Aegerter wins in Mugello in sensational style
After the race was reduced from six to five laps due to uncertain track conditions after a sighting lap and the 17-man (and woman) strong field of riders changed from rain to slick tyres at the last minute, it was clear that it would be a hair-raising top battle. For the Dynavolt Intact GP team around Dominique Aegerter, this ended in the next victory.
We are slowly running out of superlatives trying to describe the breathtaking races of the FIM Enel MotoE World Cup in anything like the way they really are. It is standard that the pulse goes through the roof in those short sprint races, but when Dominique Aegerter sets off on a hara-kiri manoeuvre from fifth place on the last lap, then spectators are close to a heart attack - much to the delight of the thousands and thousands of fans at the track who have not missed out on this spectacle.
Starting from pole, the Swiss rider lost the holeshot to his opponent Eric Granado, but the Brazilian, as well as the Italians Zannoni and Ferrari, were no match for the strong braking Aegerter in the following corners. After the first lap, however, it became clear on the over 1.1 km long straight that it could end up being a close call for the 31-year-old.
Gripping slipstream fights, hard braking manoeuvres and a final lap that was unrivalled in terms of action, surprise and brilliance followed. The current World Cup leader lost a few positions in the penultimate lap, it even seemed as if Aegerter had problems with his brake lever. But then the warhorse, feared by his challengers, placed an absolutely perfect attack from P5. In one move, the Dynavolt Intact GP rider burst past his rivals on the inside and even made up some ground. On his last lap, he set the fastest race lap with a 1'58.939 on the Tuscan asphalt, but on the long straight the gap to the Italian Matteo Ferrari melted down to a wafer-thin 0.033s.
Race 1 was a fine appetiser for the second battle awaiting tomorrow, Sunday at 15:30(CEST), in which Dominique Aegerter plans to further extend his 17-point lead.
Results
Race 1
1. Dominique AEGERTER/ SWI
2. Matteo FERRARI/ ITA – (+0.033)
3. Eric GRANADO/ BRA – (+0.245)
MotoE Weltcup:
1. AEGERTER Dominique / SWI / 103
2. GRANADO Eric / BRA / 86
3. CASADEI Mattia/ ITA/ 74
4. FERRARI Matteo / ITA / 68
5. PONS Miquel / SPA / 53
6. OKUBO Hikari / JPN / 52
7. CANEPA Niccolo/ ITA / 46
8. GARZO Hector / SPA / 39
9. ESCRIG Alex / SPA / 29
10.ZANNONI Kevin/ ITA/ 28
