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12.07.2008
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup - Sachsenring Practice Salom pressured by Hoyle Just 3 races to go in the 10 race season and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup round at the Sachsenring could be anyone's race as a brief rain shower in the second qualifying session left the grid line up with more questions than answers. All the times coming from the first session. On pole is Luis Salom, the 16 year old Spaniard who has led the Cup since dominating the double header that started the season at Jerez back in March. "I'm happy with practice, my bike is just about perfect and I think I am riding not so bad. Even though we couldn't go quicker in the second session because of the rain we have lapped faster than pole time and the lap record from last year so that's good." "Last year I didn't like the track and I crashed in the race, I wasn't happy. Now it all feels so different and I'm really enjoying it. For the race tomorrow, who knows but a podium should be possible," concluded Salom. Sitting alongside him for the race start is 17 year old Briton Mathew Hoyle who said he had answered all his questions. "We've got the bike set up now, that was the problem early in the year, the suspension was so far off. Now it's right and I'm enjoying riding it. I really want to go to America to race at Indianapolis in the Riders Cup. I'm 14th at the moment, I need some more podiums like Assen so I can get in the top ten in the Cup table and make the team." Grabbing 3rd on the grid just in the last lap of the early afternoon session was 14 year old Jakub Kornfeil. A 1st year Rookie from the Czech Republic he was making use of the fact that he had at least seen the track before. "I came here for the Selection Event and I like the track. It has a good series of fast corners as well as the slow ones and is a lot of fun." German hero Daniel Kartheininger completes the front row but the 15 year old from Memmingen felt it could have been better. "The front suspension was all wrong for the first session and then it rained for the second so I couldn't go faster. The front is working better now and I changed my line through the last really fast left hander where there are all the bumps so I think I can go quicker in the race. I've just got to get a good start," concluded the teenager who led so much of the race in Assen two weeks ago. JD Beach, with 5 second places, has hounded Salom all the way this year and sits just 10 points behind in the standings. The 16 year old American had a troubled 1st qualifying and missed 10 of the 30 minutes with an early electrical problem but in typical cool style he still set the 8th fastest time to secure a second row start. He got to within 2 tenths of his earlier session time second time out and said he had learnt. "I felt better and I know some stuff I need to work on for the race. For example, getting into some of the slower turns, like turn one, I can't get in there hard enough because it drops off. And then the fast left at the top of the hill is blind and I don't know my turning point but when I get behind people in the race I'll work it out. I always usually go faster in the race." Man on form coming into the event Sturla Fagerhaug was a bit frustrated after the first qualifying session with only the 7th fastest time. "It doesn't look as though I am going to go quicker now that the weather has changed but I hope the race will be OK. I just need a good start and race with the guys. I was having a bit of trouble with the fast left hander going up the hill then over and down the other side, also finding a good line for the last corner but I was getting better and it should be OK for the race. It should be possible to get on the podium," concluded the 16 year old Norwegian. Though back on the 4th row of the grid both Austrian Nico Thöni and German Markus Reiterberger have a lot of fans at the track willing them to do better in the race. Thöni, just 13 and in only his 2nd Rookies Race, was quick early on but ran into the gravel trap and tipped over late in the early qualifying session. "I like the track because it rises and falls a lot, really fun. The Selection Event was the first time I rode on the track and this is my first race but I am enjoying it." Reiterberger, 14 and in his 2nd Rookie season was frustrated with his qualifying. "The bike just didn't seem to have any power in the first session, it was quicker in the second but with the rain I couldn't go any faster."
- Peter Clifford -
Author: maggy (admin2)
Last modified: Saturday, 12.07.2008 - 01:17 More reports from this category all copyright automobilsport.com.
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