Intact Juniors kick off new season
The Italian circuit of Misano welcomes the JuniorGP series for the season opener this weekend. LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team will compete with a total of four riders in the JuniorGP-Moto3 and the European Talent Cup this year.
A lot has happened in the junior department of the German racing team from Memmingen in the last the winter months. After two consecutive title wins in FIM Moto2™ European Championship with Lukas Tulovic and Senna Agius in 2022 and 2023, LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team is turning its back on this class for the time being. Instead, the focus will be on the basis of young talents education in FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship and European Talent Cup.
Shortly after the turn of the year, a three-rider line-up with Jakob Rosenthaler and Leo Rammerstorfer from Upper Austria and Rico Salmela from Finland were presented for JuniorGP-Moto3 class. With Alex Longarela, the German team has acquired a promising talent from Spain for European Talent Cup. The career of the young racer, who lives in Madrid, has so far shown a steeply rising form curve. Longarela has won or at least stood on the podium very often in almost all the Spanish junior series in which he has taken part. These successes have not gone unnoticed by the Intact GP team, which has taken Longarela under its wing for this season.
The 14-year-old also knows how to impress with his natural speed, and everything he does on the bike looks effortless. Longarela approaches his tasks very naturally, which promises great potential. The 2024 season should be a learning year for him, in which he can develop well within the team and take the steps that should take him further in his career.
The entire LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team has prepared very conscientiously for the new season. Tests at the Grand Prix circuits of Valencia and Barcelona were very encouraging for the young riders.
The championship once again comprises seven race weekends. There will be live timing from Friday and, as usual, a live stream via the series' YouTube channel on Sunday, where all races will be shown.
Dirk REISSMANN
LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team
"We are all looking forward to the first race this weekend in Misano. The atmosphere at our last test two weeks ago in Barcelona showed that our boys are already hoofing it and looking forward to getting into race mode. As already known, we will have three riders in Junior GP Moto3 for the first time this year. From our point of view, this is a very positive step, because in this class it is important to implement the development work in the best possible way in order to create young talents for Grand Prix racing. Especially, of course, for our team in the Moto3 World Championship. In recent years, it has often been shown that the guys who are successful in JuniorGP Moto3 also have few problems making the step up to the top of the world championship. I think we are very well positioned with Jakob, Leo and Rico. Our tests and pre-season preparation have gone very well, even a little promising, and maybe we will see the one or other surprise. But we will have to wait and see what the boys make of it in the end. Misano will be a first indicator when we head into qualifying sessions on Saturday. After the first race weekend, we will think about what the goals for the season could be for each individual."
"In addition, we are delighted to welcome Alex Longarela as our ETC rider and to have a strong rider in this category. Alex convinced us with his references from the last few years and gave us the impetus to add him to our team. His debut aboard our ETC bike during testing recently was a success and he has already demonstrated his talent with good lap times in Barcelona. The ETC, however, is no walk in the park for a newcomer, so we will have to wait and see how Alex and the entire class develop, because the switch to Pirelli tyres also brings some changes with it which was clearly to see at the tests. Alex is used to achieving top results. It will therefore be important that we find a good flow with him right from the start so that he can go his own way, similar to previous years where he often finished on the podium and also won championships. We are looking forward to working with him and will give him the best possible support. Of course, this also applies to our three riders in Moto3. We wish everyone a great and accident-free season, hopefully with many successes."
#45 Alex LONGARELA MONTES
LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team
"First of all, I would like to thank the management of the Intact GP team for allowing me to take the next step in my career with them. The team is one of the best in the Junior GP series paddock. Switching to the ETC bike was a big step for me. There are a lot of differences to the bikes I've ridden so far. The biggest problem for me at the moment is corner entry. Beyond that, the bike is much more of a race bike, even though it might have less torque than I'm used to, but the extra engine power makes it a lot more fun, I really like the bike already. I am very happy to be in this team and I am also confident that we will have a good season and will soon be fighting for strong results."
Time Schedules (CEST, Live-Timing):
Saturday 20 April: 08:45 - 09:20 ETC Grp A Practice
Saturday 20 April: 09:30 - 10:05 ETC Grp B Practice
Saturday, 20 April: 10:15 - 10:50 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Practice
Saturday 20 April: 11:00 - 11:35 Moto2™ ECh Practice
Saturday 20 April: 11:45 - 12:20 Stock ECh Practice
Saturday 20 April: 14:10 - 14:25 ETC Grp A Qualifying 1
Saturday 20 April: 14:35 - 14:50 ETC Grp B Qualifying 1
Saturday 20 April: 15:00 - 15:15 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Qualifying 1
Saturday 20 April: 15:25 - 15:40 Moto2™ ECh Qualifying 1
Saturday 20 April: 15:50 - 16:05 Stochk Ech Qualifying 1
Saturday 20 April: 16:15 - 16:30 ETC Grp A Qualifying 2
Saturday 20 April: 16:40 - 16:55 ETC Grp B Qualifying 2
Saturday 20 April: 17:05 - 17:20 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Qualifying 2
Saturday 20 April: 17:30 - 17:45 Moto2™ ECh Qualifying 2
Saturday 20 April: 17:55 - 18:10 Stochk Ech Qualifying 2
Sunday 21 April: 09:15 ETC Last-Chance-Race (7 Laps)
Sunday 21 April: 11:00 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Race 1 (16 Laps)
Sunday 21 April: 12:00 ETC Race 1 (15 Laps)
Sunday 21 April: 13:00 Moto2™ ECh Race (17 Laps)
Sunday 21 April: 14:00 JuniorGP™ Moto3™ Race 2 (16 Laps)
Sunday 21 April: 15:00 ETC Race 2 (15 Laps)
Sunday 21 April: 16:00 Race Stock ECh (17 Laps)
Facts Misano:
Length: 4.226 metres
Width: 12 metres
Longest straight: 530 metres
Right corners: 10
Left corners: 6
JuniorGP™ Calendar 2024:
20/21 April: Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli (Misano Adriatico, Italy)
05/06 May: Circuito do Estoril (Estoril, Portugal)
18/19 May: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (Montmeló, Spain)
22/23 June: Autódromo Internacional do Algarve (Portimao, Portugal)
14/15 September: Circuito de Jerez - Ángel Nieto (Jere de la Frontera, Spain)
12/13 October: MotorLand Aragón (Alcaniz, Spain)
23/24 November: Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana (Valencia, Spain)