Quick turnaround as FIM CEV Repsol heads to Portimão

Round 2 gets underway just six days after a dramatic season opener in Estoril. After waiting over 200 days for the FIM CEV Repsol to return, the good news is we only have to wait a further six for the second round, with race action at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão on Monday July 13th. After their double victories in the  Moto2™ European  Championship and Hawkers European Talent Cup, both Yari Montella (Team Ciatti – Speed Up) and David Alonso (Openbank Aspar Team) will be confident of continuing their impressive form, whilst Xavi Artigas (Leopard Impala Junior Team) will no doubt have another fight on his hands after clinching the FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship victory by just 0.003 of a second.

The first man keen to exact revenge on Artigas will be MT-Foundation 77’s Pedro Acosta, who was denied a debut FIM Moto3™Jr WCh win by the narrowest of margins. Plus, you can’t discount Laglisse Academy’s Adrian Fernandez after the diminutive rider made it back-to-back podium finishes in the FIM Moto3™Jr WCh with third place in Estoril. The last time FIM CEV Repsol visited the Portuguese circuit was in 2016, when only two of the current FIM Moto3™Jr WCh grid were present: AGR Team’s Gerard Riu and Laglisse Academy’s Kazuki Masaki. Can Riu bounce back after crashing out of the leading group in Estoril and can the Japanese rider back up his top ten finish in Estoril as he continues his adaption back into the series following two years at world level?

Montella will no doubt have a tougher challenge on his hands at Portimão in the Moto2™ ECh, with Team Stylobike’s Niki Tuuli in particular looking to get one over the Italian after being forced to follow him home in both of the season-opening races. Kiefer Racing’s Lukas Tulovic made a superb return to the class in race one before crashing out of race two whilst chasing a second rostrum of the day – can the German return to the box in Portimão? In Superstock 600, Fermin Aldeguer (FAU55 Tey Racing) impressed many with a double ten finish and two victories in Estoril, who will be able to take the fight to the talented teen on Monday?

Double David Alonso was the stand-out performer in Estoril, but it was proven that HETC riders could take the fight to him in race two. Openbank Aspar Teammate Ivan Ortola will be pleased he only has six days to wonder what might have been after two long lap penalties for jumping the start cost him a shot at victory. Rookie sensations Angel Piqueras (Estrella Galicia 0,0 Talent Team) and Adrian Ferrandez (Cuna De Campeones) will no doubt be challenging for victory after debut podium finishes, whilst Team Superb’s Zonta Van Den Goorbergh will need no further motivation after being told en route to the podium in Estoril that he’d actually finished fourth and that a debut rostrum wasn’t to be.

Race schedule (GMT + 1)

11:00 Race 1 – Moto2™ ECh

12:00 Race 1 – HETC

13:00 Race 1 – FIM Moto3™Jr WCh

14:00 Race 2 – Moto2™ Ech

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