Recapping the FIM Junior GP, ETC, Stock ECh and Moto2 action from Estoril finale

2024 FIM Junior GP Championships
Round Seven – Estoril

The final race weekend for the FIM Junior GP Championships was originally scheduled for the weekend of November 24 at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo Circuit.

However, due to the storms in Valencia late last month that led to widespread deadly flooding events, organisers switched the FIM Junior GP finale to Circuito do Estoril, not far from Lisbon, where the season’s second event took place earlier in May.

The finale was shortened to three days and moved to the beginning of this week with free practice on Monday, followed by qualifying on Tuesday and the final race day of the year on Wednesday.

In the JuniorGP class itself, Guido Pini (Seventy Two ARTBOX Racing Team) and Maximo Quiles (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) won the races but it was Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) who took the crown.

Angus Grenfell was the only Aussie in the Junior GP category but missed the final round. The highlight of the Victorian’s season came with a points-scoring finish at Portimao earlier in the year.

New Zealander Cormac Buchanan secured a third podium of the season to claim fifth overall in the FIM JuniorGP World Championship at the Estoril finale.  Buchanan will move up to the Moto3 World Championship in 2025.

Cormac Buchanan

“We came into the weekend 16 points adrift from second in the championship and by the end of the first race we were just four points behind so it really demonstrates the step we have made this season, particularly in that mental space, to handle the intensity and pressure. This is the pinnacle of racing in the world – the next step literally is the MotoGP world championship – so to be here representing New Zealand makes me incredibly proud.”

In the Moto2 European Championship, victory was all for Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing) who was victorios but Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) lifted the title trophy with fifth.

The sole Australian entry in the Moto2 European Championship was Harrison Voight. The teenager had a difficult start to the season on a Kalex Triumph with technical issues but came on strong in the second half of the season, culminating with a sixth place at the Estoril finale to earn 11th place in the championship.

Harrison Voight

“We salvaged sixth for the final race of the year. Having a good pace during the race, I thought the potential of finishing 4th was achievable until I started running into problems. I’m happy to finish off this second half of the season more competitive. Thank you Team Style Bike for the past two seasons together, we have achieved great things and grown a lot. A big thank you to my family and especially Paul Lockart. Being by my side through the thick & thin, I’m very grateful for him and his family supporting me in trying to achieve my goals.“

The European Talent Cup was its usual unpredictable self but a first win went to Argentinean Valentin Perrone (Frando Racing VHC Team) whilst in the Stock European Championship, Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) won his first race but the title, after a hard-fought battle, was won by Mario Mayor (GV Tamoil Racing).

Marianos Nikolis was the only Australian representaitve in the Stock European Championship this season and took an eighth place finish in race one at Estoril. The highlight of his season came at the Misano season opener with an eighth place finish on his way to taking 18th place overall in the championship.

Archie McDonald rounded out his European Talent Cup with a second place.  Along with his win a few rounds ago at Portimao this made it two podiums for the Aussie youngster on his way to seventh in the championship.

Archie McDonald

“What a way to end the year with a solid 2nd place, I fought every lap as hard as I could battling to miss the top step by +1.6 seconds. As the year comes to a close in the FIM Junior GP STK600 Championship I’ve got to say thank you to MRE for their time and effort this year to do what we’ve done. I’ve grown so much as a rider and a person and to do it with you guys is a blessing. I’m sure I’ll see you guys in the future!  Now I’m in the car to Jerez, Spain for the Intercontinental Games this weekend, let’s enjoy that before going home very soon to be able to hug my family again!”

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FIM JuniorGP Race One

A thrilling Race 1 erupted into life in true JuniorGP fashion as Carpe went for gold from the start. He was soon enraged in a battle with the likes of Adrian Cruces (Finetwork Team) and Guido Pini, his team-mate Brian Uriarte and Cormac Buchanan (AGR Team).

Maximo Quiles’ quest for a first race win in the class was halted early on as he fell at Turn 4 after contact with hard-charging Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), originally set to start from P7 but in the end, had to start from the back of the grid due to slow riding in qualifying.

Rios was in the top five when disaster struck title favourite Carpe, who crashed with Casey O’Gorman (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) at Turn 12 with just six laps to go when the Brit suffered brake failure; the Championship was now not in Carpe’s hands…

Rios was a race leader two laps later but peaked too soon as Pini came back through. On the last lap and at the last corner, Rios – placed second – tried to ride round Pini but the Italian held firm and a tiny bit of contact disrupted Rios’ run, shuffling the Spaniard back down the field in seventh.

Pini won his third race of the year ahead of Kiwi Buchanan and Marcos Uriarte (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) but Carpe, despite not crossing the line and crashing out, was crowned Champion with joyous scenes in the box.

