CEV Repsol, Jerez: Weekend preview – Moto3, Moto2, Superbikes, Kawasaki Z Cup
The FIM CEV Repsol is back in action in Jerez this weekend with Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA-Husqvarna) as leader of the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex) already crowned champion of the Moto2™ European Championship in the previous round at the Circuit do Algarve and Carmelo Morales (SPA-Yamaha) heading the Superbike European Championship table.
World Championship riders Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA-Husqvarna) and Marcos Ramírez (SPA-KTM) are preparing to renew their Moto3™ rivalry – and in Jerez there will be two races to enjoy in the category. The Italian Laglisse Academy rider leads the table with the Leopard Junior Stratos rider trailing 31 points behind, though the Spaniard won the previous race in Portimao, breaking Lorenzo Dalla Porta’s streak of three consecutive victories.
Kaito Toba (JPN-Honda), in third place 73 points behind the leader, is effectively out of the race for the title although he still has a mathematical chance of winning. The Asia Talent Team rider’s inconsistent performance – he has shown himself capable both of winning or failing to finish – has prevented him from climbing higher in the table. Raúl Fernandez (SPA-Husqvarna) is in fourth place in the classification after achieving his first podium in the FIM CEV Repsol in the previous race in Portimao where he finished third.
In Moto3™ Production, Aleix Viu (SPA-Honda) – who last Sunday lost the chance of becoming champion of the Red Bull Rookies Cup champion in MotorLand Aragon when Ayumu Sasaki (JPN-Honda) became the first Japanese rider to win – continues as category leader, 34 points ahead of Hector Garzó (SPA-Honda).
With the Moto2™ European Championship already decided in the previous event in Portugal, where Steven Odendaal (RSA-Kalex) won both races with last gasp heart-stopping overtaking manoeuvres, interest will now focus on the battle for runner-up between Alan Techer (FRA-NTS TPro) and Tetsuta Nagashima (JPN-Kalex).
Eric Granado (BRA-Kalex), Augusto Fernández (SPA-Tech 3) and Iker Lecuona (SPA-Kalex) will be fighting to get on the podium, especially the Valencian rider after having participated in two World Championship events at Silverstone and at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, replacing the injured Dominique Aegerter in the CarXpert Interwetten team. In fact, Steven Odendaal, Alan Techer and Tetsuta Nagashima all took part as wild cards in the last Movistar Grand Prix of Aragón.
The range of manufacturers in Moto2™ grows with the arrival of Jeremy Bernet (SPA-Ariane), who will ride in Jerez and Valencia as part of Team Stratos, at the controls of the Ariane Spanish champion in 2013 with Román Ramos.
Ivo Paixao (POR-Kawasaki) consolidated his lead in Superstock 600 after two home victories in the Algarve meeting. Thibaut Gourin (FRA-Yamaha) is second in the standings 37 points behind.
Carmelo Morales (SPA-Yamaha) has shown his clear intention to hold onto the title of Superbike European Championship champion with three straight wins, although Maximilian Scheib (CHI-BMW) is not going to make it easy for him. The Yamaha Laglisse rider won both races in Portimao but in both cases he was followed by the Targobank Easyrace SBK Team rider and Alejandro Medina, riding for Leopard Yamaha Stratos.
Leopard Yamaha Stratos rider Niko Mäkinen (FIN-Yamaha) continues to lead the overall Superbike Privateers class with Tiago Magalhāes (POR-Kawasaki) trailing by 25 points.
Jerez will also host the fourth round of the Kawasaki Z Cup, with Marc Cortell (SPA-Kawasaki) as overall leader on 65 points followed by Daniel Carrau (SPA-Kawasaki) on 57. On this occasion, there will be two Kawasaki Z Cup races: the first will be held on Saturday at 15.50 and the second on Sunday at 10.00.
Sunday’s race schedule is as follows:
Kawasaki Z Cup (16 laps): 10.00h
Superbike 1 (17 laps): 11.00h
Moto3™ (16 laps): 12.00h
Moto2™ (17 laps): 13.00h
Superbike 2 (17 laps): 14.00h
Moto3™ (16 laps): 15.00h
In Spain, the races can be viewed live on the Movistar MotoGP channel which will broadcast all the races scheduled in the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, Moto2™ European Championship and Superbike European Championship categories. BT Sports (Great Britain) and Eurosport via Eurosportplayer (France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands) will also offer coverage of the Moto3™ Junior World Championship, Moto2™ European Championship and Superbike European Championship with live broadcasts of each of the races through their digital network. In Italy, Sky will broadcast live both the Moto3™ Junior World Championship races and the Moto2™ European Championship race.
In addition, all the races can be seen live on the Championship’s Youtube channel.
Source: FIM CEV Repsol
