Perez on pole for European Junior Cup opener
Mika Perez will start tomorrow’s opening round of the 2014 European Junior Cup, powered by Honda, from pole position after setting the fastest time in this afternoon’s qualifying session at Motorland Aragon in Spain.
The Spanish rider will line up alongside Estonian Hannes Soomer with Britain’s Josh Harland completing the front row of the grid for tomorrow’s eight-lap encounter at the 5.344km Spanish circuit.
Another local rider, Javier Orellana, heads row two, with Holland’s Max van Schoonhoven and female racer Carmen Geissler from Switzerland qualifying fifth and sixth fastest respectively.
Last season’s Pata-sponsored European Junior Cup provided some of the most entertaining racing at some of Europe’s most iconic circuits and tomorrow’s opening race of the 2014 search for the champions of the future – all battling on identical Honda CBR500R machines – is likely to continue that tradition.
2014 Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda
Round 1 – Motorland Aragon, Spain
Qualifying results:
1 Mika Perez (ESP) 2m25.079 (pictured above)
2 Hannes Soomer (EST) 2m25.635
3 Josh Harland (GBR) 2m25.874
4 Javier Orellana (ESP) 2m26.333
5 Max van Schoonhoven (NED) 2m27.275
6 Carmen Giessler (SUI) 2m27.475
7 Jesper Hubner (SWE) 2m27.489
8 Marc Mirales (ESP) 2m27.536
9 Connor London (NZL) 2m27.688
10 Paolo Grassia (ITA) 2m27.920
More, from a press release issued by Michael Hill Promotions:
Career Best Qualifying For Wisdom At Aragon
CADS Racing rider Alex Wisdom has qualified in a career best qualifying position at the opening round of the PATA European Junior Cup in Spain.
The young American significantly improved his time from Free Practice to claim 11th position and the middle grid slot on row four for tomorrow’s 8 lap race.
Qualifying was as expected fast and furious, but with light rain falling towards the end of the session, Alex was unable to improve further.
Nevertheless, and with half a second separating him from sixth on the grid, the prospect of a top ten finish at MotorLand Aragon tomorrow looks very realistic.
Alex Wisdom – 11th position: “I am so happy with how qualifying went today. I improved my time and worked on the areas of the track that I knew I could improve in and it all came together. I am frustrated that we just missed the top ten, but when the rain came nobody went faster. I stayed out although many of my rivals came in so this may be useful knowledge if the conditions are similar in the race. I am so excited to be in the fight for the top ten in the first race and I want to thank CADS Racing, my dad and everyone who has helped me to be here.”