Fabio Di Giannantonio won a remarkable cat and mouse game with Bo Bendsneyder to take race 7 of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in Brno. In a sweltering Czech summer, the 16-year-old Italian stole the advantage through the final ‘S’ and headed the 16-year-old Dutchman across the line. Their last two laps were so tactical that they lost almost four seconds to the pursuing pack. Spanish 14-year-old Raúl Fernández picked up his first podium, stealing third brilliantly from fellow countrymen, 15-year-old Marc Garcia and 16-year-old Oscar Gutierrez also at the last corner. Having won five of the six races so far this year Bendsneyder still went into the race as favourite even though Sachsenring winner and arch rival Di Giannantonio had pole. The Italian shot off the line while Bendsneyder gave himself a bit of work to do as Garcia cut through from the third row to take the lead. Bendsneyder made up ground and after a couple of nasty slides, Garcia was forced to give up his challenge for the lead leaving Di Giannantonio to tow Bendsneyder away from the pack. As usual the Dutchman looked so smooth that the suspicion was he might have something in reserve. After leading from lap 2 to 12 Di Giannantonio pulled over and tried to force Bendsneyder to show his true pace over the last two laps. Bendsneyder wasn’t keen and there began the perverse dance that almost let Gutierrez drag the chasing pack into a battle for the win. “I was confident,” explained Di Giannantonio. “The bike was working well and I knew that I could do something at the last corner, I just didn’t want to lead all the way and let Bo do something that I couldn’t prevent right at the end. So we started a bit of a game and it did all come down to that last corner, I went for it full gas and I won, it was always going to be about the last corner.” Bendsneyder admitted that he did all he could. “Oscar was riding very well, he likes this track and he was doing a good job. I didn’t have anything extra and on the last lap he just played it well, I was also thinking a little about the last corner at the Sachsenring and I didn’t want a repeat,” he admitted referring to the last corner fall when he was fighting for the German win with Di Giannantonio. It certainly wasn’t just a two rider race and had not Garcia’s second and most dramatic slide not scattered the pack a little the race may have been very different but in the end it was Fernández who won the Iberian fight for third. “What a great race, I am so happy to make it to the podium for the first time,” gasped the first year Rookie. “I dedicate this result to my dad.” That’s nice but his father now has to dye his hair has part of their pre-race deal.
Race 2
Last corner drama gave Bo Bendsneyder the victory he was denied yesterday. The 16-year-old Dutchman – Bo Bendsneyder – took Race 2 at Brno ahead of Spaniards Oscar Gutierrez and Marc Garcia. Going into the last corner it looked as though the win would be decided between 18-year-old Frenchman Enzo Boulom and Spanish 14-year-old Raúl Fernández but the pair clashed, went wide and Bendsneyder was perfectly positioned to charge across the line first with Boulom fourth and Fernández seventh. It was a thrilling race from first lap to last as Saturday’s winner Fabio Di Giannantonio got another great start from pole and set out to make it a double victory. That ended at the third corner when the Italian had the KTM RC 250 R slide and flick him off. “It was simple,” the 16-year-old later explained. “I made a mistake, no one to blame but myself.” “I saw Fabio fall,” said Bendsneyder. “I realised that I didn’t have to take any chances in the race, just pick up some good points and that would work for the championship.” Going into the race he had just an eleven point advantage despite having won the first five races of the season. The fourteen lap race settled into an eight man battle for the lead with the order changing at every corner and though Bendsneyder led he could not get away. “I wasn’t so happy with the bike yesterday so we made some changes but we didn’t go the right way so I was still struggling and I was lucky that I didn’t have to race Fabio.” As the lead changed no one had a clear advantage even though the pace was almost half second slower than Race 2. It was all going to come down to the last laps. “I was at the front early,” explained 16-year-old Gutierrez. “Then I decided to sit back a bit and watch the others to see where they were quickest. Then over the last few laps I pushed and got the lead but I couldn’t get away and they had my slipstream on the last lap and I couldn’t stay in front.” Confident after his third on Saturday, Fernández looked impressive and had worked his way to the front. Similarly Boulom was doing an excellent job and when they pounced on Gutierrez it looked as though we would have a new winner. But they both needed the same piece of road. “I braked early at the last corner,” grinned Bendsneyder, “and they braked late. They went wide and I went through. That’s great news for the Championship, another 25 points.” He now has a 36 point advantage over Di Giannantonio. Gutierrez is third and Garcia fourth. “Another hard race,” admitted 15-year-old Garcia. “We changed the bike after yesterday and I also changed my tactics. In Race 1 I was pushing at the front and I made a couple of mistakes. This time I stayed back in the group and waited until the end to push. Third is OK but Silverstone will be better.”