FIM JuniorGP Race One Results

FIM JuniorGP Race Two

Race 2 was a slightly calmer affair to begin with, as everything now hinged on who was going to take P2 overall in the standings. The usual suspects were at the front with added spice from Uruguayan star Facundo Llambias, who was a race leader in the closing stages.

Going to on the final lap and Quiles had battled his way to the front, with Cruces right there, Pini having his say and 18-year-old Austrian Jakob Rosenthaler (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team) looking for a first podium in over a year and a half.

On the run to the line, Quiles grabbed victory – his first in the class – with Pini taking P2 and Rosenthaler third. Newly-crowned Champion Carpe strutted home in sixth with a special gold livery to round out a special season of racing.

FIM JuniorGP Race Two Results

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2024 FIM JuniorGP Championship Points

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Moto2 European Championship

In the Moto2 ECh, it was also the Championship-crowning day as Roberto Garcia (Fantic Cardoso Racing) needed just a top ten to secure the title. Going from fifth, he made a good launch but was soon pegged back and returned to his original starting position.

Up front and a big battle was brewing between long-time race leader Alberto Surra (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) and Unai Orradre (STV Laglisse Racing).

Orradre, chasing a first win of the season, pounced in the second half of the race and Surra didn’t have an answer despite a late error from the race-leading #10.

Mattia Casadei (Team Ciatti-Boscoscuro) was Garcia’s main title rival but unable to get on terms with the race leaders. With the podium set in that order at the chequered flag, the title was a given for Roberto Garcia, who rode a calm and solid race to take a first Championship crown. With four wins to his name and a total of six podiums, he’s a worthy title winner.

Moto2 European Championship Race Result

Moto2 European Championship Points

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Stock European Championship Race

A belting Stock ECh race got underway with a second pole of the season being converted into a holeshot for Dino Iozzo before a red flag came out for an incident involving Rodrigo Valente (PS Racing), Eric Molina (Fifty Motorsport) and Cristian D’Arliano (Pinamoto RS). The medical team were on-site immediately and all riders reported to be conscious before being transported away.

On the restart, Iozzo once again got a bright start but fellow front row starter Archie McDonald (MRE Talent) briefly led before the two swapped back by the end of the opening lap.

A huge battle for the title was shaping up though as Mario Mayor (GV Tamoil Racing) and team-mate Lorenzo Dalla Porta scrapped relentlessly for P3. In what was one of the best battles of the racing year, they both swapped places more than ten times and even rubbed wheels into Turn 6.

In the end, Dalla Porta won the battle for P3 but it wasn’t enough to take the title from team-mate and good friend Mayor. Iozzo won his last race in the class with a fairytale farewell, whilst McDonald came home P2. Dalla Porta was on the rostrum but the big celebrations were for his Championship-winning team-mate Mayor.

Demis Mihaila (MDR Competicion) was in contention on-track until a mechanical at Turn 12 ruled him out.

Six different winners in the Stock European Championship’s second year, a fine way to conclude the 2024 FIM JuniorGP World Championship season.

Stock European Championship Race Result

Stock European Championship Points

1. Mario Mayor 109
2. Lorenzo Dalla Porta 102
3. Demis Mihaila 80
4. Dino Iozzo 74
5. Adrian Rodriguez 71
6. Andy Verdoia 67
7. Archie McDonald 60
8. Borja Jiminez 59
9. Iker Garcia 46
10. Ruben Romero 40
11. Francisco Ruiz 37
12. Jose Luis Armario 33
13. Nil Roig 27
14. Carlos Valle 25
15. Alex Millan 22

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European Talent Cup

Moving onto the already-decided European Talent Cup title fight, Carlos Cano (Seventy Two ARTBOX Racing Team) was looking at becoming the first-ever ETC rider to secure seven wins in a season but he’d have to fight hard. In the early stages, the race was dominated by Giulio Pugliese (CFMOTO Aspar Junior Team) and Mallorcan star Fernando Bujosa (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) but he’d soon drop down field with a mechanical issue.

At the pointy end of the race though, things heated up in the closing stages as Valentin Perrone, Pugliese, pole-sitter David Gonzalez (AC Racing Team), Beñat Fernandez (Frando Racing VHC Team) and Marco Morelli (MLav Racing) battled hard.

On the run to the line, Perrone held on to become the fourth different winner of the season, whilst Pugliese secured third in the title race with P2 and Gonzalez salvaged third. Cano, already Champion, took P6 in the race whilst Morelli’s P5 was enough for second in the standings.

European Talent Cup Race Results

European Talent Cup Points