20/10/2024

Sensational podium for Senna Agius at his home GP in Australia

For a racer, there is nothing better than claiming his very first world championship podium in front of his home crowd, including family and friends. Such an achievement is all the more remarkable when it is achieved by a rookie. This was now done by LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto2 rider Senna Agius, who clinched his first Grand Prix rostrum with a third place in the 17th round of the season on Phillip Island. Team-mate Darryn Binder scored points in 12th position.

With tears of joy and struggling for words, Senna Agius stood in the parc fermé of the 4.45 km long Phillip Island circuit following his phenomenal third place at his home Grand Prix, after the Australian left no stone unturned coming from 13th on the grid. The 19-year-old rode into the second of a total of 23 race laps in ninth place already, but that was not yet enough. Aigus gradually fought his way forward until he was in the battle for fourth place. There was a narrowing gap between him and Alonso Lopez in third place, which would have made even the almost certain fourth place an outstanding achievement, but then the Spaniard crashed two laps before the end, handing the Moto2 rookie his very first podium finish in the World Championship, which earned him sixteen valuable points and promoted him to 15th place in the World Championship.

Darryn Binder, meanwhile, is not entirely satisfied with his twelfth place in Australia after only qualifying fifteenth on the grid and struggling with lacking rear grip in the race. In the highly competitive Moto2 class, it is no easy task to make up positions and so the South African stayed in the same position for a long time before dueling for 13th place. The 26-year-old scored four more points with his final twelfth place and is looking forward to continuing his work with his crew in Thailand in just one week's time, from the 25th to the 27th of October, where the focus will be on preparing for and the qualifying itself. Binder is also hoping to cope better in the hotter conditions, as he did recently in Indonesia, where he finished fifth.

Results

Race
1. Fermin ALDEGUER/ SPA/ BOSCOSCURO
2. Aron CANET/ SPA/ KALEX – (+0.194)
3. Senna AGIUS/ AUS/ KALEX - (+7.228)
12. Darryn BINDER/ RSA/ KALEX – (+29.387)

World Championship
1. OGURA Ai/ JPN – 241
2. CANET Aron/ SPA – 176
3. ALDEGUER Fermin/ SPA – 175
15. AGIUS Senna/ AUS – 63
17. BINDER Darryn/ RSA – 54

Senna Agius

P3 - (+7.228)
Moto2 World Championship 2024 - P15 - 63 Points

"I'm still searching for words, it's still unbelievable what happened today. The race was so long. I was hoping the last five laps would be gone quickly because I wanted to make it and we did. I'm so happy and proud. All the efforts the team has put in over the last few races has paid off. We are rookies this year and my first podium in a home race is obviously something I will never forget. I'm really grateful for everything because I had a fantastic bike today. After yesterday, when we finished P13 in qualifying but could have done a lot better, I went to bed with a bit of a sour taste. But I knew that a lot was possible today with a good start, which was really good. I was able to fight and find my rhythm, and now I'm standing here. I can't wait to see my family, celebrate and just enjoy the rest of this great day. Thanks to the team for the hard work they put in every time.”

Darryn Binder

P12 - (+29.387)
Moto2 World Championship 2024 - P17 - 54 Points

"It was a really difficult race today. To be honest, I was expecting a lot more. Unfortunately, I struggled with rear grip issues right from the first lap. I did my best throughout the race, but it was definitely not enough. We have collected a lot of data and will look at what we can improve. Still, it's disappointing where I ended up in this race. On the other hand, I am happy because Senna is on the podium. I'm super proud of him and congratulate him. I can imagine how awesome this must be for him to achieve his first podium at home. This result is certainly also an incentive for the team’s spirit. I'm already looking forward to the next race in Thailand, even though it's a big change to ride there in super-hot conditions but when I think back to Indonesia, I had a really good weekend there. So, I hope I can transfer that to Thailand. I'm really looking forward to it.”

Jürgen Lingg

Team Manager

“This podium for Senna is absolutely amazing for us. Senna delivered a masterclass performance this weekend, not only on track but also off track. A home Grand Prix like this, with all the media hype and everything around it, is not easy to deal with. It was a lot for him here, because he still lacks experience. But he mastered it with flying colours. The race itself was really strong, even if his qualifying on Saturday was a bit unfortunate. But it was very good to see that his speed is better than his grid position.
You also have to take into account that the weather conditions were pretty difficult on Friday and Saturday. He didn't make a mistake in the race, and if you can manage that, you end up with a result like this. What's more, his pace was incredibly fast. To keep that up to the end without making any mistakes is remarkable. That didn't make much of an impression on him, but he caught up step by step and was rewarded with the podium in the end. We are very happy for everyone. Everyone deserves it because, after the difficult times we've had, things have been looking up again for a few races now. Senna's third place is confirmation of this. I think that motivates us and everyone even more to do it again soon because it's just a super nice feeling.
On the other hand, it was a shame for Darryn, because normally Phillip Island is a good place for him. But today a problem with the rear tyre ruined his race. But his twelfth place is still strong. Unfortunately, something didn't go right, and we need to take a closer look. Nevertheless, he did a good job. Finally, congratulations once again to Senna and his Crew for their fantastic performance!”

Pictures Moto2 – Sunday Australian GP 2024

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