Editorial Note: American Kristian Daniel, Jr. riding his AGR Team Honda, qualified ninth for the European Talent Cup races at the opening round of the FIM JuniorGP World Championship at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli. Unfortunately, Daniel was “crashed out,” according to a social media post by his father, Kristian Daniel, and DNF both races.

Rios proves experience isn’t everything in FIM JuniorGP™ opening round

Dramatic first podiums and emotional returns to the top step of the rostrum abound in the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship opener

The curtains finally lifted on the 2024 FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship in the Motor Valley and Emilia-Romagna round at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, and the Championship opener delivered on everything it promised in the previous day’s qualifying, with stars old and new shining throughout.

Stealing the spotlight early on, precocious talent Jesus Rios (MRE Talent) sealed his status as a contender for the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship title with not one but two wins in Misano, delivering the double gold on his debut. The first Moto2™ European Championship race of the 2024 campaign saw Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) claim first place with an accomplished ride. Meanwhile, in the first of the day’s two European Talent Cup races Giulio Pugliese (Aspar Junior Team) took victory in dramatic fashion. In the second, Marco Morelli (MLav racing) sealed an emotional first win in the class since 2020. The final winner of the day came in the Stock™ European Championship, with the familiar face of Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Yamaha GV Racing) returning to the top of the rostrum.

Race 1 of JuniorGP™ delivered drama right from the start, with Maximo Quiles (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) stalling on the grid. With one of the preseason favourites falling out of contention, Alessandro Morosi (Aspar Junior Team) and Marcos Uriarte (Aspar Junior Team) took advantage. Claiming P2 and P3 respectively, the duo ensured ecstatic scenes in the Aspar box. It was a race in which the lead was contested throughout. With just four laps to go Ruche Moodley (Finetwork Team) collected Rico Salmela (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) while the latter was at the head of the pack, leaving both to lament a missed opportunity. 

The second JuniorGP™ race of the day offered as much excitement as the first. While Rios made it two wins from two at the first time of asking, he was joined on the Race 2 podium by Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team) and Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team). Unfortunately for both Moodley and Salmela, the duo came together once again in Race 2. This time around it was Salmela who highsided, his bike taking out Moodley who was completing a long lap penalty. 

Following Surra in Moto2™ ECh were Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) in P2 and Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Team) in P3. It was a hotly contested race with reigning MotoE™ World Champion Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) falling just short of joining his Team Ciatti teammate on the podium, finishing in fourth.

In Race 1 of the ETC Marco Morelli found himself edged back into second place by Giulio Pugliese by a margin of just 0.009 seconds. The duo vyed for first throughout the closing stages of the encounter, while David Gonzalez (AC Racing Team) had a sudden loss of pace towards the end of the race and had to settle for third.

Gonzalez joined Morelli once again on the podium in Race 2 of the ETC, this time able to pressure the leader right until the dying moments, eventually taking second. The two-time podium finishers were joined by Leonardo Zanni (Mir Racing Finetwork Team), who was made to work for the third step on the rostrum by Valentin Perrone (Frando Racing VHC Team) and an inspired Kerman Tinez (Mir Racing Finetwork Team) who finished P5 and P6 respectively.

Just behind Stock™ ECh race winner Lorenzo Dalla Porta came newcomer to the class Andy Verdoia (Team Honda Laglisse) and completing the podium in the final race of the day was Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports). Iozzo will rue the circumstances that saw him concede the race lead, with Adrian Rodriguez (SF Racing)’s crash resulting in a red flag and a restart, after which Dalla Porta seized the initiative.

Round 1 of the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship sated appetites for the time being, but with so much talent on display, all eyes will be on the Circuito do Estoril in Portugal for Round 2 on May 5th!

You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com