“You were flying like a crazy one!” exclaimed Can Öncü to his twin brother Deniz who had just won Race 1 at the Sachsenring. Can took third and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup points lead as the 13-year-old Turks were split by 17-year-old German Kevin Orgis on a soaking wet track.
The trio were twenty seconds clear of the opposition headed by 14-year-old Spaniard Adrián Carrasco and 17-year-old Colombian Steward Garcia. Crucially, Aleix Viu, the 16-year-old Spaniard who had led the points table from the first weekend in Jerez, only scored a single point for fifteenth after suffering gearing and vision problems. He now trails Can Öncü by 9 points.
Öncü double trouble
Though he only qualified tenth while his brother was on Pole, Deniz was quick to mount a challenge. “I think I was only tenth at the first corner,” he explained, with an earnest expression briefly replacing the huge grin he had worn since getting off the KTM RC 250 R. “Then I started to push, I was feeling really good and I was faster than the others. I finished the first lap in third place but I knew I was quicker than Can and Kevin in front.”
Deniz swept into the lead, riding effortlessly round the outside of Orgis and Can in turn. “I then pushed and pushed to get away. I didn’t feel the bike slide at all, I was just going. The suspension wasn’t perfect….” Deniz was trying to explain but his brother broke in. “You’re a liar,” Can joked with a huge laugh, “It looked pretty good to me.”
No one was happier than Can to see his brother’s success. “It is a great day for us, a wonderful feeling to be both on the podium. For me I realised that I couldn’t go with Deniz today, he was too fast. I wanted to be sure not to crash, I needed the points for the championship. If I had pushed I might have got second but also I might not.”
And the rest
Orgis was clearly thrilled to be on the podium. “It is a great feeling to be up there in front of the fans who stayed and got wet to watch us. It was a very difficult race for everyone, delayed because of the heavy rain and then it was still very difficult conditions, still raining a lot through the race. I am so happy with this result and thanks to everyone who supported me.”
Carrasco was certainly pleased with his fourth, the same place that he qualified. “Yes I really enjoyed that, the Dunlop tyres were very good and I didn’t have any nasty slides. I am very very happy and after the good qualifying and this result I don’t mind if it is wet or dry tomorrow.”
For Garcia it was a second good ride after fourth in Race 2 at Assen. “These two races mean a lot to me, I think I have really improved and that was a beautiful race today, I felt very good on the bike and I am confident I can go for more in the next races.”
No luck or no luck needed
Omar Bonoli, the 15-year-old Italian who qualified third, was unlucky, he moved fractionally at the start, didn’t get away well but was given a ride through penalty and finished 19th.
The last words though should come from the Öncü twins. “I had never raced in the rain like this,” explained Deniz. “So I didn’t know if I would be fast or not but on the sighting laps the bike felt good.” His brother Can is certainly confident. “We don’t care if it is wet or dry tomorrow, it doesn’t matter to us,” he said with his own version of the great Öncü grin.