02/05/2024

In Estoril, things should go better for Intact Juniors

At the Circuito do Estoril, the talents of the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team want to make up for what they missed at the season opener a week and a half ago in Italy.

The second stop of FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship this year takes the teams and its young riders to the Circuito do Estoril not far from Portugal's capital Lisbon. The track is not far from to the most western point of Europe at the Atlantic coast. Due to its geographical location just a stone's throw from the sea, the weather in Estoril often changes abruptly.

The Memmingen-based LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team has increased the number of its riders in the JuniorGP Moto3 to three this year and line-up with promising talents in the names of Jakob Rosenthaler, Leo Rammerstorfer (both Austria) and Rico Salmela from Finland. However, the first race weekend of the new season in Misano came to a disappointing conclusion for the highly ambitious German team, after practice sessions and qualifying results had raised hopes of a strong performance.

Alex Longarela immediately made a good impression in European Talent Cup. The 14-year-old, who lives in Madrid and won "PreMoto3" class in ESBK (Spanish Championship) last year ahead of significantly higher-ranked competitors. As a rookie in the highly competitive ETC, he proved his talent in Misano with top positions in practice sessions but was equally unlucky on race day when he crashed in both races in a promising position through no fault of his own.

The LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team is hoping for a turnaround in Estoril. Confidence is definitely high. This time there is only one JuniorGP Moto3 race on the weekend’s schedule, but two in ETC, just like last time in Misano.

The championship once again comprises seven race weekends. There will be live timing available from Friday and, as usual, a live stream via the series' YouTube channel on Sunday, where all races will be shown.

Time Schedule (CEST, Live-Timing):

Saturday 04 May: 10:00 - 10:40 ETC Grp A Practice

Saturday 04 May: 10:50 - 11:30 ETC Grp B Practice

Saturday 04 May: 11:40 - 12:20 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Practice

Saturday 04 May: 12:30 - 13:10 Moto2™ ECh Practice

Saturday 04 May: 13:20 - 14:00 Stock ECh Practice

Saturday 04 May: 14:10 - 14:25 ETC Grp A Qualifying 1

Saturday 04 May: 14:35 - 14:50 ETC Grp B Qualifying 1

Saturday 04 May: 15:00 - 15:15 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Qualifying 1

Saturday 04 May: 15:25 - 15:40 Moto2™ ECh Qualifying 1

Saturday 04 May: 15:50 - 16:05 Stock ECh Qualifying 1

Saturday 04 May: 16:15 - 16:30 ETC Grp A Qualifying 2