Since some years ago this Portuguese circuit used to host the World Championship also.
This is the land where Marco gained his first points in 125cc in 2002 and now it welcomes us with a horrible weather.
We are quite a large group: new team, 5 riders, parents, sponsors… it took us a couple of days to find the right understanding.
100% PATACCA is the nickname of one of our riders with this funny surname. He always jokes saying : ”Now you make fun of me, but when I am in MotoGP everyone will want my surname!”.
His nickname 100% PATACCA conveys the right idea of this mini champion, whose mature behaviour I can do nothing but praise. He showed an high quality riding style during this first race.
Alessandro Falzone did just as well. Current champion of CIV Premoto3, he showed himself as a fast and concrete rider. His only problem: a 10kg ballast. Alessandro is very thin but has a combative character. In order to feel better on the bike he should gain some weight and some muscles to replace the ballast.
Falzone comes straight from mini bikes and he managed to qualify and get both races finished, which was our main target.
Let’s talk about Moto3. Montella made a very good race. The conditions of the asphalt were tricky, wet and dry. He takes the chequered flag in 6th position with a gap of 2 seconds from the race winner. He fought hard to finish 5th, but he didn’t have the right pace to stay with the leading group. He was happy with his result and maybe the mistake he made last year in Albacete taught him a lesson. He made the right decision!
Ieraci makes a rookie mistake on the gird. However he decides to start from pit lane but he crashes after a couple of laps. He could have used the race as a training session and threw this chance away.
He is a talented kid but this time he got too emotional. This was a weekend to forget for him but he’ll try his best next time.
Despite the bad premises we had on Friday, the team worked very well and everything went on as I wanted and imagined and I am very satisfied.
And now we are getting ready for Argentina GP on the other side of the world, far from our culture. Down there motorsport is a chance of wealth in a land of poverty. Every year Termas de Rio Hondo reminds us that it isn’t worthy to complain about stupid things and that we are lucky to be born in beautiful Italy.
-PaoloSic58-