The Hungarian gains more ground after some late drama and a superb duel to the flag for second
Soma Görbe (HRE Team) has done it again! The Hungarian completed the double on Sunday at Hockenheim with another impressive victory in Race 2, coming out on top ahead of a superb photo finish to decide second. Over the line it was Jacopo Hosciuc (Hos Racing Team) ahead in the battle, beating Freddie Heinrich (PrüstelGP Junior Team) by just 0.002 as the two completed the podium.
After an aborted and then delayed start, a shortened 10-lap race got underway with Jakob Rosenthaler (RTR – Racing Team Rosenthaler) making a stunning launch to take the holeshot. Görbe slotted into second, with Jonas Kocourek (JRT of Automotodrom Brno) in third early doors ahead of Hosciuc. It didn’t stay that way for long, however, as Görbe struck for the lead and Hosciuc sliced through to second… the Romanian then going one better to take over at the front.
Lorenz Luciano (Junior Black Knights Team) was next on the move, gaining on Kocourek to join that front battle and through on him on Lap 2, with Görbe then taking back the lead. It had become a close top battle in the top six, however, with Heinrich and Jakub Gurecky (JRT of Automotodrom Brno) in the fray ahead of a small gap to Rosenthaler at the head of the next group.
By Lap 3, Görbe seemed to be making his move. Streaking away in the lead, the Hungarian had the hammer down and it looked like this could be the break; only Luciano able to stay with him. Sure enough though, the tightly-packed quartet behind were able to get back into the battle at the front by just the next lap, breakaway averted.
Luciano then struck for the lead, but it was also a moot point as the battle raged on, six bikes so close there was nothing to choose between them. Just before the last lap, however, Heinrich pulled the pin. The German was able to take over at the front and start creating quite a gap, and it seemed like that was job done for the points leader to extend his advantage. On the last lap though, the PrüstelGP Juinior then suddenly raised his hand and seemed to have a problem, dropping from the lead and slotting back into the podium fight. Was this the end of Heinrich’s podium streak? We were about to find out, but Görbe was the man to gain as he took over at the front.
That was how it would stay for the Hungarian, who needed no second invitation. Keeping it steady to the line, the number 42 took the Race 2 victory to complete the double at Hockenheim, seriously closing down the gap in the standings at the same time. Heinrich was back on it battling for second just behind though, back in the hunt, trying everything to find a way past Hosciuc as the two went neck and neck to the line. The Romanian took it by just 0.002, although Heinrich’s P3 keeps his 100% podium record going and helps him retain a solid lead heading into the season finale at Brno.
Luciano, Kocourek and Gurecky took fourth, fifth and sixth in that order, close together to the last, ahead of an impressive ride to seventh for Dustin Schneider (PrüstelGP Junior Team) as he found himself some clear air.
Noel Willemsen (NW Racing) got the better of Kas Beekmans (KNMV) by mere thousandths in the fight for eighth, with Damian Boessenkool (KNMV) almost as close as he completed the top ten a few tenths clear of the rest of a pretty close group battle.
That’s it from Hockenheim! Next up it’s the season finale at the classic Automotodrom Brno… with everything on the line and Heinrich in the lead by just 14 points. Stay up to stay on social media, northerntalentcup.com and motogp.com in the meantime!
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