Lenoxx Phommara is runner-up ahead of Frellsen in third
Race 2 in Hockenheim was very much a different affair to Race 1. Instead of a runaway battle between leading cup duo Lenoxx Phommara (Team Phommara) and Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing), there was a huge group at the front, led chiefly by Lenoxx Phommara, and one wonders if it was by chance or by design, the Swiss hoping perhaps that a bigger group might play into his hands by disrupting his rival, who started fourth on the grid and was quickly swallowed up by the pack, dropping as low as eighth position in the early stages of the race. It wasn’t such a bad strategy, and it almost played out, as there were some tense moments for the German and MCA Racing star.
Lenoxx Phommara’s victory in this race never really seemed in doubt, the question was whether Sessler could claim a third or second place to secure the cup victory. Fans and onlookers would not get an answer to that question until right at the end, when the riders crossed the finish line, Lenoxx Phommara in first and Sessler in third.
From the word go it was a tense encounter that had fans and team members biting their nails, on both sides. It could easily have played out in either contenders’ favour.
By lap 6 Sessler had found his rhythm and joined the top 3, by lap 7 he had savored the taste of leading the race, and from then on he jostled for position with the likes of Lenoxx Phommara, Tobias Kirchbichler (Racing Team Kitzbichler), Jurrien Van Crugten (BB64 Academy), Julius Frellsen (MCA Racing), and Matteo Masili (Fairium Next Generation Riders Team). Huge shout out to Austrian wildcard rookie wonder boy Kitzbichler, who exceeded expectations in just his second race in the category, fighting hard and fair with Lenoxx Phommara at the sharp end of the race, and claiming P2 at the chequered flag.
And so it was that Sessler was able to claim the podium finish he needed to claim the title, securing his P3 on the last lap behind Lenoxx Phommara and Kitzbichler. Rounding out the top six was Dane Frellsen in fourth, ahead of Dutchman Van Crugten in fifth and Italian maestro Masili in sixth.
That makes Rocco Sessler the Northern Talent Cup’s fourth Champion, the German joining Hungarian rider Soma Görbe (2020) Czech rider Jakub Gurecký (2021) and Hungarian Rossi Moor in the Northern Talent Cup hall of fame.
RACE 1
Title fight takes dramatic turn as cup leader Lenoxx Phommara crashes out on last lap
Sessler leads with 10-point advantage going into last race
As the Northern Talent Cup approached its crescendo at the mighty Hockenheim, all eyes were on the leading cup trio of Lenoxx Phommara (Team Phommara), Rocco Sessler (MCA Racing) and Julius Frellsen (MCA Racing), the three separated by just 20 points, and each with a shot at title glory with a total of 50 points on the table.
Starting from pole Lenoxx Phommara took the holeshot and swiftly made a break from the chasing pack, followed closely by Maxime Schmid (Team Schmid). On lap 2 the Swiss made a lunge up the inside of the leader, only to misjudge the maneuver and slide off track and into the gravel trap. This promoted Sessler into second and it wasn’t long before he was hot on his title rival’s tail.
The calculating Sessler spent the remainder of the race sat behind his rival making the most of his vantage point to understand the cup leader’s strengths and weaknesses, biding his time before making his move.
Further back in the chasing pack a battle raged between cup contender Frellsen, French rookie superstar Antoine Nativi (CTM 83 Junior Team), Hungarian veteran Martin Vincze (MV Racing), and others, the riders switching places back and forth. It seemed like Frellsen was coming out on top of the battle for third when he lost the front and slid off the track, his chances of cup glory going with him.
Meanwhile, out front, the two remaining contenders had pulled out a 10-sec gap. But it wasn’t until halfway through the last lap that an epic duel truly began. Sessler left it late to make his move, diving up the inside of the Swiss and beginning a hair-raising sequence of corners where the two jostled for position, at times touching, Phommara retaking the lead, then losing it again. Into the penultimate corner Sessler retook the lead but the overtake compromised his line into the final corner giving Lenoxx Phommara a chance, which he took, but misjudged, hitting Sessler’s rear tyre and crashing out in dramatic fashion, the finish line within sight – so close, and yet so far.
Sessler took a deserved victory and a 10-point advantage heading into the final race of the season. Behind him, it was Frenchman Nativi in second ahead of Vincze in third. Jurrien Van Crugten (BB64 Academy), Filip Novotny (DG Corse), and rookie wildcard sensation Tobias Kitzbichler (Racing Team Kitzbichler) made up the top 6.
