Double win gives Martín Race 1 victory at Silverstone
Jorge Martín won two races to claim 25 points for Day 1 at Silverstone with the race being interrupted by rain. The 16-year-old Spaniard was on Pole after being quickest all through practice and resisted the most intense pressure from his very able opposition in both races.
He thus extended his points lead over Joan Mir. The 16-year-old Spaniard finished second ahead of 15-year-old Italian Stefano Manzi who picked up his sixth P3 of the season, the same position he holds in the points table.
Rain interruption
The race was red flagged after five laps when a rain shower swept across the track with the result counted back to lap four. As quickly as it came the rain left and the track dried immediately so that the restart was made with all the KTM RC 250 Rs on slicks again for a dash of just another 5 laps to decide the event.
For the second time Martín got a good start but again he could not break away and it became a fierce, seven-man battle for the win all the way to the finish. Places changed several times a corner but as the checkered flag approached it was Manzi who glued himself to Martín’s tail with the determination to win his first Cup race.
Manzi denied again
“I can’t believe I am third again,” said Manzi on the podium. “I was there, right where I wanted to be on the last lap but then I got pushed aside in the last corners and there was nothing I could do, it’s unbelievable. I will go for it again tomorrow, change something with the rear suspension because it was pumping today and try again.”
Mir wasn’t pleased either with his second. “I’m not happy, I really should have won that. I was right there and close enough to Jorge to pass him but I got nudged by another rider on the last lap and that spoilt it, very frustrating. We got the chance to improve the bike between the two races, made the front harder and the bike was really good after the restart, I just have to win it tomorrow.”
Happy Martín
So the only man really smiling on the podium was Martín. “It’s been a great day, the first race was going really well because I think that Stefano and I could go away and that would make things a bit more clear. In the second everyone was fighting with me and all I could do was push, push, push and I managed to stay ahead. It was strange, the setting was not so great today, the front kept tucking so I will talk to the guys and I hope we can make it better for tomorrow.”
In the heart of the battle for the win but ultimately fifth after being classified fourth in part one was local hero Brad Ray. The 17-year-old Briton exclaimed, “What do I have to do to get on the podium at my home GP! At least we got the bike working better than in qualifying, they lowered the front so it steered better. So if we can get more rear grip for tomorrow I should be able to push harder and get a better result.”
Italian 18-year-old Manuel Pagliani finished fourth, frustrated after setting off from second with strong thoughts of victory. “It was strange, in the first race the bike was moving around a lot, we made it better for the second part but I hope we can improve it for tomorrow, then I have a chance of fighting for the win.”
It was 15-year-old Dutchman Bo Bendsneyder and Oscar Gutierrez, the 15-year-old Spaniard, who completed the top seven having played their part in the battle for the podium places during the five lap scrap.
Broadcast
Race 2 can be seen live on www.redbull.tv and on TV stations around the world on Sunday at 16.00 BST (17:00 CET), the show starts 10 minutes before the race.