Tough CEV round for Academy youngsters

Monday, 28 July 2008

Last weekend´s CEV event proved difficult for the Red Bull MotoGP Academy riders as they had to cope with high temperatures and tricky track conditions, at the Circuito de Albacete.

Joining Danny Kent and Nelson Major, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup leader JD Beach made his debut with the Red Bull MotoGP Academy, racing for the first time in the (CEV) Spanish Championship and getting accustomed to the KTM RRF 125cc machine.

JD proved able to match Major´s practice pace for his first CEV appearance, though both riders were quite far back on the grid - respectively 27th and 29th, while Kent was the best placed Academy pupil on the grid in 19th.

With those starting positions, the riders needed strong starts and managed to achieve them, although ultimately despite their good race efforts they weren´t rewarded. Kent, for example, was able to join the leading group and was fighting for seventh place when he had to retire with a technical problem.

JD Beach also got a good start and was fighting for the points when he was eventually forced out of the race after a collision with another rider. Frenchman Nelson Major was the best placed rider after a rather conservative run in an incident-strewn race (as 15 riders ended up with DNFs), eventually taking 14th and grabbing a couple of points.

The next race for the Red Bull Academy riders will be at Brno in late August in the Alps Adria Championship.

Elsewhere, injured Academy rider Cameron Beaubier got some positive news as he visited Dr Arthur Ting in California. The American youngster should be able to ride again within three weeks as his tibia fracture does not have any kind of complications. He should be able to start physio and training ahead of his come back within a week.

http://www.motogp.com/en/news/2008/Tough+CEV+round+for+Academy+youngsters