A day of competition in which the main protagonist… was the rain!
– Alexandre Cabá with perfect Saturday – Pole and Vitória;
– Rafael Ribeiro the strongest in the Dunlop Motoval Cup;
– Ricardo Lopes with a “hard-earned” victory in SBK;
– Dinis Borges “at the limit” in the SSP300;
– Race I in TLC / Naked Bikes postponed until Sunday.
Second pass of the 2024 season of the National Speed Championship (CNV) along the Estoril route, with Saturday morning marked by very adverse weather conditions with heavy rain dictating a “wet track” scenario for the timed training sessions that filled the sports program in the morning.
On the track and in the fight for the best times, the TLC Trophy, Naked Bikes, Moto4, Moto5, COPA DUNLOP MOTOVAL (CDM1, CDM2), SBK1000, STK600, PREMOTO3 and SSP300 categories.
In parallel, the first day of Paddock MotoFest took place, an event signed by the Federation Motociclismo Portugal (FMP) and Motor Clube Estoril (MCE) with the presence of many brands, exhibition areas for new models and old motorcycles, test-drives, simulators, used market and lots of entertainment.
Back with a schedule for tomorrow, Sunday 9 June, there is also the FMP LiveStream, where lovers and fans of the sport who cannot be present in Estoril can follow all the races.
85GP / MOTO4 / MIR MOTO5 – Arrive, see and win! Alexandre Cabá with a perfect Saturday! Pole and Victory.
In the always exciting 85GP/MOTO4 and MIR MOTO5, Alexandre Cabá from Team Moto Clube Loulé, racing alone in the 85GP/MOTO4, re-edited the success of CNV I held in April, and once again was the strongest overall with his BEON 150 clocking 2:21.048s on the fastest lap to Estoril.
The intense fight was centered between the MIR MOTO5 riders with Henrique Vicente and Lourenço Vicente from Liqui Moly Iberia Racing Team being separated by just 0.046s with an advantage for Henrique Lourenço.
Green light for the 85GP/MOTO4 and MIR MOTO5 squad that would end up being the protagonists of the first race of the afternoon after the postponement of the TLC/NAKED BIKES.
A true walk in the park for Alexandre Cabá, who did not leave his credits in the hands of others. Racing alone in the 85GP/MOTO4, the Team Moto Clube de Loulé rider, pole holder, already guaranteed a difference of more than 4s at the end of the 2nd lap. With the lead for victory perfectly defined, the excitement centered on the MIR MOTO5 field.
A titanic fight between a pair of “Vicentes”… Lourenço Vicente and Henrique Vicente more precisely, with the young riders always riding less than 0.5s apart. and changing positions a few times during the 10 laps of the Estoril circuit. Hot on his heels is Diego Ribeiro from the Go Faster Racing Team.
In the checkerboard, Cabá won with more than 1 minute of advantage, adding another victory in the 2024 season. With a decision to the millimeter, Henrique Vicente secured the middle of the podium on the finish line with Lourenço Vicente a mere 0.367s behind in third. The TOP5 would be completed by Tomás Carneiro from Super Tech Racing Team and João Freire (4th and 5th respectively).
An outstanding note in the women’s race for the two riders from Escola Iniciação Moto Racing Sintra, Carolina Azevedo and Lara Pinto, 7th and 8th overall on the finish line.
DUNLOP MOTOVAL CUP – Rafael Ribeiro strongest in the Dunlop Motoval Cup.
THE DUNLOP MOTOVAL CUP, divided by the CDM1 and CDM2 classes, was the third squad to face the Estoril route for the timed races. Once the results of the three superpoles were consolidated, Rafael Ribeiro (CDM1) would secure first place on the grid. Alongside him Rui Palma (CDM2) and Ricardo Rodrigues who with his R6 would be the strongest among the CDM1.
In terms of timing, Nelson Cruz started from 4th place overall, being 3rd among the CDM1 and Wagner Pederneira (7th overall) and Afonso Sousa (9th overall), made up the TOP3 of each class.
Despite securing pole, Rafael Ribeiro found himself relegated to 2nd overall in the first laps with Rui Palma showing better pace. However, Ribeiro never threw in the towel and the uncertainty in the result remained until the end, with the two drivers in the CDM1 category putting forward solid arguments for victory and opening a gap of more than 40s to the rest of the field throughout the 10 return to Estoril
Ribeiro would end up imposing himself on the final lap, opening up around 1.5s of advantage over the Clube Motorizado do Troço man, Rui Palma, to claim victory in the first race of the Dunlop Motoval Cup weekend. Rounding out the podium is another CDM2 bike, this time the Ducati V2 of Leungo Gaorekwe, more than 46s behind Palma.
The TOP3 among CDM1 would be in the hands of Afonso Sousa, Wagner Pederneira and Vitor Silva, 4th, 5th and 7th overall respectively.
SUPERBIKES / STK600 – Ricardo Lopes with a hard-earned victory in SBK.
Track open for Superbike and STK600 timed races, always with rain being part of the equation. With an exemplary lap time of 2:04.581s, Ricardo Lopes (SBK) from Quaresma Racing Team set the fastest time and added another pole to his record, being the strongest among SBK, however, Lopes was only 0.073s faster than Gonçalo Ribeiro, the best among the STK600, who would thus line up alongside Lopes. Closing the TOP3 overall when it comes to chronos, Martim Marco (STK600).
