Speed issues woes for O’Gorman in JuniorGP action in Jerez

BY GILES SPENCER
giles@slpmedia.co.uk

Erith motorcycle racer Casey O’Gorman returned to the JuniorGP World Championship after the summer break with high hopes in Jerez, Spain at the weekend but left frustrated after lack of power saw him struggle.

The weekend started off strongly for the Team Estrella Galicia00 rider going seventh quickest in practice despite a big crash but qualifying was a different story as the team struggled to get the bike right with O’Gorman only managing to place eighth on the grid for the two races on Sunday.

Off the lights under the Spanish sun for race one and O’Gorman made a solid start but got pushed back to tenth by the end of the first lap of fifteen.

Four laps in with the race beginning to settle down, O’Gorman moved into fifth but the top four had already disappeared down the road.

By mid race, team mates Guido Pini and Brian Uriarte were so far ahead they were in another postcode but O’Gorman was still in the thick of the action battling for fourth place with Brit Eddie O’Shea.

Final lap and the 17 year old had been shuffled back to eighth but fought back to take Hakim Danish by  a nose on the line for seventh whilst Pini took the win from Uriarte with championship leader Alvaro Carpe in third.

Starting from tenth on the grid for race two in 31 degree temperatures, O’Gorman made another clean start as his front tyre pawed the air as he accelerated towards the first corner to hold his position for the first lap.

Three laps in and the front group of eleven, with O’Gorman bringing up the rear, had broken clear of the chasing pack but it was obvious the youngster was struggling to hold onto their coat tails.

Less than one lap later and O’Gorman spun out of contention at Pedrosa corner in his bid to close the gap, ending any hopes he may have had of a podium.

The race was won by newcomer Uriarte from O’Gorman’s team mate Max Quiles and Carpe.

O’Gorman drops to ninth in the championship, 62 points behind leader Carpe.

The next round of the championship takes place at Motorland Aragon in Spain over the weekend of the 12-13th October.

Photos: @lifebelucky