More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Race 1: Casadei grabs the glory as Ferrari crashes on the last lap
Last year the late drama came from Casadei, this time around the Italian wins from Granado and Zannoni as Ferrari slides out the lead
Saturday, 19 August 2023
Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) has taken victory in MotoE™ Race 1 at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich as title-chasing Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) crashed out of the lead on the final lap. Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) and Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) completed the first podium of the day in Austria.
Zannoni got the perfect launch from pole and Granado quickly gained a place into P2 at Turn 2A, with Casadei slipping to P3. That soon changed to P2 though for the latter as the Italian carved his way up the inside of Granado at Turn 1 on Lap 2, with Zannoni’s early 0.5s advantage vanishing on the second lap.
The lead changed for the first time at the end of Lap 3 as Casadei shoved his way up to P1 past Zannoni, and the polesitter went P1 to P4 in the blink of an eye as Granado and Ferrari came charging past too. Ferrari then grabbed the lead after Casadei had a rear-end moment on the exit of Turn 8 a lap later.
With two laps to go, Ferrari boasted a 0.6s lead over Casadei with Granado a further six tenths down in P3. The Brazilian was holding Zannoni at bay, while Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) fancied a bit of the podium action in P5.
0.6s was Ferrari’s lead heading onto the final lap, Casadei’s gap to P3 had grown to 0.8s, as a fierce three-way fight for P3 unravelled. Then, at Turn 7, drama unfolded. Ferrari was down and out on the final lap while leading, which in turn handed Casadei a somewhat unexpected victory. Granado held off Zannoni and Garzo for second, as the latter misses out on a rostrum by just 0.084s.
Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) will be counting his lucky stars as a P5 sees his Championship lead extend to 26 points over Ferrari, as Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) claims P6 despite having a Long Lap penalty to serve from Silverstone. Alessandro Zaccone (Tech3 E-Racing), Mika Perez (RNF MotoE™ Team), Kevin Manfredi (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) and Tito Rabat (Prettl Pramac MotoE™) rounded out the top 10.
Race 2: Casadei holds off charging Ferrari to double down in Austria
Another stunner saw the number 40 do the double and move up to second overall as Ferrari shadowed him home
Mattia Casadei (HP Pons Los40) both doubled down in Race 2 at the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich AND made it three wins in a row, fending off Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™) on the final lap to take over in second overall by a single point. Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadracorse) took his second podium of the day at the Red Bull Ring as he rounded out the Race 2 rostrum, completing an impressive round including a first pole too.
Zannoni took the holeshot, and immediately had Casadei and Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) for company. Before the end of Lap 1 though, Casadei decided it was time push his way past into the lead. A group of eight riders formed at the front in the early stages with Championship leader Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) making moves at the back of the group. The Spaniard was unable to cling onto the riders ahead, however, and Casadei began to stretch out the field with five laps to go as Ferrari got the better of Granado to put himself inside the top three, too.
Disaster then struck for Granado with two laps to go as the Brazilian asked a little bit too much of his front tyre and hit the deck, rider ok but leaving a three-rider and all-Italian fight at the front.
By the last lap, Casadei led Zannoni led Ferrari, but Ferrari parked it perfectly up the inside to take over in second as they barreled towards the final sector. There was one move between the number 11 and a redemptive win, but into the iconic final corner, the Gresini rider didn’t make a lunge for it. Casadei held him off and crossed the line to complete an awesome weekend worth 50 points, but Ferrari did take that 20-point payday for second as Torres came home in sixth.
Zannoni made it two podiums with another P3, with Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) beating Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) to fourth ahead of Torres in sixth.
With that, it’s now Casadei second overall, 15 points off the top, and Ferrari in third with a deficit of 16 to Torres. Next up for MotoE™ will be the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. With the Championship picture hotting up between the leading trio, you’re not going to want to miss it!