With the rain disappearing between the timings and the afternoon races, the public arrived at the Estoril Circuit and it was with Stand A composed that the third race of the afternoon lined up on the grid. It was time for SBK / STK600 for 15 exciting laps.
Strong start from the front line drivers with Lopes, Ribeiro and Martim Marco discussing the first corners of lap 1, with this trio closely followed by Ruben Macuá who, leaving 4th position on the grid, kept the fate of his race open.
Still during lap 1, Martim Marco saw himself sink in the classification to 7th, opening the door to his other rivals. The person who benefited most from this was Macuá, who with 5 laps completed and in a backwards race, Macuá had already surpassed Gonçalo Ribeiro and was 2nd overall, just over 3s behind Ricardo Lopes.
With half the race already completed, the trio of Lopes, Macuá and Ribeiro were running more than 30s ahead of the rest of the field and with a clear advantage for Lopes, who lap after lap opened a distance of more than 3s for Macuá and 6s for Ribeiro.
With the uncertainty surrounding victory, the remaining laps showed similar paces between Lopes and Macuá but with Ribeiro remaining further away. Two laps from the checkered flag, Macuá was literally glued to Lopes with 0.2s separating them. He went to the finish line.
Lopes would effectively be the strongest and would take victory with a mere 0.239s advantage over Macuá, also being first among SBK. Macuá, with a brilliant race, would have to be content with the middle of the podium, also being 2nd in SBK. The lowest place on the podium would go to Gonçalo Ribeiro, who is also the strongest among the STK600.
Regarding the TOP3 by class, to close in SBK, Miguel Romão (5th overall) and in STK600, Rodrigo Valente (4th overall) and Isaac Rosa (6th overall).
SSP300 / PREMOTO3 – Dinis Borges wins at the limit in SSP300
When it was time for those timed for the SSP300 and PREMOTO3, it was Tiago Martins (PREMOTO3), who surpassed all the competition by completing the fastest lap around Estoril in 2:14.816s. At his side, the young driver from the Speed Master Racing Team, Dinis Borges (SSP300) “spending” another 0.634s on his best lap and Tomás Alonso (SSP300) closing the first row of the grid. Vasco Camoesas from Super Tech Racing Team and Martim Jesus from Team Moto Club Loulé made up the TOP5 on the grid
With the last race of the day launched, the first lap immediately dictated the decline in the general classification of the man in pole position. Tiago Martins (PREMOTO3) found himself relegated to 8th place overall and was even overtaken by Vasco Fonseca (PREMOTO3) who, taking 6th position, immediately became the best among the PREMOTO3.
For his part, the Speed Master Racing Team driver, Dinis Borges took the lead and began an intense fight with Tomás Alonso (Quaresma Racing Team) and Martim Jesus (Team Moto Clube Loule), this trio being the TOP3 among the SSP300 and take on the fight for podium places. Further away Daniel Miralles was running in 4th position, but more than 8s behind the front trio. The only lady on the track, Rafaela Peixoto, Team RP27 was running calmly in 9th position.
With 7 laps to complete, Martim Jesus overtook Dinis Borges with the two running 0.045s apart and with Tomás Alonso a mere 0.436s apart. Fight, excitement and a lot of anxiety were guaranteed in the pits for the remaining laps of the Estoril Circuit. There were several exchanges of leadership between Jesus and Borges with Alonso always waiting for his opportunity. Alonso still had hopes of getting higher on the podium as during the last lap he managed to overtake and run a few meters in front of Jesus. But Martim Jesus returned in kind and Alonso would actually be 3rd overall at the finish line and also third among the SSP300.
The victory, snatched by irons, would go to Dinis Borges by a mere 0.4 over Martim Jesus. The podium and TOP3 in the SSP300 were found.
Vasco Fonseca was 6th overall, Tiago Martins, who had secured pole, would be 8th and Tiago João, 10th overall completed the TOP3 of PREMOTO3. Young Rafaela Peixoto would maintain 9th position until the end.
TLC / NAKED BIKES TROPHY – Race 1 of the TLC / NAKED BIKES Trophy postponed until Sunday – Alselmo Vilardebó secures pole position.
Among the brave men of the TLC / Naked Bikes Trophy would be Anselmo Vilardebó making the best of the difficult conditions. The Aprilia 1100 V4 driver would be the strongest overall and among the 8 participants in the CNB1 category, securing pole for the afternoon race with 2:12.680s. Next to him on the front row of the grid, Ricardo Almeida (CNB1), and Marcos Leal who posted the third best time, being the best among the CNB2 men. Racing alone in the TLC-LC Open, Fernando Mercier was 8th overall.
Having defined the starting grid for the first race of CNV II, the TLC / Naked Bikes Trophy would be postponed by the promoter after consensus with the teams and riders, to Sunday at 5:15 pm for technical reasons
CNV II returns this Sunday, June 9th, for the final day of competition where all the emotions are guaranteed live on the Estoril Circuit or on the FMP livestream.
Foto: @kezman.photography
Grafismos: Federação Motociclismo Portugal
Circuito Estoril