Honda's EJC riders ready for Portimao roller-coaster ride
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 4:13 pm
@Honda's @EJC #riders ready for @Portimao roller-coaster #ride
The 2015 Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda, enters the second half of the season this weekend with round five of the series taking place at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve near Portimao in Portugal.
The championship features up to 30 identically-prepared Honda CBR650F machines, which will do battle in Sunday’s scheduled 10-lap race around the demanding and undulating Portimao circuit, likened by many riders to an extreme roller-coaster.
The first half of the season has been dominated by Spanish rider Javier Orellana, runner-up in the 2014 series, who has won three of the four races to date and heads the heads the championship table by 27 points.
In second place is Italy’s Paolo Grassia, a podium finisher in three races, who is just seven points ahead of compatriot Emanuele Pusceddu.
Pusceddu was the victim of a first lap crash at Donington Park in the UK last time out, sustaining a fractured collarbone which the 19-year-old has since had plated. He will ride this weekend at the 4.592km Portimao circuit in an attempt to claw back some of the points deficit on his rivals.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Avalon Biddle will be aiming to maintain her domination of the inaugural FIM Europe Women’s European championship in Portugal this weekend.
Gerry Bryce - series director
It’s quite hot here at Portimao so we’re hoping for a dry weekend because the championship is developing really nicely now. With Emanuele [Pusceddu] crashing out of the last round, Javier [Orellana] has a pretty substantial advantage. But there’s still a long way to go and Paolo Grassia seems to be improving rapidly now. I think we’ll still see some great races, especially if Emanuele can pull some points back this weekend and keep the battle going to the end.
The 2015 Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda, enters the second half of the season this weekend with round five of the series taking place at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve near Portimao in Portugal.
The championship features up to 30 identically-prepared Honda CBR650F machines, which will do battle in Sunday’s scheduled 10-lap race around the demanding and undulating Portimao circuit, likened by many riders to an extreme roller-coaster.
The first half of the season has been dominated by Spanish rider Javier Orellana, runner-up in the 2014 series, who has won three of the four races to date and heads the heads the championship table by 27 points.
In second place is Italy’s Paolo Grassia, a podium finisher in three races, who is just seven points ahead of compatriot Emanuele Pusceddu.
Pusceddu was the victim of a first lap crash at Donington Park in the UK last time out, sustaining a fractured collarbone which the 19-year-old has since had plated. He will ride this weekend at the 4.592km Portimao circuit in an attempt to claw back some of the points deficit on his rivals.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Avalon Biddle will be aiming to maintain her domination of the inaugural FIM Europe Women’s European championship in Portugal this weekend.
Gerry Bryce - series director
It’s quite hot here at Portimao so we’re hoping for a dry weekend because the championship is developing really nicely now. With Emanuele [Pusceddu] crashing out of the last round, Javier [Orellana] has a pretty substantial advantage. But there’s still a long way to go and Paolo Grassia seems to be improving rapidly now. I think we’ll still see some great races, especially if Emanuele can pull some points back this weekend and keep the battle going to the end.