack to make any kind of a break. With 7 laps to go he got in front and with a superb 2 minute 3 second lap that was over a second quicker than anyone had gone to that point he opened out almost a 1 second advantage. He held it for almost a lap but the others had been forced to wake up and closed in on the South African, swiping aside his lead as they went onto lap 12. Ruiz then bettered Binder’s time but the lap recorded ended up in the hands of Calia. Fellow Italian Antonelli also had speed at the end closing back on the lead group after a mid race mistake. “I got up to 3rd or 4th but then braked too late at the end of the main straight, I went wide and lost the pack completely. I fought back, got held up a bit by Gagne and then just managed to catch them on the last lap.” Kent was annoyed with the way the race had gone. “It was pretty rough in the pack, I got hit a few times, Binder hit my clutch lever so hard the revs just went wild. On the last lap it was Daijiro who pumped and I’m just glad I managed to get some good points and go on to the next race.” Ruiz felt similarly. “It was very tough race, I tried to break away but it was just impossible, I’m disappointed not to get on the podium but the points are good and I’ll try again in Assen, not a bad weekend at all.” Frustrated was Jake Gagne who only qualified 14 but got a great start and was in the middle of the action for most of the race. “I was lapping about 2 seconds quicker than I had in practice so the bike felt completely different. I was making mistakes and when they upped the pace towards the end I couldn’t go with them and lost the slipstream.” The action continues with two races at Assen, June 25th and 26th. More, from a press release issued by KTM: Young Japanese rider Daijiro Hiura used the guile and riding skill worthy of a track veteran on Saturday to emerge victorious from a tight pack of eight riders to win the third Red Bull Rookies Cup race of the season on the famous Mugello circuit in Italy. Hiura positioned himself in the middle of the leading pack, then taking full advantage of the slipstream slipped into the lead just as riders were heading for the chequered flag. Hiura, 15, had a close encounter with Mathew Scholz of South Africa heading for the final corner but came oout on to to cross the line ahead of Scholtz and fellow South African Brad Binder (14). All riders in the Red Bull Rookies Cup ride identical KTM 125 machines. Britain’s Danny Kent, who topped the standings after the first two races in Jerez, Spain, finished fourth and now has to move aside for the Japanese rider. Hiura, who first won a Rookies race in Portugal in 2008, was clearly elated to be back on the podium. “It has been a long wait, I am so happy to have made it. We had a great race and it was impossible to break away. Mathew and I bumped going to the last corner but I braked so so late and still managed to get round okay and in the lead. Then I just went for the line.” Scholtz also said he had enjoyed a great race but said that he just couldn’t close the gap on Hiura after they touched. “I got round okay but he was too far ahead to pick up the slipstream,” he said. Binder put in an impressive ride taking the lead with seven laps to go and put a second between him and the rest of the field before the hungry young riders closed down on him. The Red Bull Rookies next take to the MotoGP circuits with a double race weekend at Assen in The Netherlands on June 25-26. Pics: Red Bull Results 1. Daijiro Hiura, Japan, KTM, 31’22.777 2. Mathew Scholtz, South Africa, KTM, 31’23.054 3. Brad Binder, South Africa, KTM 31’23.057 4. Danny Kent, Britain, KTM, 31’23.065 5. Kevin Calia, Italy, KTN, 31’23.079 Standings after three of nine races 1. Daijiro Hiura, Japan, 61 2. Danny kent, Britain, 58 3. Daniel Ruiz, Spain, 51 4. Mathew Scholtz, South Africa, 41 5. Brad Binder, South Africa, 29